Sustainability is Not Just for Summer: Meet the Earth-friendly practices that protect your landscape through winter.

Greg Gross, branch manager at Eastern Land Management’s “Green Hub” in Monroe, Connecticut, says that sustainable practices during peak growing months is the best way to prepare and protect your landscape for winter. That’s why he’s hosting the firm’s fourth annual Snow Rodeo, a two-day, all-hands winter management training and preparedness program, held this year on October 26-27.

“Winter weather is becoming harder to predict,” Greg says, “so prep, preparedness and contingency planning is more important than ever. The additional stress winter brings to plants and trees, and the operational stress it brings to property and facility managers—cost control, risk management, rising expectations, and liabilities linked to the environment and pedestrian safety—require us to continually improve our game.”

ELM has a long-standing commitment to cut down on chlorides and the firm’s organic-based liquid ice melt products, and its own brine-making facility in Monroe, significantly decreases the amount of traditional salting methods that harm and pollute waterways.

ELM’s snow rodeo addresses these challenges and more, including best practices in storm response, resource allocation, materials and equipment safety, new plow technologies, shoveling techniques, and ways to make sure that plants, landscapes, and people are protected from the hazards of winter.

    • Pre-winter landscape protection with mulching, pruning, fall clean-up, winterized irrigation systems
    • Full property inspection and pre-winter game planning
    • Proactive planning with client to keep commercial properties, college campuses and schools, HOAs, hospitals and senior living facilities safe and accessible, operational, and open
    • Strategies for constant communication, predicted weather events, impending storms, and regular updates
    • Consistent equipment and training on repeat
    • Proprietary weather forecasting, online weather resources, and data models
    • High-performance equipment and advanced technologies
    • Proprietary brine solutions that use less salt per square foot and protect waterways, landscapes and the environment
    • Earth-friendly snow and ice melt solutions
    • Organic, non-chloride applications that reduce corrosion and cost of spring clean- up and repair on architectural building details and hardscape
    • Seasonal snow and ice contract options so you always know how much to budget for winter
    • Hazard mitigation, risk management, pedestrian and vehicle safety, sidewalks and parking lot management that address liability concerns
    • Year-round weather readiness, alerts and warnings
    • Year-round plant health care and sustainable approaches
    • Year-round commitment to do what it takes to keep safety first, no matter the weather, the season or the unexpected

Severe weather is a fact of life in the Northeast. Snow and ice storms, blizzards, freezing temps, and reduced visibility are powerful and damaging. Spring may be the best time to think about what your landscaping and environmental strategies will look like in summer, but failure to prepare can be costly.

To learn more about ELM’s sustainable snow and ice services, winter management and winter safety program, contact ELM President and Advanced Snow Management Professional, Bruce Moore Jr. at (203) 316-5433.

ELM is an active member of the Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA) and certified as Advanced Snow Management Professionals.

Photo: ELM Monroe Connecticut facility and “Green Hub”, host of ELM’s annual Snow Rodeo and winter safety training event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rich Veenhuis Joins ELM as Area Manager

Eastern Land Management is pleased to announce Rich Veenhuis has joined its team as Area Manager. Rich will be based out of ELM’s facility in Monroe, CT.  

Rich brings a solid combination of business and snow industry experience to his new role, ranging from project management to operations.

“I am delighted to be part of the ELM team. I got the ‘landscape bug’ at a very young age and have enjoyed working in this industry my whole life. I look forward to sharing my enthusiasm for smart technologies and high performing landscape systems, and working with our regional team, customers, partners and community to deliver great and safe service, and perfect the experience people have with us,” said Rich.

“Rich is an exceptionally motivated professional, whose genuine passion will bring out the best in his team,” said ELM President, Bruce Moore, Jr. “He has a great blend of technical and people skills and will play an important role is driving consistent, year-round quality.”

A Chicago native and a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, Rich’s professional certifications includes Six Sigma, CNLP (certified nursey and landscape professional) and a lifetime safety ranking from OSHA.

He holds a pesticide applicators license in the states of Illinois and Wisconsin, is a graduate of the New England Tractor Trailer Training School and a veteran of the Illinois Army National Guard.  He attended College of Lake Country in Grayslake, Illinois and was a member of the famed Chicago Second City improvisational theatre group.

Please join us in welcoming Rich to the ELM team.

Liquid Brine Pre-Treating Options Are Effective for Fighting Snow and Ice

ELM is rolling out a liquid brine option as a cost effective and more eco-friendly way to prevent snow and ice from forming.

Typically a blended solution of salt and water, brine has a freezing point lower than water and when applied to surface areas before major storms, acts as a protective barrier, preventing snow and ice from bonding to the pavement. This helps to eliminate any residual snow & ice forming on the pavement and reduce re-freezing after the storm. 

Part of ELM’s growing sustainability platform, proactive brine applications can optimize winter road safety and mitigate the damaging impacts of traditional salt on infrastructure and the environment. 

The brine is being made at ELM’s Monroe, CT facility, the site of the company’s recent “Snow Rodeo” – a professional training day focused on technical quality performance, environmental impacts, best practices, and improved snow and ice control methods. 

ELM is an active member of SIMA (Snow & Ice Management Association) and ASCA (Accredited Snow Contractors of America). 

To learn more about winter services for your commercial property, contact Bruce Moore Jr. at 203-316-5433.

Be Prepared, Be Safe, Be Proactive: Cold Weather Tips from the ELM Snow Pros

We New Englanders love the beauty of winter. But from Snowmageddon to SNOMG, there’s little to love when hazardous conditions, sub-freezing temps, and personal and property health and safety are at risk.

