“Going green is becoming increasingly attractive as a business opportunity. But what does go green mean in the residential and commercial landscape service industry, and how can your business benefit?”
First, “the barriers to entry are low. You can go all-in with a green strategy or start with a green-light approach and phase in more environmentally friendly practices over time.” (As noted by Green Industry Pro’s magazine article “5 Ways to grow your landscaping business by going green”- greenindustrypros.com). Secondly, the elements of sustainability help save resources such as water, wildlife, chemical use and cost.
Discover a few of the reasons you should consider sustainable design elements.
COST-BENEFIT
The Green Business Bureau has an online certification process that is self-paced and designed with green initiatives allowing you to prioritize your greening efforts and realize cost savings, as well as, a positive return on investment.
IT’S THE BEE’S KNEES
Maintaining a suitable habitat for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators is critical for our environment and agricultural endeavors. One-third of our food in the US depends on pollination from honey bees and other insects. The number of honey bee hives has decreased from six million in the 1940s to about 2.5 million today as a result of disease, parasites, poor nutrition, and pesticide exposure. The natural surroundings you can provide through your greener habitat will also benefit bats, birds and other creatures that help control insects.
USING LOCAL RESOURCED PLANTS
Mixing native plants with cultivated flowers and foliage help retain resources. Indigenous plants tolerate local temperatures, soil conditions, and water supplies. They also need less fertilizer and irrigation.
CONTROLLING CHEMICALS
Choosing the right plant varieties and making good use of natural bark, leaves, and other mulch helps control weeds, retains moisture and feeds the soil as the mulch breaks down. This translates into savings on fertilizer, herbicides, and water, as well as, a smaller chemical footprint.
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
It takes mowing, trimming, and watering to manicure sweeping green lawns. Sustainable landscape designs make use of ground cover, prairie grass, pea gravel, natural rock, bark, and even concrete to cut down on maintenance and machinery use.
BRANDING YOUR CHOICE TO BE MORE GREEN
When your business embraces landscaping that helps wildlife and the environment, make sure the community and consumers know about it. Mention this commitment of your sustainability in signage, brochures, and advertising.
If you're ready to enhance your commercial landscape with sustainable design elements that assist the environment and benefit your budget, get in touch with Brilar today by calling 248-949-2172 or sending us an email. We can create the perfect landscape design, put the pieces in place and maintain the elements throughout the seasons.
