The Real Green Industry

Green is affecting all of us. You can’t turn on the TV or pick up a magazine without being bombarded by the green message. People are building homes based on how green they are and choosing companies to give their money to based on environmental impact. Some consumers are paying more for identical items (like electricity) because they think they are helping the planet with the purchase. Should we care? Yep. This trend can be a boon for us, and we already have an advantage. After all, we are the original green industry.

Why green and why us?

When you ask the average person what comes to mind when he hears “green,” you’ll get a range of responses. The biggest cluster of answers I got from my non-horticultural friends focused on plants (be they garden plants, grass or trees). This means that we are already tops in consumers’ minds when it comes to green. Now we just have to do something about it.

In December 2007, NMPRO’s parent company, Branch-Smith Publishing, started a horticultural blog that incorporates opinions from three of our main industries: garden centers, greenhouse growers and nursery growers. Give Project: Green Industry a look and weigh in with your views at www.projectgreenindustry.com

Year-round green

The blog isn’t the only green effort we’re undertaking. Last fall, I spoke to the national meeting of the Oregon Association of Nurseries on the concept of “The Real ‘Green’ Industry.” While preparing my talk, we were also designing the editorial calendar for this year. The staff decided that since “green” was such a hot and highly debated topic, we’d cover it this year in an extended series.

My Oregon talk generated a lot of discussion. It centered around defining green terms that are often misused and three main ways to make more money with the green revolution. By focusing on promotion, production and partnerships, there’s a lot of money to be made.

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I guess it’s time to capitalize on our greenness to make some more green for all of us.

- Jyme Mariani