Date: April 14, 7-9 pm
Location: Springfield Conservation Nature Center
Cost: FREE

The White River Group of the Sierra Club invites the public to attend Landscape Design for Energy Efficiency at its April 14 meeting at 7 p.m. at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center. It's possible to cut your electricity usage for heating and cooling by as much as 25 percent - 50 percent for air conditioning simply by shading your house and following other practical energy-efficient landscaping tips.

Our speaker, Jerany Jackson, will tell you how. She is a landscape architect who serves as group leader for landscape architecture at Great River Engineering in Springfield, Mo. Her focus has been on design and management aspects of landscape architecture. She earned a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and her works have been awarded for their design excellence and environmental sensitivity.

The White River Group of the Ozark Chapter of the Sierra Club includes more than 900 members of the national Sierra Club in southwest Missouri. The Group offers a program for members and the interested public at 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center.

Come early for refreshments and networking at 6:30 p.m. The Group also offers outings and the opportunity to become involved in regional, state and local conservation and environmental issues. For details, go to White River Group.

My Landscape Design for Energy Efficiency is a big burning bush against the west side of our house. It's too big even though I've pruned it aggresively several times. Every year I say I need to cut it down but it keeps the garage so much cooler with no sun coming in the west windows so I've left it there. It definitely makes a difference.