Voice of the Green Industry

One of our maintenance/service truck and trailer combinations was stopped by a PUCO officer last Friday, August 27, 2010. There is apparently a new regulation that will affect ALL of us not only in the “green industry” but almost virtually every commercial vehicle. The new regulations affect any vehicle with a GVW of 10,000 pounds or more OR a vehicle and trailer with a combined GVW of 10,000 pounds or more. The key points of this new ridiculous regulation will require that our drivers will ALL be required to have a CDL, annual physical exams with proof of record, the trucks and trailers will ALL be required to be examined annually by a certified mechanic or shop that will issue a sticker of compliance. Needless to say this will be yet one more unnecessary burden on small business and a cost that no one wants. Jennifer of our state organization, ONLA is aware of this issue and is contacting PUCO. My brother Chuck Buck who is active in local and state politics is contacting our state representative in the 23rd district, Ms. Cheryl Grossman. Please help complain or do whatever you can to see if we can get this new PUCO law reversed. This is coming down as a fereal law. Thank you. -Steve

Please see this link - http://www.puco.ohio.gov/emplibrary/files/Trans/MCR/PUCO%20Motor%20Carrier%20Safety%20Rules%20Handbook_June%202010.pdf

You may think I’m jumping the gun, but I’m not. As we all know, time flies during the busy season. Before you know it, October will be here and the Green Industry Conference (GIC), to be held October 27–30, would only be a few short weeks and away. For most PLANET members, attending GIC is a given; they wouldn’t miss it for anything. For those who may be on the fence about going, here are a few good reasons to attend:

1. Nothing else compares. This is the largest green industry educational event in the world, held in conjunction with GIE+EXPO in Louisville. If you are serious about being successful in the landscape and lawn care profession, this is a “must-go-to” event.

2. I can speak from my experience. Our company, Dennis’ 7 Dees, has made attending GIC its No. 2 best practice because of the knowledge our team gains from being there. No. 1, hands down, is being a PLANET member.

3. We are in a tough economy. The GIC is where to learn how to survive and thrive during difficult times.

4. Manufacturers and other suppliers introduce new equipment at the trade show. Savvy contractors view innovations first-hand and get to try them out at the popular outdoor demonstration area. This is the perfect place to make equipment purchasing decisions for the upcoming year.

5. Seize this opportunity to step away from the day-to-day to think big picture about the industry and your company’s direction. Bring your team and make time to do some strategic planning. The GIC provides an environment that naturally sparks impromptu brainstorming and other creative discussions.

6. There isn’t a business problem you are currently dealing with that hasn’t already been faced, fought, and resolved by a PLANET peer, willing to openly share a business experience and success with you. One conversation could save you hundreds of hours of downtime and wasted effort.

7. You may think your company is not big enough and cannot afford to travel to a national conference. The reality is that the GIC serves all size companies, and smaller companies stand to benefit most. Successful businesses spend wisely; I know of nothing that compares to this return on investment.

These are just appetizers, however. Now, we can talk a bit about why veteran attendees keep returning to GIC year after year. Personally, I enjoy the Breakfast With Champions, the networking receptions, and, overall, the interaction with peers. With more than 50 educational sessions, there will certainly be something for everyone, and seeing new products and equipment is always enlightening.

Say, if I come out with one great idea that will benefit my company, my employees, or my customers, the trip to Louisville will be worthwhile. If I develop one new friendship or get inspired by a keynote speaker to act on something that I’ve been dragging my feet on, the trip will have paid for itself. Fact is, I make lots of new friends, and I always end the conference with a list of at least 10 relevant action items that will take my company to the next level. That is what GIC is really all about!

There’s always something new. This year, for example, virtual facility tours will give attendees a close-up view of three top companies in the country and an opportunity to ask founders key questions about their way of doing business. New this year, as well, is a series of six clinics to be held on Saturday. As explained by GIC Chair Phil Fogarty, these clinics will drill down into a variety of topics ranging from how to create an employee handbook and secure more media coverage to understanding the PLANET certification process and seeing what’s new in green technologies.

Keynote speaker Jamie Clarke will relate his experiences climbing Mt. Everest four times and reaching its peak twice. His message of finding success in failure, building teamwork, and being a leader hits home for business owners who have surmounted some difficult challenges of their own over the last few years.

There’s another reason to come to Louisville this fall, but it has less to do with education, equipment, and networking and more to do with just plain celebrating our involvement in a great industry. We say it over and over again and each time the words ring true: We are the original stewards of our environment. Members of our association and industry generously give back throughout the year to make our planet a better place to live.

