With each year, smart business owners look for ways to maximize their return on their investment.  One thing to consider is getting a “green” reputation (and getting ahead of environmental regulations).  And one way to decrease a negative environmental impact is to use pervious pavements for your parking lots and thoroughfares.

What are pervious pavements?

It can be somewhat difficult outside the industry to understand the differences between pervious, porous, and permeable pavement and asphalts.  The terms are often used interchangeably.  This is because the ultimate goals achieved are similar – water, instead of simply running off, can percolate through.  Allowing it to do so helps decrease flooding, better manage storm water because less of it has to rush into gutters and sewers, helps keep water tables filled, and even helps the environment by removing toxic substances via the percolation process.  While they all accomplish the same goals, there are some differences between them.

Pervious pavement is generally considered the umbrella term for all the types of paving that accomplish these goals.  Within that, you have porous or permeable pavements, such as porous asphalt pavement, which allow the water to percolate through the entire surface area.  You also have permeable pavers, which are really impermeable except that they allow water to percolate through wherever they’re joined to one another.  So, in this case, the paving stone itself is not porous, but using paving stones still allows water to percolate through a lot more than non-pervious pavements because of how many paving stones are used and thus how many joins there are throughout the surface.  Paving stones are often more decorative and more expensive.  However, regardless of which type of pervious pavement is used, the benefits to the environment are similar.

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is continuing its work on keeping Milwaukee “green.” In July 2012, an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel revealed that MMSD began required rooftop plants and the installation of other “green infrastructures” to help collect and absorb storm water. MMSD announced in a recent article that permeable pavement will be used along portions of three Milwaukee county roads.

One goal of this work is to improve the water quality in nearby wetlands and along rivers. “Reducing the volume of soil and sand eroding from the shoulder and capturing storm water laden with pollutants washed off the pavement will improve water quality.”

We talk a lot about the benefits of winter snow plowing and snow removal service.  However, sometimes plowing and snow removal can be hard on a property.  For example, landscaping features can take a real beating, and existing potholes might increase in size from the heavy plowing trucks.  Here are some winter preparation tips to help you make it through the snow removal season without damage.

Have you ever considered hiring a professional snow removal and snow plowing company?  We think it’s a good idea for everyone involved. Here are a few of the reasons why.

Reason #1: Peace of Mind

Dealing with snow and ice can be risky. Potential injuries can come from slips or falls and exertion. If you hire a professional snow removal company, you’re moving much of the liability risk to them. They should be insured for general liability, auto liability, and worker’s compensation. If anything should happen to vehicles or workers during professional snow removal, you’ll have the peace of mind that coverage is in place.