Sustainability and the Green Industry GTLE – January 5, 2009 Bob Dolibois ANLA Executive Vice President.

Sustainability and the Green Industry

GTLE – January 5, 2009GTLE – January 5, 2009

Bob DoliboisBob Dolibois

ANLA Executive Vice PresidentANLA Executive Vice President

Foreword: ANLA

National trade association founded in 1876National trade association founded in 1876 Members: businesses that grow, distribute, Members: businesses that grow, distribute,

retail, install and care for landscape plants.retail, install and care for landscape plants. Two functions:Two functions:

Represent the industryRepresent the industry before before governmentgovernment

Improve the Improve the success and profitabilitysuccess and profitability of of its member businessesits member businesses

Represent Industry Interests

Federal legislation and regulationFederal legislation and regulation Four-person team of experts on staffFour-person team of experts on staff Hired consultants on labor, tax and Hired consultants on labor, tax and

OSHAOSHA Lighthouse Program: Partnership with Lighthouse Program: Partnership with

states to form a grassroots network of states to form a grassroots network of 15,000 industry businesses15,000 industry businesses

Thank you MNLA!Thank you MNLA!

Success and Profitability

Business development programsBusiness development programs Management ClinicManagement Clinic Sector toursSector tours Garden Center University/Landscape Business Garden Center University/Landscape Business

ManagementManagement NetworkingNetworking

ANLA ANLA ConnectConnect GrowerGrower Connect Connect

Sustainability...

Why this trend and why now?Why this trend and why now?

What is “sustainability”?What is “sustainability”?

What does sustainability mean for the Green What does sustainability mean for the Green

Industry? Industry?

Major initiatives affecting the industryMajor initiatives affecting the industry

Why this trend and why now?

The bigger picture of consumer interestThe bigger picture of consumer interest Aging and wellnessAging and wellness WealthWealth Environmental movement and life Environmental movement and life

purposepurpose Changing economic patterns and Changing economic patterns and

globalizationglobalization

Sustainability: What it is not...

Just a political term or movementJust a political term or movement

Just “the Green Party”Just “the Green Party”

Just about stopping growth and human Just about stopping growth and human

progressprogress

A soft, warm, fuzzy, do-gooder conceptA soft, warm, fuzzy, do-gooder concept

(Beware of “tripwire” words!)(Beware of “tripwire” words!)

Sustainability is about:

Continuing many things we’re doing nowContinuing many things we’re doing now

Discontinuing some things we’re doing nowDiscontinuing some things we’re doing now

Doing some things we do now, but doingDoing some things we do now, but doing

them differentlythem differently

Overview

Why this trend and why now?Why this trend and why now?

What is “sustainability”?What is “sustainability”?

What does sustainability mean for the Green What does sustainability mean for the Green

Industry?Industry?

Major initiatives affecting the industryMajor initiatives affecting the industry

Sustainability is...

A long-standing concept and a “given” in A long-standing concept and a “given” in most of historymost of history

Marrying of modern science and Marrying of modern science and technology with the historical concepttechnology with the historical concept

Grounded in the concepts of growth and Grounded in the concepts of growth and profitabilityprofitability

Definition of Sustainability:

Sustainability: Sustainability: “The ability to continue a “The ability to continue a defined behavior indefinitely.”defined behavior indefinitely.”

Sustainable practices: Sustainable practices: “Meets the needs of the “Meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”future generations to meet their own needs.”

“Cradle to Cradle” Doctrine

Hannover Principles - 2002Hannover Principles - 2002

William McDonoughWilliam McDonough, architect and visionary, architect and visionary

Industrial revolution: “takes, makes, wastes”Industrial revolution: “takes, makes, wastes”

Regulation: Regulation:

A failure of designA failure of design

Being “less bad” is not sustainableBeing “less bad” is not sustainable

Sustainability: includes growth and profitabilitySustainability: includes growth and profitability

Sustainability “Building Blocks”

PlanetPlanet

People People

ProfitsProfits

PLANET

Waste = FoodWaste = Food ““Terminal” consumption: Throw it Terminal” consumption: Throw it awayaway Dual MetabolismDual Metabolism

Biological metabolismBiological metabolism Technical metabolismTechnical metabolism

PLANET (cont’d)

Re-engineerRe-engineer

ReuseReuse

RevertRevert

RecycleRecycle

PEOPLE

Human rightsHuman rights Social responsibilitySocial responsibility “ “Local” communityLocal” community Labor protectionsLabor protections

PROFITS

Growth is both essential and goodGrowth is both essential and good

Defining economic value: “eco-services”Defining economic value: “eco-services”

Challenge: Assimilating profitability into Challenge: Assimilating profitability into

accreditation programs and regulation accreditation programs and regulation

Dilemma: Organic vs. Sustainable

Which is the chicken, which is the Which is the chicken, which is the egg, and which comes first?egg, and which comes first?

