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

Foreword: ANLA National trade association founded in 1876 National trade association founded in 1876 Members: businesses that grow, distribute, retail, install and care for landscape plants. Members: businesses that grow, distribute, retail, install and care for landscape plants. Two functions: Two functions:  Represent the industry before government  Improve the success and profitability of its member businesses

Represent Industry Interests Federal legislation and regulation Federal legislation and regulation  Four-person team of experts on staff  Hired consultants on labor, tax and OSHA Lighthouse Program: Partnership with states to form a grassroots network of 15,000 industry businesses Lighthouse Program: Partnership with states to form a grassroots network of 15,000 industry businesses Thank you MNLA!

Success and Profitability Business development programs Business development programs  Management Clinic  Sector tours  Garden Center University/Landscape Business Management Networking Networking  ANLA Connect  Grower 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 Industry? What does sustainability mean for the Green Industry? Major initiatives affecting the industry Major initiatives affecting the industry

Why this trend and why now? The bigger picture of consumer interest The bigger picture of consumer interest  Aging and wellness  Wealth  Environmental movement and life purpose Changing economic patterns and globalization Changing economic patterns and globalization

Sustainability: What it is not... Just a political term or movement Just a political term or movement Just “the Green Party” Just “the Green Party” Just about stopping growth and human progress Just about stopping growth and human progress A soft, warm, fuzzy, do-gooder concept A soft, warm, fuzzy, do-gooder concept (Beware of “tripwire” words!)

Sustainability is about: Continuing many things we’re doing now Continuing many things we’re doing now Discontinuing some things we’re doing now Discontinuing some things we’re doing now Doing some things we do now, but doing Doing some things we do now, but doing them differently them 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 Industry? What does sustainability mean for the Green Industry? Major initiatives affecting the industry Major initiatives affecting the industry

Sustainability is... A long-standing concept and a “given” in most of history A long-standing concept and a “given” in most of history Marrying of modern science and technology with the historical concept Marrying of modern science and technology with the historical concept Grounded in the concepts of growth and profitability Grounded in the concepts of growth and profitability

Definition of Sustainability: Sustainability: “The ability to continue a defined behavior indefinitely.” Sustainable practices: “Meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

“Cradle to Cradle” Doctrine Hannover Principles Hannover Principles William McDonough, architect and visionary William McDonough, architect and visionary Industrial revolution: “takes, makes, wastes” Industrial revolution: “takes, makes, wastes” Regulation: Regulation:  A failure of design  Being “less bad” is not sustainable Sustainability: includes growth and profitability Sustainability: includes growth and profitability

Sustainability “Building Blocks” Planet Planet People People Profits Profits

PLANET Waste = Food Waste = Food “Terminal” consumption: Throw it away “Terminal” consumption: Throw it away Dual Metabolism Dual Metabolism  Biological metabolism  Technical metabolism

PLANET (cont’d) Re-engineer Re-engineer Reuse Reuse Revert Revert Recycle Recycle

PEOPLE Human rights Human rights Social responsibility Social responsibility “Local” community “Local” community Labor protections Labor protections

PROFITS Growth is both essential and good Growth is both essential and good Defining economic value: “eco-services” Defining economic value: “eco-services” Challenge: Assimilating profitability into accreditation programs and regulation Challenge: Assimilating profitability into accreditation programs and regulation

Dilemma: Organic vs. Sustainable Which is the chicken, which is the 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 Industry? What does sustainability mean for the Green Industry? Major initiatives affecting the industry Major initiatives affecting the industry

Industry history Fruit trees and windbreaks/Major estates Fruit trees and windbreaks/Major estates Post-WWII: Post-WWII:  Middle class homeownership: suburbia  Garden center retailing  Disneyland ’70s: Highway beautification ’70s: Highway beautification ’80s: commercial suburbia and office parks ’80s: commercial suburbia and office parks

The Last Frontier Greening of the cities: Greening of the cities:  Parks & greenbelts  Urban villages  Green buildings  Bio-remediation Landscape restoration and rehabilitation Landscape restoration and rehabilitation

Implications: Plant production Leaders in agriculture already Leaders in agriculture already  Water recycling  IPM  Role of landscape plants Controversial issues Controversial issues  B&B  Invasive plants  Plastic  Local-grown  Labor

Implications: Landscape Role of landscaping Role of landscaping  Cooling and air scrubbing  Green roofs and buffers  Interior plantscaping Controversial issues Controversial issues  Water use  Yardwaste

Implications for Retailing Appeal to customer base Appeal to customer base Experience-based retailing Experience-based retailing Attractiveness of employment Attractiveness of employment Controversial issues Controversial issues  Consumer use of pesticides  Plant palette/local-grown

Implications for Hort Distribution “All of the above” “All of the above” Re-engineering opportunities Re-engineering opportunities Controversial issues Controversial issues  Those pots and flats  Some other product lines  Sourcing  Materials handling More from our panelists More 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 Industry? What does sustainability mean for the Green Industry? Major initiatives affecting the industry Major initiatives affecting the industry

Major Initiatives affecting us Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI) Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI) Draft ANSI Standard on Sustainable Agriculture Draft ANSI Standard on Sustainable Agriculture Valuing the Landscape: Economically and Environmentally Valuing the Landscape: Economically and Environmentally

Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI) Launched by ASLA, LBJ Wildflower Center and U.S. Botanic Garden Launched by ASLA, LBJ Wildflower Center and U.S. Botanic Garden Modeled after LEED Rating system for “Green Buildings” Modeled after LEED Rating system for “Green Buildings” Rating system for building landscapes, parks, transportation corridors and streetscapes Rating system for building landscapes, parks, transportation corridors and streetscapes

SSI Status Draft guidelines and criteria on website ( Draft guidelines and criteria on website ( Draft report responses: January 20, 2009 Draft report responses: January 20, 2009 Field testing in 2009 Field testing in 2009 ANLA is involved in this program ANLA is involved in this program

ANSI Standard on Sustainable Ag ANSI Standard Development Process ANSI Standard Development Process Draft standard introduced by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) and Leonardo Academy – Now shelved Draft standard introduced by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) and Leonardo Academy – Now shelved Starting process over Starting process over

Valuing the Landscape: Economically Landscaping: increases in value over time Landscaping: increases in value over time Challenge: Assessing monetary value of installed plant material Challenge: Assessing monetary value of installed plant material Solution: Data base of plant price points Solution: Data base of plant price points Now: Insurance is available! Now: Insurance is available!

Valuing the Landscape: Environmentally National green associations collaborating on research and information National green associations collaborating on research and information Defining the monetary value of “ecosystem services” of installed landscapes Defining the monetary value of “ecosystem services” of installed landscapes Best argument for access to water for the installed landscape! Best argument for access to water for the 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 industry Major initiatives affecting the industry Questions? Questions?