UNC Charlotte The Environmental Assistance Office for Small Business

9201 University City Blvd. 258 Cameron Building, UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28233-0001

Phone number: 704-687-3968 Fax number: 704-687-3115 

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In partnership with Mecklenburg County LUESA Air Quality and Solid Waste Divisions, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities Mecklenburg Utilities

Sponsored by the Environmental Assistance Office (EAO) for Small Business at UNC Charlotte, The Environmental Corner is designed to serve as an environmental management and pollution prevention resource.

 

A ccording to CNNMoney.com, Charlotte was one of the best places to live in 2006 and continues to be one of the top 10 rapidly growing metropolitan areas in the nation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Mecklenburg County has had a 72 percent increase in population since 1980. On the other hand, because of Mecklenburg County’s population growth, the rate of urbanization and tree loss are on the rise.

When companies want to establish themselves in a city, they look for growing metropolitan areas where their business can flourish and a beautiful surrounding that will attract clients and employees. Take a look outside your parking lot. What is it missing? If your answer is trees, you’re exactly right. 

You already know that trees supply us with food, shelter, clothes, shade, and that it helps supply oxygen and refresh the air. Are you also aware that trees reduce noise pollution, act as wind buffers, absorb dust and other air pollutants and help absorb CO2  created during the burning of fossil fuels. Are you taking the advantage of these longest living organisms?

This issue of the EAO newsletter will address the benefits of trees and tree ordinances in Mecklenburg County, the importance of planting trees, what trees or plants are best for our region, and the best places to plant them. Help your business flourish by planting native trees and plants to improve our community’s quality of life.

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CHARLOTTE TREE ORDINANCE

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etween 1984 and 2001, the county saw a 127 percent increase in areas covered by impervious surfaces. Without a balance between impervious and tree-covered land, the county's citizens will face costly and unhealthy environmental consequences. The challenge faced is maintaining resourceful use of land and a large green infrastructure. Mayor Pat McCrory challenged Charlotte's Tree Commission to establish a new tree ordinance for the city that would ensure the signature status of the trees in the future.

READ COMPLETE TREE ORDINANCE HERE:
http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/City+Engineering/Use+Our+Services/Land+Development/City+of+Charlotte+Tree+Ordinance.htm

The purpose of the Charlotte Tree Ordinance is “to protect and promote the health, safety, and general welfare by providing for the regulation of planting, maintenance, and removal of trees located on roadways, parks, and public areas…” Some of the ordinance’s key goals are:

· to emphasize the importance of trees, both visual and physical

· to promote clean air quality by reducing air pollution and carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere

· to minimize increases of temperature on lands with natural and planted tree cover

· to conserve natural resources

· to minimize the cost of construction and maintenance of drainage systems

So what does the City of Charlotte Tree Ordinance mean for your small business? If you plan on livening up your small business through expansion or are changing plans, there are requirements within the ordinance that you must follow before you plant trees or any other type of plant.

FOR COMMERCIAL PLANTING AREA REQUIREMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS CLICK HERE: 

http://www.charmeck.org/NR/rdonlyres/egigatvm7kifdhzpjn3sw7zc35gagcxukml5d5l5p6eccgjokhgvixpwat6nougpoiujgqrzlg62qgwqapmdq7lmmnd/Tree+Ordinance.pdf

WHAT KIND OF TREE ARE YOU?

Take the 5-

WHAT KIND OF TREE ARE YOU?

Take the 5-minute quiz that will tell you what type of tree you are based on your personality.

http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=98547

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GET YOUR BUSINESS BLOOMING: WHAT SHOULD I PLANT?

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ative plants are those that are produced naturally in an area, having not been introduced by human action. The natural processes from which natives evolve represent a healthy ecosystem. Invasive plants (also known as “alien” or “exotic” plants) are rapidly growing in North Carolina and are beginning to take over our native plants. These plants are not native to NC area and have been brought into environment by human activities. Invasive exotic plants disrupt the ecology of natural ecosystems, displace native plant and animal species, and degrade our biological resources. Your business should plant native plants for the following reasons:

•They promote the conservation of our natural resource

•They restore regional landscapes

•They prevent future alien plants from being grown

•They should withstand regional weather extremes when properly planted

Below is a list of native species and exotic species:
NATIVE SPECIES EXOTIC SPECIES
Hickory Trees Mimosa
Sweetfern Japanese honeysuckle
Blue star English Ivy
Gray’s Lily Garlic mustard
Cranberry Multifloral Rose
Paw Paw Princess Tree
Flowering Dogwood Alligator weed
Virgin’s Bower Autumn Olive
Coral Honeysuckle Russian Olive
FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF RECOMMENDED NORTH CAROLINA SPECIES CLICK HERE:
http://www.ncwildflower.org/natives/natives.htm


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hen you think of trees, the first thing that comes to mind may be their beauty and how they add to landscape scenery, but beauty is only one of the benefits that trees possess. 