Overview

Why this trend and why now?Why this trend and why now?

What is “sustainability”?What is “sustainability”?

What does sustainability mean for the Green What does sustainability mean for the Green

Industry?Industry?

Major initiatives affecting the industryMajor initiatives affecting the industry

Industry history

Fruit trees and windbreaks/Major estatesFruit trees and windbreaks/Major estates Post-WWII:Post-WWII:

Middle class homeownership: suburbiaMiddle class homeownership: suburbia Garden center retailingGarden center retailing DisneylandDisneyland

’’70s: Highway beautification70s: Highway beautification ’’80s: commercial suburbia and office parks80s: commercial suburbia and office parks

The Last Frontier

Greening of the cities:Greening of the cities: Parks & greenbeltsParks & greenbelts Urban villagesUrban villages Green buildingsGreen buildings Bio-remediationBio-remediation

Landscape restoration and rehabilitationLandscape restoration and rehabilitation

Implications: Plant production

Leaders in agriculture alreadyLeaders in agriculture already Water recyclingWater recycling IPMIPM Role of landscape plantsRole of landscape plants

Controversial issuesControversial issues B&BB&B Invasive plantsInvasive plants PlasticPlastic Local-grownLocal-grown LaborLabor

Implications: Landscape

Role of landscapingRole of landscaping Cooling and air scrubbingCooling and air scrubbing Green roofs and buffersGreen roofs and buffers Interior plantscapingInterior plantscaping

Controversial issuesControversial issues Water useWater use YardwasteYardwaste

Implications for Retailing

Appeal to customer baseAppeal to customer base Experience-based retailingExperience-based retailing Attractiveness of employmentAttractiveness of employment Controversial issuesControversial issues

Consumer use of pesticidesConsumer use of pesticides Plant palette/local-grownPlant palette/local-grown

Implications for Hort Distribution

““All of the above”All of the above” Re-engineering opportunitiesRe-engineering opportunities Controversial issuesControversial issues

Those pots and flatsThose pots and flats Some other product linesSome other product lines SourcingSourcing Materials handlingMaterials handling

More from our panelistsMore from our panelists

Overview

Why this trend and why now?Why this trend and why now?

What is “sustainability”?What is “sustainability”?

What does sustainability mean for the Green What does sustainability mean for the Green

Industry?Industry?

Major initiatives affecting the industryMajor initiatives affecting the industry

Major Initiatives affecting us

Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI) Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI)

Draft ANSI Standard on Sustainable Draft ANSI Standard on Sustainable

Agriculture Agriculture

Valuing the Landscape: Economically and Valuing the Landscape: Economically and

EnvironmentallyEnvironmentally

Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI)

Launched by ASLA, LBJ Wildflower Launched by ASLA, LBJ Wildflower Center and U.S. Botanic GardenCenter and U.S. Botanic Garden

Modeled after LEED Rating system for Modeled after LEED Rating system for “Green Buildings”“Green Buildings”

Rating system for building landscapes, Rating system for building landscapes, parks, transportation corridors and parks, transportation corridors and streetscapes streetscapes

SSI Status

Draft guidelines and criteria on website (Draft guidelines and criteria on website (www.sustainablesites.orgwww.sustainablesites.org) )

Draft report responses: January 20, 2009Draft report responses: January 20, 2009 Field testing in 2009Field testing in 2009 ANLA is involved in this programANLA is involved in this program

ANSI Standard on Sustainable Ag

ANSI Standard Development ProcessANSI Standard Development Process Draft standard introduced by Scientific Draft standard introduced by Scientific

Certification Systems (SCS) and Leonardo Certification Systems (SCS) and Leonardo Academy – Academy – Now shelvedNow shelved

Starting process overStarting process over

Valuing the Landscape: Economically

Landscaping: increases in value over timeLandscaping: increases in value over time Challenge: Assessing monetary value of Challenge: Assessing monetary value of

installed plant materialinstalled plant material Solution: Data base of plant price pointsSolution: Data base of plant price points Now: Insurance is available!Now: Insurance is available!

www.liveassetinsurance.comwww.liveassetinsurance.com

Valuing the Landscape:Environmentally

National green associations collaborating National green associations collaborating on research and information on research and information

Defining the monetary value of “ecosystem Defining the monetary value of “ecosystem services” of installed landscapesservices” of installed landscapes

Best argument for access to water for the Best argument for access to water for the installed landscape!installed landscape!

Overview

Why this trend and why now?Why this trend and why now?

What is “sustainability”?What is “sustainability”?

What does sustainability mean for the Green Industry?What does sustainability mean for the Green Industry?

Major initiatives affecting the industryMajor initiatives affecting the industry

Questions?Questions?