Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment hosted its final industry issues update of 2024 during NALP's Elevate event, where RISE leadership and National Association of Landscape Professionals partners underscored the essential role of grassroots engagement in shaping policy.
The event featured an interactive panel with live Q&A, allowing attendees to connect directly with Gil Grattan from Virginia Green; Andrew Ziehler with Ziehler Lawncare and Daniel Pappineau from TruGreen, on advocacy strategies and industry priorities.
RISE President Megan Provost welcomed over 45 breakfast attendees, discussing the importance of advocacy efforts at every level — especially timely on election day.
“Grassroots engagement and relationship building are the foundation for effective advocacy," Provost says. "It’s through open dialogue that we create real, lasting impact.”
“Someone is going to tell your story—do you want that to be you, or someone else?" Ziehler says. "It’s on us to communicate our impact and clarify our goals so that policymakers understand the challenges and contributions of our industry.”
“Providing context is critical. It’s not enough to state the facts; we need to show the on-the-ground impacts of policy decisions and make our message accessible to policymakers," Grattan says.
"Active participation in advocacy keeps you informed and lets legislators hear your voice directly," Papineau says. "Advocacy isn’t reserved for a few; it’s something every one of us can do.”
