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To continue to provide quality, affordable professional development opportunities to landscape professionals across the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, the upcoming Smartscape workshop series will be held in Goodyear, Arizona starting August 8th and running Mondays and Wednesdays through August 31st, 2011. Sponsored by the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA is a Water – Use It Wisely Arizona partner) and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County, the series has an outstanding speaker lineup including Mary Irish, garden author, and Dr. Ursula Schuch, University of Arizona plant scientist and researcher.

Smartscape prepares students with the essential skills to plan, create, and care for low-water-use landscapes and plants. Taught by experts in the green industry, Smartscape delivers 20 hours of high-quality education on the best irrigation and horticultural practices for the desert southwest. For just $60, students receive a Smartscape manual with valuable materials, instruction from experts in green industry, and snacks and refreshments. Landscape companies send their crew members to Smartscape to receive training at an affordable price. “I will always send my employees to this class,” one Smartscape graduate noted.

Upon completion of the course, graduates receive two Smartscape logo decals, a lapel pin, a certificate of completion, and a chance to market themselves as a Smartscape professional by listing their contact information in the Smartscape online directory. This directory is a great resource for homeowners who are looking to hire knowledgeable and trained landscape professionals.

Registration for the Fall 2011 Smartscape series is now open. Download and print the registration form or contact Haley Paul, Smartscape Program Coordinator, at hepaul@cals.arizona.edu or (602) 827-8200 x395 with any questions.

Throughout the month of July, the Mesa Red Mountain Library, 635 N. Power Road in Mesa, Arizona, will feature a 16-foot tall, 136-gallon water jug pyramid as part of the City’s Water – Use It Wisely campaign. The display represents how much water one person consumes per day in their home.

“This impressive display illustrates the need for all of us to be more aware of how much water each of us uses on a daily basis,” Mesa Conservation Specialist Donna DiFrancesco said. “We hope this urges our customers to be responsible in their water usage to protect this valuable resource.”

Typical residential water usage in Mesa ranges from 80 to 180 gallons of water per person per day, including indoor and outdoor use. Water use is broken down in the following categories:

• Consumption – 6 gallons
• Showers and Baths – 16 gallons
• Toilets – 18 gallons
• Household Cleaning – 22 gallons
• Outdoors – 74 gallons

The campaign recently introduced the Home Water Challenge, an educational video that provides water conservation information, tips and helpful links that show how to conserve water in and around your home. Find it on our site by clicking here.

Participants can then input their monthly water use from their utility bill into a worksheet to see how their own water use stacks up to the average.

The water jug pyramid will be on display in Mesa through the month of August. If you miss the Mesa showing … don’t worry. You’ll be able to catch it on tour in the City of Chandler for September 2011.

Water – Use It Wisely Regional Campaign Partners include the cities of Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Glendale, Tempe, Avondale, Fountain Hills, Peoria, Surprise, and Queen Creek. Additional partners include the Arizona American Water Company, Arizona Municipal Water Users Association, Global Water Resources and Salt River Project.