Start an Environmentally Friendly Lawn Care Business

One way that you can differentiate your business from the competition is by becoming an environmentally friendly lawn care business.

Some savvy lawn care business owners are starting to brand themselves as 'Green' lawn care companies, with 'green' not just referring to the color of the grass that they cut.

Catch the 'Green' Niche Market

The big advantage for a lawn care operation to target this niche market is of course that people are prepared to pay a premium for this service. Wealthy households are usually sympathetic to environmental causes. If they are not really concerned themselves then they at least want all their friends and neighbors to think that they are concerned. Having your vehicle parked outside with your 'carbon neutral' lawn care service branding all over it is a great way for a household to let people know that they are a family that cares about the earth.

Environmentally Friendly Equipment

One way to be more environmentally friendly is to use electric equipment instead of equipment that is powered by fossil fuels. The problem with electric equipment is that it needs to be recharged and this can be a problem while you are out on the road. Some lawn care operators are finding innovative solutions to this problem such as by installing solar panels on their trucks.

Electric mowers, edgers and blowers as well as a variety of other lawn and garden equipment are now available. They offer solutions that are not only quieter but also produce less emissions. Some lawn care companies are also using equipment that runs on bio diesel.

Water Conservation

Part of caring for the environment is the conservation of water. Lawn care businesses are responding to changing attitudes by offering irrigation solutions that use a lot less water than before. Before having an irrigation system installed customers will likely want to know how much water the system will use and if water consumption can be minimized.

Organic Fertilising

Other lawn care and landscaping businesses are taking an environmental approach by going into organic fertilizers. Made up from 100% organic material these fertilizers can be more expensive and sometimes not as effective. For this reason it is important to consult with clients on what they can expect from organic fertilizers to avoid disappointment.

Work with other Environmentally Friendly Businesses

Lawn care operators can strengthen their clean, 'green' reputations by working together with other environmentally conscious companies. Teaming up with a company doing solar panel installation is one good example.

If you do want to be 100% carbon neutral then you may have to consider offsetting the carbon emissions from your vehicles by purchasing carbon credits through an organization like Carbonfund.org.

Lawn care businesses who position themselves to exploit this niche in the long run will do well as there are always customers who will pay a premium price for this kind of unique service.