{"id":4165,"date":"2019-02-20T06:00:08","date_gmt":"2019-02-20T11:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovativepixel.com\/IGIN\/?post_type=features&p=4165"},"modified":"2021-12-30T18:42:45","modified_gmt":"2021-12-30T23:42:45","slug":"putting-the-green-in-green-industry","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/innovativepixel.com\/IGIN\/features\/putting-the-green-in-green-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"Putting the green in green industry"},"content":{"rendered":"
Walking the aisles of your local grocery or retail store, you\u2019ve undoubtedly seen buzzwords like sustainable, green and organic on the packaging of all sorts of products. And while the organic food movement is perhaps the most widespread trend, people are becoming increasingly concerned with not only the products they eat, but the ones they use for beauty, health, pet care, cleaning and lawn maintenance.<\/p>\n
Whether you\u2019re personally on board with the movement or not, if you\u2019re in the landscape industry, you should care about this growing trend. For environmentally conscious individuals, or for parents concerned about the safety of their kids playing in the yard, many companies in the green industry have adapted to match these consumer trends.<\/p>\n
LID Landscapes is a Boulder, Colorado-based landscape company that knows a thing or two about implementing sustainable initiatives and practices. General Manager Scott Natter has been in the landscape industry since he was a teenager. After earning his landscape management degree from Brigham Young University, his career led him to Boulder in 2013, where he\u2019s played a vital role in the evolution of LID Landscapes as a successful, sustainable landscape design and maintenance firm.<\/p>\nLID Landscapes composts the organic matter it hauls away from job sites. Instead of taking branches, grass clippings, sod, soil and other yard waste from its projects to a landfill, the company recycles as much of it as possible. These composted materials are then used as amendments in new landscape plantings on both residential and commercial properties as shown here.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
While most people understand the broad definition of organic as being free from chemicals, the term sustainable varies a bit more depending on who you ask. \u201cSustainable landscapes means something different to many different people. For one person, sustainable might mean \u2018hey, I don\u2019t want to be out weeding on a weekly basis,\u2019\u201d says Natter. For those with this mentality, sustainable means having a landscape that requires little upkeep.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor others it has more to do with the overall impact on the environment.\u201d To these folks, weekly weeding might actually be seen as a sustainable practice since it avoids the use of chemical weed killers.<\/p>\n
Natter says his definition of a sustainable landscape is \u201ca landscape that\u2019s happy where it is, with plants that are planted in the right environment, and using practices that allow minimal maintenance while the landscape continues to flourish.\u201d<\/p>\n
LID Landscapes takes the definition of sustainable even further. \u201cIt\u2019s how little can we put into a landfill? How much can we recycle so we\u2019re not contributing to waste?\u201d says Natter. He adds, the company\u2019s motivation for using sustainable practices is twofold. \u201cOne is being good stewards of the land. We want to protect it, and it\u2019s why we\u2019re in the industry we\u2019re in. We like making beautiful landscapes. Part of that is protecting the overall landscape we live in.\u201d<\/p>\n
The second part is creating better value for the company and its customers. \u201cWhen we\u2019re being sustainable and finding ways they can be sustainable, it cuts down our costs for them \u2014 maintenance, water costs, whatever it happens to be,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Recycling at its core<\/h2>\n
The core of LID Landscapes\u2019 sustainable practices is recycling. It composts all of the organic matter it hauls away from job sites. Instead of taking branches, grass clippings, sod, soil and other yard waste from its projects to a landfill, the company recycles as much of it as possible. These composted materials are then used as amendments in new landscape plantings on both residential and commercial properties. Natter says that using recycled mulch adds healthy nutrients to landscapes, saves room in landfills and reduces the emissions necessary to transport and dump materials.<\/p>\n