So come to Louisville. Bring your questions, your notepad, and your team, but also be ready to celebrate being part of a truly great industry. See you there.

As a fellow green industry professional, I urge you to do both. Personally, I can’t afford missing the best show in our industry and I took that important step years ago of getting my certification. Now, you can do both and save money. PLANET is offering the Landscape Industry Certification Manager and other select exams for 50 percent off when you register for GIC and take the exam at the conference on Saturday, October 30, 2010.

The GIC and GIE+EXPO in Louisville, Kentucky, October 27-30, 2010, is where I go to pick up invaluable business and technical tips. The people I meet at GIC have become lifelines when it comes to advice on business operations and even friendship. Basically, attending GIC has opened doors for me and made surviving this tough economy so much easier.

Since becoming involved in PLANET and attending GIC, I also took it one step further a few years back and added credentials to my name – CLP to be exact, now better known as Landscape Industry Certified Manager. I won’t go into all the benefits this designation has afforded me but it has upped my game ten-fold and made me more marketable to customers. I’m proud of this achievement and even joined PLANET’s International Certification Council (ICC) in 2007 to get more involved in the certification process and now I’m the ICC chairman. You know I’m a firm believer in getting certified.

So much so that I don’t want to keep my success a secret. I’ll be at GIC and would welcome the opportunity to meet you and welcome you as a soon-to-be certified professional. Take the initiative now to go to GIC and get Landscape Industry Certified. Contact Certification Coordinator Kristen Nolton at kristennolton@landcarenetwork.org or call her at (800) 395-2522 for details.

Thank you and have a great fall season!

Several months ago, PLANET, Green Plants for Green Buildings, and several other organizations made an attempt to influence the LEED and carbon research data being gathered on a project that the International Green Construction Code (IGCC) was spearheading. Through a call to action sent out by the Interiorscape Industry Coalition members of these organizations flooded the IGCC’s office with e-mails and faxes, calling for a mandate for the use of plants in new and existing buildings.

Your response was heard loud and clear! Because of the amount of “commenters” in support of Section 810, Interior Plants & Pollutant Control, the commenters had to be listed at the end of the public comments instead of with each comment; identical individual comments were combined into a single comment.

This week in Chicago, the IGCC is holding public hearings to determine and verify facts. Mike Lewis, Green Plants for Green Buildings representative for the Interiorscape Industry Coalition (IIC), will represent the IIC at the hearing. After waiting 10 hours, Mike Rimland, representing the National Foliage Foundation, Charlie Acevedo, representing Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association, and Mike Lewis were able to present their statements. Their window of time for presenting was miniscule compared to the hundreds of other building trades, but Mike is excited to report they received 10 out of a possible 15 approvals, allowing us to move to Phase 2, which incorporates constructive comments from the review committee. This movement is not a U.S. project, and the fact that we are being asked to represent the industry for the Northern Hemisphere gives us even more clout. Collectively, the IIC and its collaborative partners; Brigham Young University, Green Plants for Green Buildings, OFA — an Association of Horticulture Professionals, Plantscape Industry Alliance, Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), Tropical Plant Industry Exposition, and Landscape Ontario, represent approximately 9,000 companies and 175,000 stakeholders. We are still a long way from gaining acceptance and any mandatory enforcement, and there are tons of questions.

Stay tuned for next month’s full report. Meanwhile, we should celebrate this accomplishment and realize the value of the IIC and of proactive advocacy. Interiorscapers are on the proverbial map!

Since our inception in 2005, PLANET has been working to make positive changes for our members and the industry, as a whole. Our committed volunteer leaders, working alongside of staff, have helped to reach our goals and foster the results we seek. The past five years have gone by quickly, and we have some great things to show for it. In our quest to be the respected leader of the green industry, we must provide for the industry itself.

PLANET Universe is the go to Web site for green industry information and news. The content is for landscape professionals, by landscape professionals. This includes articles, books, case studies, Web tools, and more. Education is key to growing your business and PLANET is committed to helping you achieve this. We are excited about the launch of this Web portal and expect it to be nothing short of the most complete and comprehensive toolkit for our industry. If PLANET members are looking for even more information, and perhaps even guidance, we offer that as well.

Trailblazers On Call is a tool that gives land care professionals the ability to receive advice from a Trailblazer, a veteran of the business, within 24 hours. It is an extension to our already popular Trailblazers program where members can arrange for a face-to-face meeting. After spending a day observing on-site, the Trailblazer offers advice to increase the efficiency of your business. Praising the program, Erin Baxter, Office Manager of Lawn & Landscape Solutions, says, “Our experience partaking in the Trailblazer program with PLANET was the most informative, inspiring learning experience that Lawn & Landscape Solutions has ever taken part of.” This is another way we are working to help our members with their business! We are firm believers in relationship building; it is one of the many benefits of being a PLANET member. Knowing fellow landscape contractors and sharing experiences with them supports unity within the industry.

