What is a Green Franchise?

If you’re an environmentally conscious entrepreneur looking to earn a good living as well as make a positive impact, you’ve probably already figured out that owning a green franchise is a worthwhile business venture. But finding the right franchise to invest in can be difficult. Many entrepreneurs spend quite a bit of time researching franchise and business ideas. During this process, they sift through a variety of franchisors who claim to be “green.”  Many companies claim that they care about their environmental impact, but most are not actually running truly green businesses. Oftentimes, the services offered aren’t eco-friendly and the company itself isn’t using sustainable practices. This can make it pretty tricky to figure out which franchises are actually environmentally friendly.

What is a green franchise? To truly be a “green franchise,” the company first and foremost needs to run an eco-friendly business. Figuring out whether or not a business is eco-friendly can be tricky. That’s what we’ll spend the rest of our time here figuring out. Secondly, of course,  it has to be a franchise. So what is a franchise? A franchise, simply put, is a company that licenses the use of its procedures, brand, business model and branded products or services to a franchisee. A franchisee is a business owner who purchases the right to the franchise business model and brand.

Curious why owning a franchise is a smart business venture? Learn more about the benefits of owning a franchise here.

How do you know if a business is eco-friendly?

To answer this question, take a good look at the services the business provides and how they provide their services. Here are just a few questions to ask when you are trying to find out if a franchisor or company is actually eco-friendly:

Are they providing goods and/or services that are beneficial for the environment?

If a company says they are “green,” don’t just take their word for it. Take a good look at what that company contributes to the community they serve. While not all companies can be truly beneficial for the environment, maybe they are making a concerted effort to at least have a smaller impact. The effort to have as little environmental impact as possible is important, as well. Some services (like our organic lawn care, for instance) are environmentally beneficial because they replace services that have a big negative impact on the environment. Others, like a solar-panel company, for instance, would be considered eco-friendly because they sell a product that directly contributes to the decrease of emissions and use of fossil fuels.

However,  it’s not always as clear-cut as this. When trying to figure out if a company is eco-friendly, also consider if they are contributing to our “throw-away” culture with goods that will just end up in the landfill. From plastic packaging to products that are made to be thrown away after one use, many products are detrimental to environmental health because they will end up in the landfill,  polluting waterways and harming wildlife.

Another thing to consider is where and how products are made. Are the products sourced locally? Are they made in a socially responsible way? Are they biodegradable? These are also questions to ask as you figure out if a company or franchise is eco-friendly.

How specific are their “green” claims? Has the company done anything specific to decrease their emissions, pollution, and waste?

Is the company calling themselves “green” because they have a recycling bin in their office? Or because they sell an organic option on the side? We notice a lot of false eco-friendly and “green” claims in the lawn care industry because lawn care  franchises make a big leap from “grass is green” to “our company is green.” Or they will offer an organic fertilizer option and claim that they are eco-friendly because they are able to provide an organic service. However, when a company continues to contribute to the degradation of environmental and human health by using harmful products like synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and polluting with gas-powered lawn equipment, then they certainly should not call themselves “green.” They don’t qualify as being “eco-friendly” by a long shot.

How committed are they to being eco-friendly? Do they follow through?

Another thing to look for is how long the company has been claiming to be eco-friendly or “green.” Is it just a catchphrase they are throwing out there to satisfy a certain audience, or do they really strive to run their business with as little environmental impact as possible? Check to see if the company implements practices and programs (and sells products) that actively improve the environment or offsets its carbon footprint.

What makes a franchise truly “green”?

Whether you’re an entrepreneur researching franchise opportunities or a savvy consumer doing your due diligence, you’ll surely come across quite a bit of what some call “greenwashing.” Greenwashing is a marketing tactic that aims to make a company’s services or products seem environmentally friendly when they really aren’t. When you are considering if a franchise is truly green, focus on how that franchise is directly affecting their local community as well as the global community.

At Clean Air Lawn Care, we’re proud of the fact that we operate franchises that are truly beneficial to neighborhoods, communities and entire ecosystems. Our organic lawn care approach is aimed at increasing soil and plant health, which directly benefits wildlife and decreases the toxic pollution from conventional lawn care approaches. We also tackle the problem of lawn equipment air pollution and emissions head-on with solar-powered lawn equipment. The lawn care industry is typically a large contributor to pollution, health impacts and environmental degradation; we’re proud to offer an effective solution that has a positive impact on communities nationwide.

What are the benefits of owning a green franchise?

There are many benefits of owning a green franchise, but they all fit into two main categories:

The fulfillment that comes from providing a service to your community that directly benefits and protects families, pets, wildlife, and ecosystems. Our franchise owners take great pride in their work. They own a business that they know is making a positive impact in their community. They hear positive feedback from customers, and see new customers coming to them for lawn care services that are safe for their pets, kids, and local wildlife. