EDITOR'S FOCUS: Green for Project EverGreen

Project Evergreen is asking for your financial support. The organization needs to raise $1.1 million in 2005 to “raise the awareness of the environmental, economic and lifestyle benefits of landscapes and promote the significance of those who preserve and enhance green spaces at home, work and play.” Put simply, Project Evergreen needs money to make sure people see the many benefits the green industry provides.

The organization has the plans and people in place to promote the positive spin the industry deserves and needs, but doing so requires money. You can help by sending a check. The goal of $1.1 million is not overly ambitious if enough people contribute. The challenge is to take the time to write a check. So, if you are one of those willing to invest in a better future then please mail a check to: Project Evergreen, 120 W. Main Street, New Prague, MN 56071.

The need to reach people with a positive message is universal. Last September, I participated in the Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment annual meeting in Washington, D.C. During a free afternoon I decided to check out the new World War II Memorial. I also walked up the National Mall to the Vietnam War Memorial to the Lincoln Monument and on the way back visited the Korean War Memorial.

I’ve walked the National Mall before, but this time I could not believe how run down it was. The paved walkway had wide strips of bare dirt on both sides. The turf was pockmarked with broadleaf weeds and some weed clumps were a foot high – it had not been mowed. Even the trees lining the path looked sorry. Broken limbs lay on the ground and all the trees were full of suckers. The condition of the grounds detracted to what should be one of the most important green spaces in our nation.

I had to ask about this sorry situation, so I stopped by the Park Ranger booth located near the World War II Memorial. When I told the next available Park Ranger that the Mall grounds looked terrible he said they were being maintained to standards. When I mentioned weed clumps you could trip over, he responded: “Well, we are concerned about the use of pesticides.” Apparently this person, and others, prefer the more “natural” look of a neglected empty lot in an inner city over the judicious use of an herbicide. (My Ranger friend might even question the concept that an herbicide could be used in a judicious manner.) Apparently there  was equal concern about the judicious use of fertilizer, mowers and chainsaws.

Countering the “anti” mindset is where Project Evergreen comes into the play. Please understand, Project Evergreen is not a large fund raising organization that seeks money primarily to sustain itself. It’s a small group of mostly volunteers trying to improve our industry’s image and the public perceptions about what we all do.

The Park Ranger’s comment to me was not all that extreme. Go to www.projectevergreen.com and visit the “press room” to see some live challenges our industry faces. While at the site you can also learn more about Project Evergreen’s goals and resources produced for you.