In addition to organic matter recycling, LID Landscapes recycles old concrete and flagstone scraps from project removals and demolitions. Rather than hauling these materials to a landfill, it crushes the materials into a small size, similar to gravel, which is then used for sub-bases under patios, driveways and other landscape hardscapes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we can eliminate [the need for] 80 percent of [new materials] and recycle everything that comes off of our sites, that\u2019s definitely a big gain for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The company also takes all metal scraps, wood pallets and plastic materials to a recycling plant. The company practices the \u201creduce, reuse, recycle\u201d mentality in its office, limiting its use of paper, which is, not surprisingly, made from recycled materials.<\/p>\n
Not only are these practices good for the environment, they benefit the company\u2019s bottom line.<\/p>\n
Using recycled materials from job sites reduces the amount of new materials the company has to purchase, and with each truckload to a landfill costing between $200 to $400, Natter says it also saves on disposal costs.<\/p>\n
A different approach<\/h2>\n
LID Landscapes\u2019 services do include the use of organic fertilizers and herbicides, but in Natter\u2019s experience, organic herbicides have not been as effective as traditional products. \u201cWe have some that we\u2019ve tried, and we will continue to try and find others that work well, but as of now, there isn\u2019t anything that works great.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rather than relying solely on organic products to achieve a sustainable landscape, LID Landscapes has realized that the most effective organic method of weed control is manual weeding. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of hand weeding at first and using fertilizers that strengthen the natural landscape so that the desirable plants become stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n
Natter says his crews manually remove weeds until the desired plants become stronger and force out the weeds. \u201cIf you have a strong, dense turf, there\u2019s less possibility of weed growth, and that\u2019s more the management practice of being organic and less impactful to the environment that we end up taking a lot of times.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s controversy in many areas, including Boulder, over the possible harmful effects of herbicides on insects, animals and humans. Because of that, Natter says it\u2019s a better scenario if the company can achieve the desired effects of a healthy lawn without reverting back to using chemicals.<\/p>\n
The cost of going green<\/h2>\n
Educating clients that to have a sustainable landscape, one must accept a certain level of weed growth can be a challenge. \u201cThere\u2019s this mentality for some that \u2018I don\u2019t want to see any weeds in my turf, I just want a lush, green lawn.\u2019 To achieve that organically without using chemicals is virtually impossible. At some level, you\u2019re going to have some weeds.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, he adds that if you create a very strong turf, you\u2019ll have very few weeds. That doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll have a yard full of dandelions, but an organic-seeking homeowner has to be content with one or two stragglers. \u201cIf people can accept that, we can achieve an organic lawn by not using chemicals.\u201d<\/p>\n
But, the question is, are people going to accept this if they\u2019re paying good money for landscaping services? Natter says some clients are receptive to this approach, and some aren\u2019t. \u201cIt\u2019s when the values don\u2019t align that make it difficult.\u201d He says LID Landscapes works with clients to \u201chelp them find a happy medium of how much time they want to spend maintaining their lawn, how much they want to pay for it and really what is acceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n
When people hear the words green or organic associated with a product or service, they usually equate this with higher costs. Natter says that for clients who really want this organic method, there is an upfront cost because of the labor you invest to get it to a state that\u2019s more sustainable.<\/p>\n
However, some investments pay off over time. Natter says upgrading irrigation systems is one of the biggest green initiatives Colorado is experiencing. And it\u2019s also a money saver. According to Natter, most irrigation systems in the Boulder area are older. Helping customers use proper water management practices and update their old irrigation systems has a direct impact on the overall cost of their landscape.<\/p>\n
So, yes, some sustainable services can be more expensive, but it really comes down to what the client wants. Natter says he\u2019s fine if every prospective client isn\u2019t interested in LID Landscapes\u2019 methods. He says the company prefers to have a more sustainable practice, and if that means it doesn\u2019t win over everyone with its approach, then it just finds other clients who are a good match for its services.<\/p>\n
Looking forward<\/h2>\n
