DAVIS, Calif.— Isihlahla singaphezu nje kwesici sokwakheka kwezwe. Ukutshala izihlahla endaweni yakho kungehlisa izindleko zamandla futhi kukhuphule ukugcinwa kwekhabhoni, kunciphise i-carbon footprint yakho. Ithuluzi elisha le-inthanethi elakhiwe ngabakwa I-US Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Research Station, Uhlelo lwe-California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) lwe-Urban and Community Forestry Programme, kanye ne-EcoLayers ingasiza abanikazi bezindawo zokuhlala balinganisele lezi zinzuzo ezibonakalayo.
Ukusebenzisa i-Google Maps interface, i-ecoSmart Landscapes (www.ecosmartlandscapes.org) ivumela abanikazi bezindlu ukuthi babone izihlahla ezikhona endaweni yabo noma bakhethe ukuthi bangabeka kuphi izihlahla ezintsha ezihleliwe; linganisela futhi ulungise ukukhula kwesihlahla ngokusekelwe kusayizi wamanje noma usuku lokutshala; futhi ubale imithelela yekhabhoni namandla amanje nawesikhathi esizayo ezihlahla ezikhona nezihleliwe. Ngemva kokubhalisa nokungena, i-Google Maps izosondeza endaweni yendawo yakho ngokusekelwe ekhelini lomgwaqo wakho. Sebenzisa iphuzu lethuluzi elisebenziseka kalula bese uchofoza imisebenzi ukuze uhlonze iphasela lakho nemingcele yokwakha kumephu. Okulandelayo, faka usayizi nohlobo lwezihlahla endaweni yakho. Ithuluzi lizobe selibala imiphumela yamandla kanye nokugcinwa kwekhabhoni okuhlinzekwa yilezo zihlahla manje nasesikhathini esizayo. Ulwazi olunjalo lungakusiza ekukuqondiseni ekukhetheni nasekubekweni kwezihlahla ezintsha endaweni yakho.
Izibalo zekhabhoni zisekelwe endleleni okuwukuphela kwayo egunyazwe I-Climate Action Reserve's Urban Forest Project Protocol yokulinganisa ukuthathwa kwe-carbon dioxide kumaphrojekthi okutshalwa kwezihlahla. Lolu hlelo luvumela amadolobha, izinkampani zezinsiza, izifunda zamanzi, izinhlangano ezingenzi inzuzo kanye nezinye izinhlangano ezingezona zikahulumeni ukuthi zihlanganise izinhlelo zokutshala izihlahla zomphakathi ezinhlelweni zazo ze-carbon offset noma zamahlathi emadolobheni. Ukukhishwa kwamanje kwe-beta kuhlanganisa zonke izindawo zesimo sezulu zase-California. Idatha yensalela yase-US kanye nenguqulo yebhizinisi eyenzelwe abahleli bedolobha namaphrojekthi amakhulu izophuma ngekota yokuqala ka-2013.
“Ukutshala isihlahla ukuze ube nomthunzi wendlu yakho kungenye yezindlela ezingabizi kakhulu zokonga amandla nokusiza indawo ezungezile,” kusho uGreg McPherson, isazi samahlathi socwaningo ePacific Southwest Research Station owasiza ekwakheni leli thuluzi. "Ungasebenzisa leli thuluzi ukubeka kahle izihlahla ezizofaka imali ephaketheni lakho njengoba zikhula."
Ukukhishwa okuzayo kwe-ecoSmart Landscapes, okwamanje esebenza kuziphequluli ze-Google Chrome, Firefox, kanye ne-Internet Explorer 9, kuzofaka amathuluzi okuhlola okunciphisa ukugeleza kwamanzi, ukongiwa kwamanzi, ukungenisa okusekelwe ekucushweni kwezwe, ukuvinjwa kwamanzi emvula ngenxa yezihlahla, nobungozi bomlilo ezakhiweni.
Ikomkhulu e-Albany, Calif., I-Pacific Southwest Research Station ithuthukisa futhi ixhumane nesayensi edingekayo ukuze kugcinwe imvelo yamahlathi nezinye izinzuzo emphakathini. Inezindawo zokucwaninga eCalifornia, Hawaii kanye nase-US-affiliated Pacific Islands. Ukuze uthole ulwazi olwengeziwe, vakashela www.fs.fed.us/psw/.