Belgard???????(R)???? Go Blue! Campaign Increases Green Practices

This shows the beginning construction of a permeable paver driveway in the community.

Permeable pavers help Minnesota Diamond Lake reduce rainwater runoff.

When Diamond Lake of Minneapolis, Minn., received an F water quality rating, residents decided to take matters into their own hands.

The non-profit group Friends of Diamond Lake worked with Hedberg Landscaping & Masonry Supplies to hold neighborhood educational meetings to garner interest and coordinate a program that became known as the Blue Community Makeover?EUR??,,????'??????????????. It garnered a wave of public support and two environmental awards.

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With the help of the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and local non-profit Metro Blooms, the collective group developed a total of 67 Best Management Practices for 34 households. Two commercial projects garnered over $224,000 in grant funds from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources' Clean Water Fund, defraying nearly half of the costs for the improvements.

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In addition to raingardens and water collection and recycling systems, nearly 11,000 square feet of permeable pavers were installed, including a combination of pavers from the Belgard???????(R)???? Hardscapes Environmental Collection.

As a result of their combined efforts, the Go Blue! Diamond Lake Community Makeover project has received two environmental awards. The project received the ?EUR??,,????'?????<