Beyond recycling all of its materials and using organic weed control methods, what more could a company possibly do to operate more sustainably? LID Landscapes is moving toward reducing its carbon footprint and emissions by using battery-powered equipment. The equipment doesn\u2019t create exhaust fumes or noise when working on job sites.<\/p>\n
While LID Landscapes does already use some battery-powered tools like backpack blowers and concrete saws, it\u2019s still holding out on electric mowers. Natter says this is because it hasn\u2019t found a commercial mower that will last one of his crews an entire day. He\u2019s optimistic that manufacturers will get there soon, but he says his company\u2019s biggest challenge is having technology catch up with what it needs.<\/p>\n
Adapting to change<\/h2>\nRather than relying on organic products, LID Landscapes believes the most effective organic method of weed control is manual weeding.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
There\u2019s no doubt the industry is moving more toward sustainable practices as evidenced by the increasing number of electric power tools, mowers and lawn care products that have come out in the last few years. Natter says that many of LID Landscapes\u2019 competitors profess to have green practices, and while they may not be recycling as fully as LID Landscapes does, they at least offer the use of organic fertilizers and herbicides. \n\u201cIf you\u2019re not on the cutting edge of the green industry, if you\u2019re not pursuing these more organic methods of landscaping, then you\u2019re being left behind,\u201d says Natter.<\/p>\n
Considering implementing sustainable initiatives in your company is a step in the right direction. Natter\u2019s advice? \u201cJust take it one step at a time. Find the next way to improve your practices, and institute that. And then once you\u2019ve got that down, work toward the next one.\u201d He recommends to just keep doing this until you\u2019ve moved in a much better direction.<\/p>\n
Becoming a sustainable company doesn\u2019t happen overnight. LID Landscapes has been in Boulder since 1980, and its green practices have evolved over the years. \u201cAs we\u2019ve become more knowledgeable about the effects of these questionable practices with using herbicides and pesticides \u2026 and filling up our landfills and all the waste that\u2019s created, we\u2019ve purposely moved toward a more sustainable direction for our company.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adopting new practices and methods as a company can seem daunting, but be careful not to resist the ways the market is changing. You don\u2019t want to be left in the dust as your competitors adapt their services to what clients are asking for.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s safe to say that most landscapers want to take care of the environment and create landscapes that are healthy and safe for people and creatures alike. So if moving more toward sustainability is good for the earth, cost-saving and what your customers want, what do you have to lose?<\/p>\n
This article originally appeared in Irrigation & Green Industry magazine.<\/em><\/h6>\n
![\"sustainable](\"https:\/\/innovativepixel.com\/IGIN\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/putting-green-in-green-industry-2.jpg\")
![\"sustainable](\"https:\/\/innovativepixel.com\/IGIN\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/putting-green-in-green-industry-3.jpg\")
In addition to organic matter recycling, LID Landscapes recycles old concrete and flagstone scraps from project removals and demolitions. Rather than hauling these materials to a landfill, it crushes the materials into a small size, similar to gravel, which is then used for sub-bases under patios, driveways and other landscape hardscapes.<\/p>\n![\"sustainable](\"https:\/\/innovativepixel.com\/IGIN\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/putting-green-in-green-industry-4.jpg\")
LID Landscapes\u2019 services do include the use of organic fertilizers and herbicides, but in Natter\u2019s experience, organic herbicides have not been as effective as traditional products. \u201cWe have some that we\u2019ve tried, and we will continue to try and find others that work well, but as of now, there isn\u2019t anything that works great.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/innovativepixel.com\/IGIN\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/putting-green-in-green-industry-5.jpg\")
But, the question is, are people going to accept this if they\u2019re paying good money for landscaping services? Natter says some clients are receptive to this approach, and some aren\u2019t. \u201cIt\u2019s when the values don\u2019t align that make it difficult.\u201d He says LID Landscapes works with clients to \u201chelp them find a happy medium of how much time they want to spend maintaining their lawn, how much they want to pay for it and really what is acceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/innovativepixel.com\/IGIN\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/putting-green-in-green-industry-6.jpg\")