Our snow pros offer the following guidelines for commercial building tenants, patrons and employees to minimize risk and injury:

  • Snow/ice programs treat parking lots and pathways to improve vehicle and pedestrian safety. Be aware that snow and ice will likely exist in parking lots even when sidewalks have been cleared and deiced.
  • During sub-freezing weather, thawing and refreezing can occur following snow and ice clearing. Assume ice exists and take caution if temps fall below freezing.
  • Don’t assume that what appears to be cleared is slip-free. Black ice can form after snow is cleared and may even be hard to see, making it even more dangerous. Wear appropriate footwear with heavy treads for increased traction. 
  • Be aware of changes in walking surfaces. Many falls are caused when transitioning from non-slippery surfaces to slippery ones. 
  • Step down and not out when getting out of vehicles. Swing both legs out. Place both feet on the ground and use hands for support.
  • Focus on your footing. Watch where you walk. Concentrate on getting from point A to point B safely.
  • Free up your hands. Use a carrying case with a shoulder or cross-body strap for laptops and files.
  • Avoid carrying heavy loads that may compromise your balance.
  • Don’t use your cell phone or otherwise multi-task while walking to or from parking lots or when using stairs.
  • Use handrails on stairways and don’t rush.
  • Walk using short, slow steps.
  • Step down off curbs, not out. Landing on your heel first instead of flat-footed can cause a fall.
  • Use authorized paths. If it’s not cleared of snow, don’t use it. No shortcuts.
  • Report unsafe conditions to a supervisor, maintenance manager, or snow professional immediately.

ELM is a long-standing member of SIMA (Snow & Ice Management Association) and ASCA (Accredited Snow Contractors of America), and actively participates in training and credential programs to advance its professionalism, reliability and expertise in snow, ice and winter management.  

ELM’s founder and CEO Bruce Moore Sr. received the Snow Magazine Leadership Award in 2018 for leading the company’s reputation for continued excellence in winter management.

To learn more about winter services for your commercial property, contact Bruce Moore Jr. at 203-316-5433.

Is a big chill coming? Winter 2020 gets down to business.

For advanced snow and ice management companies like ELM, being able to depend on accurate meteorological data is mission critical.

For this, we partner with WeatherWorks, a weather consultancy and climate services provider that gives our snow team the forensic support, and threat and forecast details it needs to manage a variety of winter risk factors that affect our clients’ businesses.

According to the firm’s just-released preliminary outlook, our region will be expecting above average precipitation and snowier than normal conditions. The full outlook will be released October 14. 

Insight into temperature, precipitation and snowfall for upcoming winter gives us the ability to plan around data and fine tune our winter operation for peak performance. 

Whether its salting, plowing or being concerned about significant storms, accurate weather data guides us in making the right decisions on behalf of property and facility managers throughout the greater Fairfield County and NY metro area.

ELM’s winter operation, including our brine and salt storage facility, is based in Monroe, CT, home to our annual October “Snow Rodeo”, an intensive winter preparedness boot camp and training day that fine tunes emergency response protocols and makes sure our snow program is ready by the beginning of November. 

ELM is a member of SIMA (Snow Ice Management Association) and ASCA (Accredited Snow Contractors of America). Our professional snow team holds SIMA Advanced Snow Manager credentials and is committed to ongoing education to stay abreast of technical and risk and liability issues in order to deliver exceptional and safe winter management services to clients throughout our region.

To learn more about ELM’s snow/ice and winter management services, contact Bruce Moore Jr. at 203-316-5433.

Snow certification reduces risk. Here’s why.

ELMs membership in the Accredited Snow Contractors Association and the Snow and Ice Management Association means that when we serve your campus, healthcare facility, or commercial property in winter, our certified snow and ice teams not only abide by higher safety standards, but our work will result in lower insurance costs for everyone.

Our value to you is more than just reducing your liability.  Our commitment to certification and ongoing training reflects an all-encompassing sense of urgency and attention to safety and quality that makes us a strategic partner on your risk management team.

As snow contractors, we take hazard management seriously. We are working harder to have the right information at our fingertips, to work with safety and insurance advocates, and you, our customers, to manage your risk from the best possible perspective.

All ELM territory managers hold ASM (Advanced Snow Management)-certifications from Snow and Ice Management Association (SIMA), which mean they can handle your worst winter weather challenge no matter how extreme it gets.

Contact Client Relations Manager Sandy Rice to learn more about ELMs quality winter management system, including emergency preparedness, storm tracking, contingency planning, risk reduction strategies, and proactive property safety services working together for your benefit.  Mobile: 203.223-8784   Email: srice@easternland.com

 

winter forecast

Preparing Your Commercial Property for the Snow Season – Part II

At this point in time, your snow preparedness plan should have most of the major components in place. The remaining fine tuning of operations and communications will only allow for a smoother operation, and less stress for all involved. Most of the remaining tasks should be completed regardless of whether the service is being performed internally or by an outside contractor. These functions are general conditions and apply to overall snow and ice management.

Continue reading “Preparing Your Commercial Property for the Snow Season – Part II”

winter preparation

Preparing Your Commercial Property for the Snow Season – Part I

Whether you are self-performing snow operations or utilizing the services of an outside contractor, there are several pre-planning tasks to complete to minimize liability issues. The greater amount of communications between the facilities department, end users (tenants, employees, etc.), and service providers (internal or external) will provide a higher level of success in managing a winter event.

Continue reading “Preparing Your Commercial Property for the Snow Season – Part I”