Traps targeting ash borer placed in Michigan's U.P.
Purple traps are being placed throughout the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to detect emerald ash borer (EAB) adults. Traps will be removed in late August. "It's important to note that these purple traps will not attract EAB to an area nor does a trap located in your community or on your property mean EAB is present," said Kenneth Rauscher, director of Mich. Dept. of Ag.'s Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division. "The traps are designed to detect the pest and help create a national footprint of where the beetle is located." The purple trap is a 3-dimensional triangle, or prism, made out of thin, corrugated, purple plastic coated with nontoxic glue on all 3 sides. The traps are about 24 inches long and hang vertically in an ash tree or are secured to the trunk of an ash tree. It is baited with a lure (Manuka oil). The traps will be primarily hung in ash trees within a 100-mile band in the 6 most eastern counties of the U.P. In addition, traps will be hung at high-risk locations (campgrounds, sawmills, etc.) in the central and western counties of the U.P.

Federal contractors face E-Verify program
The Bush administration has proposed that all firms contracting with the Dept. of Defense, General Services Admin. or NASA, and many subcontractors/suppliers, use the E-Verify electronic eligibility verification program. For instance, a landscape company installing trees or maintaining grounds on a federal contract, and likely the supplier of the trees themselves, would have to use the E-Verify system, said Craig Regelbrugge, ANLA v.p. gov't. relations. "Given that this new mandate is being pursued without the benefit of reforms to the existing guest-worker programs and realistic ways for experienced but unauthorized workers to earn a legal status, it will have chaotic impacts on many sectors of the economy," he said. You can comment on the proposal until Aug. 11.

Group to push for container standardization
A group of retailers and growers says recycling efforts will make it even more important for the industry to settle on a finite number of container sizes. Platt Hill, owner of Platt Hill Nursery in Bloomington, Ill., said during ANLA's Retail Roadshow that a group is making a concerted effort to consolidate horticultural container sizes, which he said "have always been a pain, but with the industry trying to keep all that plastic out of the landfill, it's important that we limit the pot and flat sizes." Hill said a group plans to go before the ANLA Senate next month to get the ball rolling toward container standardization.

Environmental bill on LBAM spraying moves forward
A bill requiring that an environmental report be completed before pesticides are sprayed over urban areas to eradicate light brown apple moth (LBAM) has been approved by the Calif. Assembly. AB2760, which is part of a package of bills related to spraying a synthetic pheromone in Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin counties as well as San Francisco starting Aug. 17, was introduced by Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco. It passed with a 41-32 vote and heads to the Senate. If approved, it would go to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for his signature. The governor has said he believes the chemical is safe, but has ordered additional tests before aerial spraying is conducted. Calif. Dept. of Food and Ag.'s efforts to eradicate the pest have resulted in strong objections by residents who fear the chemical would have adverse effects on humans and pets.

Discovering the world of sustainability
Kelli Rodda (and her newly green hubby) discover that the cost-to-benefit ratio for solar energy just doesn't pan out. Project: Green Industry

Worth a visit
Learn to grow Arizona cypress, a sturdy windbreak and erosion-control tree that's equally useful as an ornamental in a large-scale landscape. Only on GreenBeamPro.com.

Coming soon: monthly sustainability news
In July, look for an e-newsletter devoted to news from the sustainability front. Be sure to check out this companion to our popular blog, Project: Green Industry.

• Southern Living Plant Collection
• BigFoot Baler
• Central Life Sciences
• Leatherman
• PANTS 2008

Initial Release Purple Diamond® Loropetalum, Purple Pixie ™ Loropetalum, Bigfoot™ Cleyera, Bronze Beauty™ Cleyera, LeAnn™ Cleyera, Spring Sonata™ Indian Hawthorn, Oakland™ Holly, Robin™ Holly.

The BF-300 is your complete solution for plastic baling. This baler allows you to pull up to any location and start baling within minutes. From Ag films to drip-tape, greenhouse covers and dairy silage covers, the BF-300 bales a wide range of plastics.

Mavrik Aquaflow® Insecticide/Miticide provides immediate and long term, broad-spectrum insect control for use on all greenhouse and nursery crops. For more information contact your local distributor, call 1-800-248-7763 or visit us online at www.mavrikaquaflow.com.

Leatherman does landscaping Ultra durable pruners + 9 tough tools in the handle. Carry them everywhere, everyday.