PLANET Day of Service was created to emphasize our members’ altruism to their communities. It is a great opportunity to spruce up local neighborhoods and revitalize community green spaces. It is also an excellent chance to show your community your commitment to environmental stewardship. Most importantly, it allows all of us to be proud of our industry and what we all do as professionals.

Collaborating, swapping ideas, sharing insights, and grabbing the reins of the industry are the purpose and outcome of our most recent event, the CEO Forum. Here at PLANET, we feel that leaders should be united, in order to build and maintain the forward momentum that we posses. The CEO Forum brings the top companies’ CEOs together during our Green Industry Conference (GIC). This exclusive invitation includes highly interactive networking and an informative keynote speaker, all followed by a conversational luncheon. PLANET, along with CEO Forum Sponsor STIHL Inc., is looking forward to hosting the 2010 forum — the perfect opportunity for industry leaders to connect and gain further ground.

Promoting the safety of the industry’s workers by providing the necessary tools and information has helped to set the land care safety standard. The STARS Safe Company Program does exactly that, by having companies pledge to promote safety within their company and industry. To further solidify this oath, we have formed an alliance with OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, to follow its strict safety protocol. We also have a partnership with CNA, a company who provides business and workers’ compensation insurance. This valuable relationship allows for reduced insurance rates as we become safer.

As the years add up, so does our list of accomplishments. We pride ourselves on extending our boundaries as we reach them. TEAM PLANET — our members, volunteer leaders, sponsors, and staff — is the heart of PLANET. It is through this support system that our feats become reality and our future remains bright. Thanks to all of those involved … here’s to the next five years ahead!

Last month, I mentioned how important it is for PLANET members to be more aggressive about marketing our association. I also implied that one of the challenges we all face in doing this is our need to stay focused on our businesses. You don’t need to be reminded how difficult and time-consuming being an entrepreneur in this industry can be and how little free time and energy we have left over to market our companies and our national association.

So, let me add another straw to the proverbial camel’s back, and this one is as important, if not more important, than the above marketing efforts. I’m talking about marketing our industry. Actually, what I’m suggesting is changing our position on the field from playing defense to playing offense. It seems that for the last 15 years, the green industry has been blamed for just about everything that ails our environment. Experts, and I use the term loosely, say that we’re using too much water, and the water we don’t use we pollute in runoff from the landscapes we install and maintain.

If it’s not misuse of water, it’s misuse of chemicals, noisy equipment, and the HUGE amount of noxious gas these small machines spew into the atmosphere that make the headlines. Being labeled as villains is bad, but accepting this wrongful posturing as part of doing business and waiting patiently for the next volley to be fired is equally disturbing.

You know as well as I do that if we continue to respond to industry threats rather than take the offensive, eventually we will be hamstrung. All we have to do is look north of the border to see what can and will happen. Sure, overuse of chemicals and water, too much noise, and using out-dated equipment could give the impression that an industry has a larger than normal carbon footprint. But that’s not us, and that’s the impression we have to change … and not simply respond to.

Take any of the above issues and one can argue favorably that we’re on the leading edge of finding solutions. Our industry adopted IPM many, many years ago, and spot spraying instead of blanket spraying landscapes has long been the norm for many companies. The cover story in this issue is on technology, and how it helps us to be more efficient and profitable business owners. Technology is also helping us conserve water, limit runoff, reduce equipment noise, and operate cleaner machines.

It’s time to beat our detractors to the punch. We need to proactively speak out for the industry. After all, we are the “original green industry,” and we need to educate the public about the incredible positive impact that trees, shrubs, and grass have on the environment. Plants keep us cool, soak up carbon, capture particles, produce oxygen, collect rainwater, and reduce runoff, and our professional landscape designs create useful outdoor living spaces that reduce stress, improve health, and promote physical activity. Yes, plants provide an incredible return on investment environmentally, socially, and economically. Of course, this gets lost in the discussion, but so does the point that we’re one of a very few industries that, as a result of its activities, leaves behind a positive instead of a negative carbon footprint.

Our industry is thoroughly amazing, and this message needs to get to the general public. The growing popularity of “sustainability” is bringing more attention to what we do. All we have to do is build on that foundation and promote the fact that our industry professionals are guarding and protecting the hen house instead of raiding it. If we don’t become proactive on behalf of our industry now, then what we do for marketing our companies and our association will be less meaningful. We can’t have successful companies and a vibrant association without having an equally strong industry.

