GIGS means green

Sarah Fox works across all sectors at Agrium promoting sustainability.

SYLACAUGA, Ala. – The fourth annual Green Industry Grad School, presented by Agrium Advanced Technologies, brought together about 40 lawn care operators for three days of technical and business training.

As part of a push toward being more green, Agrium recently formed a sustainability team. At its core is Sarah Fox, sustainability initiatives specialist and LEED accredited professional.

Previously, Fox worked at the High Plains Environmental Center in Loveland, Colo., as a business liaison with developers.

At Agrium, Fox works with Al Witney, marketing services manager; Eric Miltner, AAT Agronomist and Turf Specialist, and Alan Blaylock, manager of agronomy, to develop internal and external plans to make a greener company.

Fox sat down with Editor and Chuck Bowen during GIGS to discuss her new role at Agrium and how the green industry is doing when it comes to sustainability.
 

L&L: Why come to Agrium?

Fox: You can stand on the outside of an industry and make comments all the time, but I think you can influence change on the inside. Agrium recognizes the environmental benefits of their products, and they're not greenwashing.
 

L&L: What's your first impression of the green industry's stance on sustainability?

Fox: I think they're going to have to get better. Consumers, and definitely legislators, are asking for it. The industry is going to have to step up. People are going to use fertilizer. You can't completely ban fertilizer use. But you can be smarter about your fertilizer use.

Consumers are starting to look at how much lawn they have, what the impact these products have on their kids and their pets. This industry has to step up and answer those questions and not run away from it.
 

L&L: What do you hear from the agencies and legislators you meet with?

Fox: We've had success. They're interested in alternatives, and in controlled release products. But we have to introduce it to them. Nobody knows it's out there.
 

L&L: What do you wish LCOs knew or would do when it comes to sustainability?

Fox: You have to bring up the environmental issue and be the person that says it first. More and more people and companies want this. You can't say you'll clean the environment, but you can say 'We're not going to pollute it. Your kids can swim in the lakes and play in the fields.' Those are the questions people are asking.

I don't see the regulations going away. It's going to get worse. It's an easy fix: By limiting the amount of fertilizer and the type of fertilizer you can put on, they can "fix" the fertilizer problem. So, you're going to be forced to do it anyway.

The author is editor and associate publisher at Lawn & Landscape. He can be reached at cbowen@gie.net.