BLG Environmental Services - October 2021

BLG Environmental Services - October 2021

OCTOBER 2021

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ACHIEVING THE IMPOSSIBLE

I CAN’T HELP BUT TO ADMIRE GODDARD’S FEARLESSNESS, AND I RELATE TO IT IN MY OWN WAY. WHEN I TELL PEOPLE IN MY INDUSTRY ABOUT MY COMPANY, SOME PEOPLE CAN GIVE ME BEWILDERED EXPRESSIONS.

REFLECTING ON THE STORY OF ROBERT H. GODDARD

Has anyone ever told you that your dreams were impossible? That quite literally happened to the first guy to imagine rockets in space. Robert H. Goddard’s birthday is this month on Oct. 5 (born 1882), and if you’re not aware of his inspiring story, he was essentially a real-life “mad scientist” (or at least that was his reputation) who actually initiated the modern space age by inventing the first rocket that could travel into space. There’s a lot about his story that I find fascinating. Firstly, I like to think that we share a fondness for trees (and first name, but that’s beside the point). When he was 17 years old, Goddard climbed a cherry tree at the back of his family barn and admired the night sky. The sight overwhelmed him so much in fact that he dreamed of ascending to Mars.

— much of the scientific community and society found his aspirations laughable. Even a 1920 editorial in The NewYork Times ridiculed Goddard’s plans. But Goddard focused on his work, despite lack of funding and resources, and created the groundwork for the world’s first rockets. When Apollo 11 launched in 1969, The NewYork Times launched a famous correction for their past editorial on Goddard, which came 14 years after his death. I can’t help but to admire Goddard’s fearlessness, and I relate to it in my own way. When I tell people in my industry about my company, some people can give me bewildered expressions. Why would I take only 3–4 projects every month? Isn’t that risky? Why wouldn’t I try to be the most massive landscape design firm in the world? My response is that executing an incredible landscape design is my dream, and after decades of experience, I’ve found that this is the best way to do just that. Can it be risky? Sure, our level of commitment to our customers can be risky, but it’s rarely unrewarded, simply by merit. We love that we’re the local landscape design company that you and your family trust. That’s why I enjoy the size of our team right now, where we can take on a lot of different things and still be in control and provide an extremely high quality of

service. When clients want to get a hold of me or our amazing project manager, Danny, they always can (or I always call back!). Once I take on a project, it’s a big deal for us not only because we’re selective about the projects we take on, but also because that client has become part of our BLG family. There’s something to be said about old-fashioned customer service and treating people like family, but pursuing your dreams is also vital. Whatever your dream is, I think it’s important that what you do is shaped to fill that void where your aspirations live so fulfillment is always attainable. Maybe that’s why people like Robert H. Goddard didn’t need validation from the public to become the Father of the Space Age, as he’s known today.

Secondly — although his childhood dream became an impressive lifelong pursuit in physics and engineering

As always, thank you for reading. I hope you have a great month!

Robert Burns

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Hi, friends, Robert here again. Some of my favorite questions about landscape design relate to lighting. It’s such an exciting, versatile aspect to your final outcome! Imagine your favorite celebrity home or movie scenes set at night in fancy mansions and landscapes. You might not realize it, but the reason why

Meet Alliance Outdoor LED Lighting WANT TO FEEL LIKE A HOLLYWOOD STAR?

those properties look so incredible is the lighting, which adds an amazing dimension even to the most natural spaces! (It also makes your late-night event photos look amazing — take it from my clients who have hosted parties, business events, and even weddings in their own backyard.) At BLG Environmental, we love using Alliance Outdoor LED lighting to give your landscape the same effect at night. The right lighting can add a sense of depth and elegance to your outdoor areas, decks, pools, and other architectural features.

In fact, my clients say that their property lighting is some of the best money spent on their project.

GAVIN’S GUYS

a couple dollars to buy a brand-new one with a powerful engine and enclosed seats with air conditioning. When you drive it, you’re basically driving a car, which is definitely why my dad’s been teaching me how to drive it. I can’t see any other possible perks to teaching me how to drive a lawnmower. So, if you want my driving tips after a whole weekend of experience, here they are! Read closely, because it could save your life or someone else’s.

MY TOP 3 DRIVING TIPS

Hi, newsletter pals! Some people might say that 7 years old is too young to be driving, but you know what I think? You’re never too young to start learning! While I’m writing this (in early September), even though it’s been nearly 110 degrees F outside, we’ve had plenty of rainfall and the grass keeps growing and growing.

