Green Industry ECOnomics - LandcareNetwork.org

Why then would anyone suggest, as the Crystal Ball Committee now is, that
you must become greener, and that following that path ultimately will provide
you with your best opportunity for long-term revenue growth and survival
The short answer is because you will have to.
Government agencies, allied industries (e.g. the building trades and environmental/activist
organizations), and the public’s concern over environmental
issues (once it emerges) will see to that.
Sustainability is not a fad as evidenced by the examples of some of the
world’s biggest companies, such as Wal-Mart and Coca-Cola. Both are aggressively
engaged in sustainability initiatives. In other words, you may not see
demand for more overtly environmental products or services now, especially
if they’re more expensive than what consumers are accustomed to, but you
will in the near future. Jolted by economic trauma, reminded daily about our
diminishing natural resources (rightly so), and awakened to a range of environmental
concerns, the public will come around.
Our customers too will be asking themselves what kind of planet they want
to live on and what kind of environment they want their children and grandchildren
to inherit. Yes, we’re a society seeking more stability and permanence
in our lives; one that’s awakening to the fact that the age of extravagant
waste is over. Waste is too expensive, and it’s not sustainable.
This bodes well for green industry professionals who provide products and
services that nourish both the human spirit and improve customers’ enjoyment
of their properties. In fact, it’s not a stretch to say the industry is incredibly
well positioned to make much bigger, sustainable contributions and,
taking it even further, to provide regenerative services to the urban environments.
After all, if you want to make up for the carbon footprint of your
airline travel, you can do so by planting a tree that will sequester the carbon
equivalent of the pollution produced by your flight. By providing even more
lifestyle and environmental services to the public, green industry members
can become recognized not only as landscape and lawn care professionals,
but also as urban environmental specialists or something similar to that.
What other industry is better positioned to do this Who else has a greater
knowledge and is positioned to have a greater direct impact on their clients’
immediate environment than green industry professionals
So, what is this sustainable landscaping that is seemingly in the media so
much these days If you search Google for the term “sustainable landscape”
you might be disappointed. You won’t find a precise definition of what it is.
You’ll be hard-pressed to uncover specific guidelines on how to create one,
and certainly will not find a blueprint that you can easily match up with your
What is “sustainability” and why do I care 3