Tomorrow, most of my friends are going to the pool, a camp or the movies. My brother, Jack and I are going to a cemetery. Arlington Cemetery. You probably think my mom and dad are taking the day off to take us sightseeing. Not really. We are going there to work with 400 other people from all around this country. The 400 people are members of PLANET. They come every year in July to volunteer and make the cemetery more beautiful.
Jack and I would much rather be here than at the pool or any camp. Why? Here are some of the reasons:
• Even though we need to get up early, we get donuts for breakfast!
• Thanks to Include Software and Farmside Landscape & Design, we get cool shirts
• We get to see some of our friends each year at this event (this year there will be over 50 kids at the event!)
• We get to see cool outdoor power equipment working hard on landscaping
• We get to dig and plant flowers at the cemetery
• We get to see the Wreath Laying at the Tomb of Unknown Soldier
• We get Subway sandwiches for lunch
• We are doing good things for Arlington Cemetery and the Earth!
My mom works for PLANET and says that this is one of the most amazing events she has ever participated in. I understand what she means…I look forward to this event every year and it makes me happy to be part of it. I cannot wait until tomorrow…

I want to personally invite you to GIC this year, PLANET’s Green Industry Conference, and to tell you about our lowest discounted price ever! This Friday, July 16th, for one day only, we are offering GIC registration for a flat rate of $200 per person.

You pay $200 and you get full registration including access to all PLANET sessions, sessions offered by HNA (Hardscapes North America) and those provided by PGMS (Professional Grounds Management Society), additionally, included in this registration fee is free access to the GIE+EXPO trade show floor including outdoor demonstrations – all for a LOW $200 per person. If you’ve never been, or it’s been a few years, you have got to come check it out.

We have specialty group Thursday this year which features receptions and education specifically tailored to your special interests, be they in Design Build, Lawn Care or Landscape Management. We have business building sessions that will focus on pricing and managing costs, and great speakers like Kevin Kehoe, David Minor, Marty Grunder and George Hedley, to name just a few.

This rate is good for one day only, on Friday, July 16th. You can register online or by fax on July 16th to save big on registration this year. Check out the full schedule of events, including full session descriptions at www.greenindustryconference.org. If you have any questions when you get there, just give us a call and we’ll walk you through it.

Also, when you register for GIC, you have an opportunity to add to your current certification or become Landscape Industry Certified on select exams when taken at GIC, at a 50 percent discount. You can also earn CEUs toward your PLANET certification at GIC. If you’d like more details, I can have someone from our certification team follow up with you.

There’s an old saying that industry veterans understand so well: For any company to reach its full potential, an owner has to switch gears — to stop working in the business and start working on it. This saying also holds true for PLANET. Since the merger, PLANET staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly in the association — getting the new house in order. We have new by-laws, new standardized procedures, and a new CEO. We have “dashboard” reports to monitor goals and a revamped, newly branded certification program that virtually cannot be challenged. Our Day of Service had its second successful year; the STARS Safe Company Program continues to gain momentum; and Student Career Days, Renewal & Remembrance, and GIC, among other PLANET events, continue to draw attention from within the industry.

The key word, however, is “within.” Outside our industry, PLANET is a virtual unknown. It’s not just that our programs are our best kept secrets, but so are we. For the most part, the public, including our clients, hasn’t a clue what PLANET stands for or is about. Now is the time to get this secret out in the open. Just as an example, we’ve invested 16 years in our certification program. This is a wonderful training tool for employers and a great career-builder for employees. It’s also designed to be a point of difference, a competitive advantage, for companies with landscape industry certified managers and technicians. This potential, however, will never be realized to its fullest until the public widely knows about, understands, and then literally demands companies to have certified individuals on board.

Student Career Days has long been known at the industry’s best kept secret. The public should know about this amazing and unique PLANET event that connects students and professors with suppliers and industry members, providing real-world influence on the education program. In addition, I don’t think the public realizes all the community service PLANET members provide, or the fact that we are the original “green industry,” and the incredible positive impact that plants, trees, grass, and our creative design of living spaces have on people and the environment.

More benefits and more value for PLANET members begin with growing public awareness about PLANET. As an organization, if we have one Achilles heel, a missing piece, it’s our inability to effectively market ourselves. Not to say we don’t have the expertise; we do. But like our members (and we are a member-driven group), we have spent the last few years in the trenches working in the association. Now it’s time to emerge and start working on it.