No. 1: Make sure your little sister isn’t in the way. It’s very, very important that when you’re driving, your little sister is never on the road ahead of you. She might love farming, but she’s also a little person who could be injured by a big lawnmower. When turning or even while moving forward, always take a look around your surroundings to ensure no little sisters are running ahead of you. No. 2: Make sure your dad isn’t in the way, either. Dads are basically immortal, but they can definitely get annoyed! So, make sure you don’t put them in harm’s way, either, just to be safe. No. 3: Don’t drink and drive. Have you ever tried drinking while driving? It’s not just reckless, but also dangerous. My apple juice ALWAYS topples over and makes everything sugary and sticky — it’s gross. Don’t do it — it’s not worth it. Man, I keep peaking every year. I’ve basically mastered driving already! If you need any more driving tips, just let me know. Me and my guys would be happy to take a break from landscaping to help.

That means only one thing: It’s time to break out the lawnmower. Fortunately, our old lawnmower broke, so our dad had to pay

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OUR CLIENTS SAY IT BEST! We would like to thank you for all your help in making our home and landscaping look top-notch and truly standout. Your

We’ve featured their Bluetooth lighting fixtures before, which are adjustable from your phone to any color you prefer. So, why are we going out of our way to feature their LED lighting in particular? Their awesome, solid brass fixtures are perfect for all weather conditions, but that’s not their only engineering perk. Alliance Outdoor LED lights are all low voltage and have high LED efficiency — this means they can run all night with no problems or high bills. Also, they add additional security at night, whether that’s giving your family a better view of your dark landscape at night or lighting the area for your security cameras. If you want the best lighting for your buck, then I can’t recommend Alliance Outdoor LED lights enough. If you want to learn more, please feel free to give us a call. We’d be happy to help you out.

planning and attention to detail are superb and made the experience very

pleasurable. We were especially impressed with your post installation inspection that included some ‘tweaks’ to make the plantings looks that much better and verify our sprinkler coverage was sufficient for the newly installed residential landscape. Your service was very much appreciated and is a breath of fresh air in today’s world where most have forgotten about the details and good old-fashioned customer service. Thank you again and we look forward to using you and your company for our next project.” –Jason & Ana S.

Robert Burns

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” –Matthew 5:8 “Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you.” –Exodus 23:25 “If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit.” –Leviticus 26:3–4 HAVE YOU HEARD THE GOOD NEWS?

EASY OUT

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A Tribute to Robert H. Goddard

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Why Lighting Turns Backyards Into Beverly Hills Gavin’s Guys: Driving Tips

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The Good News Hear From Our Clients Take a Break! 3 Healthy Spices to Try This Fall

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It’s the season of fall spices. Pumpkin spice — which is actually a mix of many different seasonal spices — is a favorite, but it’s not the only one we should try this year. Seasonal spices are a fun way to literally spice up your meals, and many of them also have surprising health benefits! Something for Your Heart: Cinnamon Cinnamon can actually help lower your blood sugar levels, which is especially beneficial for folks with Type 2 diabetes. The Johns Hopkins Medicine website also reports that cinnamon has heart-healthy benefits. For example, studies show that cinnamon can reduce high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, thus decreasing the risk of developing heart disease. How to add more cinnamon to your diet: Sprinkle cinnamon on oatmeal or plain yogurt for a warming boost of flavor. You’ll also find cinnamon in pumpkin spice, a seasonal favorite. Something for Your Brain: Turmeric Recent research has found that turmeric can reduce inflammation. A compound in turmeric called curcumin has been shown to help reduce the pain and swelling associated with arthritis. The anti-inflammatory properties of THE BEST FALL SPICES TO BOOST YOUR FAMILY’S HEALTH

turmeric may also help reduce inflammation in the brain, which has been linked to depression and Alzheimer’s.

How to add more turmeric to your diet: Homemade curries are a great way to get a good dose of turmeric. You can also add turmeric to roasted vegetables or taco seasoning. Something for Your Stomach: Ginger If you’ve ever drunk ginger ale on a plane to calm your upset stomach, then you’ve already experienced the healing properties of ginger. Ginger can be used to treat nausea, including nausea due to motion sickness and pregnancy. Studies show that ginger can also offer relief to cancer patients suffering from nausea caused by chemotherapy.

How to add more ginger to your diet: There are many baked goods that call for ginger. Your morning coffee or tea could also benefit from a hint of ginger.

These are just a few spices that are also superfoods! Do some research to discover the secret benefits of your favorite spices.

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LANDSCAPE - HARDSCAPE - IRRIGATION - OUTDOOR LIGHTING

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