Accelerating the Transition to Sustainable Landscaping in California Independent Technical Panel Meeting, Irvine, CA 1 Nov. 19, 2014

Overview  1. The Council-Background  2. A watershed approach to sustainable landscaping  Elements  May 2014 Symposia  3. Moving Forward  Developing a Market Transformation Plan  Prioritizing ongoing efforts 2

Framework, Vision & Mission 1. Background 3

The Council  Since 1992, Organization of 3 Groups:  1: Water Service Providers  2: Environmental and other Public Advocacy Organizations  3: Everybody Else!  Consensus Based:  Need both G1 & G2 Support  Developed Best Management Practices (BMPs)  Foundation of many water service providers’ conservation and water use efficiency efforts. 4

Organizational Framework  Group 1: water service providers  About 200 active utilities 19 Wholesale (Roughly 90% of state population) 180 Retail (Roughly 47% of state population)  Group 2: environmental advocates  7 active organizations  Group 3: everyone else  Engineering consultants, manufacturers, trade associations, other organizations  About 25 active members 5

Council Vision  A water-efficient California that is characterized by reliable and sustainable water resources, healthy ecosystems, and economically strong communities. 6

Council Mission  A membership organization  Dedicated to Maximizing Urban Water Conservation throughout California  By:  Supporting Innovative technologies and practices  Encouraging effective public policies  Advancing research, education & training  Building on collaborative approaches & partnerships 7

Vision & 2014 Symposia 2. A Watershed Approach 8

The Council & Sustainable Landscaping  Statewide, 53% of urban water use occurs outdoors  Council has had a Landscape BMP since beginning  Council active collaborator in DWR Landscape Task Force (2005)  Large Landscapes Important part of CII Task Force.  “New Norm” takes new, integrated, watershed approach 9

Watershed Approach: Strategic Evolution  Step 1: Vision Statement Adopted (2012)  Step 2: Develop Partnerships & Promote Vision ( )  E.g., Two Recent Symposia; Report released 9.15  Step 3: Create Tools and Resources to Implement ( ?)  E.g., Online Toolbox Database  NEXT STEPS: Market Transformation Study: strategic plan to accelerate rate/transformation 10

The Vision: 5 Key Elements  Watershed Model  Effects are felt throughout a region  Each person’s property is a mini-watershed  Multiple Benefits  Not just water efficiency  Partnerships  Public, private, non-profits must collaborate  Quality of Life  An upgrade, not a compromise  Market Transformation  Long term change begins by changing the norm 11

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Benefits to Utilities, Businesses & Individuals  Water savings  Cost savings  Storm water and irrigation runoff reduction  Green waste reduction  Pesticide application and runoff reduction  Habitat improvement, especially from cultivation of native plants  Energy and greenhouse gas reductions  Health benefits. 13

Why Aren’t We Already There?  Traditional attitudes towards grass and water  Financial constraints for homeowners, communities, businesses and nonprofits  Landscapes: Complex Systems  Can’t just install a widget or fix a leak.  Landscapes = Living Organisms + Engineering + Human Behavior + Environmental Conditions  In combination, multiple impacts increase complexity, trigger needs for understanding and training 14

Council’s Role  Facilitate the Dialogue & Coordinate the Work  Identify Common Interests and Solutions  Promote Partnerships & Pool Resources  Provide Technical and Other Support to Stakeholders  Example: 2014 Landscape Symposia 15

2014 Symposia 16

2014 Symposia  May 22-Rancho Cucamonga  May 29-Citrus Heights  350+ total attendees  Morning session:  Presentations by State agencies, local utilities, and nonprofits  Afternoon session:  3 rounds of highly interactive, self selected, table discussions 17

Council’s Symposia Partners  DWR  State Water Board  Department of Pesticide Regulation  Cal Recycle  University of California, Davis 18

Symposia Report: Highlights  Detailed Identification of Obstacles and Opportunities  Five Broad “Taking Action” Themes  Transforming the Market;  Harnessing New Norm Economics;  Supporting Collaboration;  Changing the Industry; and  Educating the Public. 19

Nine “Next Steps” 1. Developing Market Transformation Plan 2. Leading by Example 3. Developing a Task Force 4. Recognizing the Early Adopters 5. Consolidating Consumer Resources 6. Completing Crowdsourcing Resources 7. Expanding CSANs 8. Increasing Messaging & 9. Bridging the Public-Private Divide 20

- Market Transformation Planning - Coordination and Prioritization of ongoing efforts 3. Next Steps—Two Tracks 21

Initial Steps  Confirm our shared understandings of the overall goals:  What do we mean by sustainable landscaping? I.e., what additional detail must be given, at this point, to the Council’s watershed approach?  What do we mean by “accelerating the transition”?  Confirm our shared understanding of the “twin tracks”:  develop a market transformation and implementation plan;  move forward, while planning is underway, on ideas, programs, activities that can offer the greatest returns from collaborative efforts 22

1. Market Transformation 23

Key Assumptions  Substantial Public & Private Efforts Underway  Coordination of the time, talent and financial investments needed will be more efficient than ad hoc efforts and can accelerate the transition.  Multiple interests & the paramount role of consumer values and behaviors leads to a degree of complexity that is at least an order of magnitude greater than that associated with market transformation planning in other sectors 24

Experience in Other Sectors  Energy Sector  Energy Star  Water Sector  Water Sense  Weather-Based Irrigation Controllers  Public Health  Seat Belts  Tobacco Smoking  Highway Littering  Safe Sex  “Just Say No” 25

The Four “A’s” 1. Actions: What sequence of “actions”  E.g., research, investments, programs, projects, messages, social marketing, codes, standards 2. Actors: by which actors  E.g., state, federal, local governments; nonprofits; universities; and private sector individuals and organizations 26

The Four “A’s” 3. Areas: in which region(s)  Neighborhood/development  City  Marketing Region  Hydrologic Region  State  (West-wide?)  (Nationwide?)  (World-wide?) 27

The Four “A’s” 4. Adopters: will most efficiently and effectively convince the early adopters to choose to invest their own time, talent and resources in implementing the multiple-benefit, watershed- based “vision” of a sustainable landscape on their property? 28

Many Questions  Knowledge Base?  Other Efforts?  Appropriate Scale?  Branding and Messaging?  Community Based Social Marketing?  Role of Green Industry?  Segmentation?  Codes & Standards?  Resources?  Coordination?  Others ???? 29

Likely Needed Expertise  Branding & Campaign Planning  Partnership Communications and Support  Web & Digital Strategy Planning  Media, Outreach & Education Planning & Implementation  Campaign and Media Monitoring and Evaluation 30

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch … Track 2 Moving Forward Collaboratively while Planning  Identify Tasks that benefit most from collaboration  Next Steps from Symposia Report  Other Actions  Coordination  Large Group? Smaller Steering Group? Both?  Resources  Model Programs  What’s working already? 31

The Council looks forward to working with all of you to accelerate the transition to sustainable landscaping in California. Thanks ! 32