energy_efficiency/performance_ contracting.html). Reducing Fuel Consumption/Costs Large cost savings can be achieved with no or little up-front investment in this area: ■ Adopt a policy of no unnecessary idling of engines. Park employees can be unaware of how much fuel they are wasting by idling. Making it a policy and taking the time to explain why will reduce your department's fuel consumption. ■ Reduce highway speeds by 5 to 10 mph and regularly check tires for proper inflation. ■ Carpool to meetings and conferences and use video or webinar conference opportunities. ■ Train staff on job efficiency practices such as getting the job done correctly the first time and taking with them all the necessary tools for the job in order to avoid extra trips. ■ EcoDriving Training can reduce fuel use by 15 to 30 percent. This manual is a great resource: www.fs.fed.us/ sustainableoperations/documents/ TheEcoDriversManual.pdf. ■ Create " No Mow " zones where appropriate on parkland and greenways. ■ Match the vehicle to the job: don't take a huge truck/SUV when a minitruck will do. A half-ton truck costs about $1.29/mile and gets nine miles per gallon versus a mini-truck that costs about $0.42/mile and averages 37 miles per gallon for city driving. ■ Create park maintenance districts to best utilize staff time and resources. Missoula Parks utilized GPS units on Missoula, Montana park vehicles for fleet management and redrew park districts to greatly reduce having to cross major intersections or making left-hand turns (the two biggest users of fuel). This has saved Missoula Parks more than 3,000 gallons of fuel in only six months. Reducing Water Consumption and Costs Many cities are fortunate to have a majority of their water come from wells at little to no cost. That is not the case in Missoula and other cities that have huge water bills to contend with during the summer months. Here are ways to reduce water use: ■ Decrease the number of watering days for parks and greenways where active playing fields are not present, and in some places, not watering at all, allowing grasses to go dormant. ■ Water late in the day or early during cool temperatures. ■ Mow grass at higher levels-three inches of grass retains moisture longer. ■ Maintain older irrigation systems which often leak hundreds of gallons of water. ■ Replace, where appropriate, Kentucky bluegrass with natives or avoid ■ ■ planting bluegrass in the first place- try xeriscaping with low-water plants where appropriate. Mulch around trees and shrubs to reduce evaporation. Utilize water Ooze Tubes for trees. Mulch rings and Ooze Tubes save water and staff time. Here is a FAQ on Ooze Tubes: www.oozetube.com/ faq.htm. Where to Start One way to not get overwhelmed by how and where to start adopting green practices is to evaluate what your department is already doing, which may include many of the recommendations listed above. Next, consider forming a green team to help identify and prioritize items that will work best for your particular parks department. Identify key players in your department who have an interest in sustainable practices and invite them to help form the green team. Get buy-in from all managers and engage employees through the green team and staff training-making it a part of the parks culture will help ensure success. Jackie Corday is the Open Space Program Manager for Missoula Montana Parks & Recreation (JCorday@ci.missoula. mt.us). WWW.NRPA.ORG | JANUARY 2013 | Parks & Recreation 25