We will do that in the coming year, but PLANET cannot do it alone. It’s going to take a members’ grassroots effort to increase awareness about our association — to talk about us as longtime stewards of our environment and as leaders in developing safety programs, helping educators prepare students, enhancing our communities, and certifying practitioners. Branding PLANET and our certification program go hand-in-hand and offers a tremendous opportunity to create that all important competitive advantage. Here are just a few ways to get started:
• If you don’t already, have the PLANET logo printed on your business cards, painted on the sides of your trucks, and prominently displayed on your Web site.
• Include the logo in your proposals, in your advertising, and in your brochures.
• When you attend HOA meetings and otherwise communicate with customers, remind them that you are a PLANET member. If they ask, “What’s PLANET?” give them the quick tour about membership, certification, Day of Service, SCD, Renewal & Remembrance, and so forth.
• Always look for additional opportunities to help brand the PLANET name and our certification program. This will further solidify your professional status and encourage customers to want PLANET members working for them.

I’ve said in the past that growing PLANET membership to 10,000 is not out of the question. In fact, I think it’s a real possibility and well within reach. Numbers will make a difference in the benefits we all share, in our voice on Capitol Hill, and in the effectiveness of our programs. Customers who understand the value associated with being a PLANET member will want a PLANET member working on their property, and it begins right at the local level. Yes, being a PLANET member has all sorts of rewards, but sometimes we just forget to take advantage of one of the most obvious ones — simply letting customers know we’re members of the premiere national green industry association and sharing some of the PLANET story with them, every chance we get.

You know the old saying, “You don’t know what you’re missing until ….” Well, that phrase certainly applies when talking about PLANET’s Student Career Days (SCD). This is one of those things PLANET does extremely well, and that leaves other national associations amazed when they learn about it. This very special and unique event brings together students, professors, suppliers, and industry members. If you didn’t attend the 34th annual SCD held this year in Atlanta, you truly missed out on an unforgettable experience.

Picture this: more than 800 students from 68 schools (including two international schools) already charged up about a green industry career. Their energy level and enthusiasm gained momentum as they were wowed by the competition, the workshops, the Career Fair, and the overall support given by landscape businesses and industry suppliers. For most of the students, this was their first “big picture” view of the green industry and the numerous opportunities laid out before them — a career within the green industry can provide incredible wealth, challenges, and continued learning.

This year’s SCD event broke three records, including number of schools, number of students, and number of scholarships given, although there were fewer industry participants than usual at the Career Fair. That was disappointing to students, but understandable considering the economic climate. Those who made the trip and spent the time to meet with students, though, reaped the benefits of having the long-term view; that is, this economy is temporary and there’s always room for hiring top talent. In fact, most successful business owners will tell you they’re constantly on the lookout for top performers in the industry, especially college interns and graduates because they offer foundation that a company can build and grow around.

Where does one find the top students, many of whom are in their final semester of school? At SCD, of course, and whether you go there to hire a full-time employee or sign up an intern, I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed. There are many other reasons to attend this event. This is the place to meet and start building relationships with the program directors and educators who have the students’ ear. They want to place their students in solid companies that will not only offer excellent career opportunities, but will also continue to broaden their education. Ensure them of this and your recruiting effort will surely get a boost.

Because educators and students talk with peers from around the country, having a presence and making a good impression at an event such as SCD will deliver exponential rewards. But this can’t happen if you don’t go, and I can say from my experience that if you go and hire a new recruit, the energy and enthusiasm he or she brings to your company will have a totally positive impact on everyone’s perspective and morale.

How many times during your lifetime will you have the opportunity to participate in something very special and make it better? Just by going to SCD, you’re showing your support for the industry and the students who will be tomorrow’s leaders. You may think your company is not big enough to recruit nationally, but these days people are willing to travel, and the reality is time away from the office is healthy and the travel costs are absolutely minimal compared to what you gain and what you give back to the students.

Seventy-three students at this year’s SCD also received $1,000–$2,500 scholarships from the PLANET Academic Excellence Foundation. You may think that this amount of money won’t go far today, but the student’s expression of gratitude proves it is absolutely significant, just as your presence is critical for the ongoing success of something very special and unique — something that PLANET is “wildly successful” at delivering.

The SCD phenomenon is growing. When an organization such as PLANET achieves wild success with programs like SCD, the Green Industry Conference, Renewal & Remembrance, and Day of Service, it behooves members to participate not only for their own edification, but also for offering support to something that will have a long-term and positive effect on their industry. But don’t take my word for it. Seeing and experiencing is believing.