Climate Control
-- Trees offer a measure of climate control by moderating the effects of the sun, wind, and rain, radiant energy from the sun is absorbed or deflected by leaves on deciduous trees in the summer and is filtered by branches of deciduous trees in winter. 

Protection from the Elements -- Wind speed and direction and even rain are affected by trees. The more packed the leafage is on trees, the greater influence they have on windbreak. Even when it rains, sleets, or hails, these elements are initially deflected by trees, providing some protection to people, animals, and buildings. Trees also store water for their roots and reduce storm runoff and the possibility of flooding.

Temperature – Trees lower the air temperature around them and the larger the tree, the greater the cooling. Planting trees in the city can prevent the heat island effect caused by pavement and buildings in commercial areas.

Air Quality -- Leaves filter the air we breathe by removing dust and other particulates and rain then washes the pollutants to the ground. Leaves also absorb other air pollutants such as ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide and give off oxygen.

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ccording to treesaregood.org, economic benefits of trees can be both direct and indirect. The direct economic benefits are usually associated with energy costs like air conditioning and heating. A tree-shaded home or business lowers air-conditioning, and heating costs are reduced when a home or business has windbreak. 

Indirect economic benefits are associated with the community or region when power companies are able to use less water in their cooling towers, build fewer new facilities to meet peak demands, use reduced amounts of fossil fuel in their furnaces, and use fewer measures to control air pollution. Communities also can save money if fewer facilities must be built to control storm water in the region.

 

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veryone likes trees. According to treesaregood.com, hospital patients have been shown to recover from surgery more quickly when their hospital room offered a view of serene and beautiful trees. City trees often serve several architectural and engineering functions and provide background to and soften, complement, or enhance architecture.

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orth Carolina is one of the most beautiful and ecologically diverse states in the southeast. This diversity is exhibited by over 4000 native species of plants found throughout the state. Without intervention, however, North Carolina's natural world may soon suffer from plant species loss. 

With the passage of the Plant Protection and Conservation Act in 1979, the State of North Carolina established the NC Plant Conservation Program in the Department of Agriculture.

The Program's responsibilities include:

• Maintaining the list of Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern NC Plant Species Listings (Courtesy of the NC Plant Conservation Program)

•Enforcing regulations and issuing permits concerning state-listed plant species

•Carrying out field projects in biology, monitoring, and management of populations of listed species

•Providing educational materials to the public

•Monitoring trade in American ginseng

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE NC PROTECTED PLANT LIST:
http://www.ncagr.com/plantindustry/plant/plantconserve/plist.htm

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Upcoming Events

UNC CHARLOTTE SPRING PLANT SALE

Friday & Saturday, April 18-19th

8 am – 3 pm @ UNC Charlotte’s Greenhouse

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Plant lovers can expect a wide selection of wildflowers, trees and shrubs, perennials, carnivorous plants, orchids, tropical, and indoor plants, at our largest sale of the year. There is definitely something for everyone. This is our major fundraising event and all proceeds support the greenhouse and gardens operations. Thanks for your continued support and happy planting! For more information contact Paula Gross at 704-687-2870.




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NC FORUM ON WATER QUALITY MONITORING - NCForWater 2008
Wednesday, May 14th 8am-5pm and Thursday, May 15th 8am-1pm
UNC Charlotte College of Health and Human Services

We invite you to join us in the Queen City, Charlotte, North Carolina for presentations and discussions related to all aspects of water quality and ecological monitoring. Topics for the forum include restoration monitoring, long-term monitoring, state and federal programs and emerging monitoring needs. “NCForWater 2008” will bring together the public, regulators, consultants, and researchers involved in water-monitoring programs throughout North Carolina. The goals of the forum include:

•Fostering improved communications
• Improving information sharing
• Exploring new efficiencies in monitoring

For more information on the NCForWater 2008, go to the website at:
http://www.eao.uncc.edu/ncforwater/index.cfm

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Environmental Assistance Office (EAO) for Small Business

The Environmental Assistance Office for Small Business provides non-regulatory, client-confidential pollution prevention assistance to small businesses in the greater Charlotte region. The EAO is designed to assist regional businesses in their efforts to voluntarily prevent pollution. The EAO staff can provide timely assistance for pollution prevention planning, including information about industry-specific case studies, waste-specific case studies, and new technologies. The office provides links of resources to needs between the region's business community, government, municipality, and university. If there is a particular issue or question you would like to see in an upcoming edition, please send an e-mail to EAOforSB@email.uncc.edu

 

Contact Information:

Environmental Assistance Office for Small Business:

9201 University City Blvd. 258 Cameron Building, UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28233-0001

Phone number: 704-687-3968 Fax number: 704-687-3115

Email: EAOforSB@email.uncc.edu

 

Services:

·                   Assistance with Air Permits - Assistance for small businesses in completing paperwork for EPA air permits.

·                   Educational Materials - Educational pamphlet, brochures, flyers, and other materials to relate facts on pollution prevention.

·                   Educational Outreach - Develop educational outreach campaigns and presentations for the public or employee training.

·                   University Resources - Library information, faculty expertise, student projects and research at both graduate and undergraduate levels.

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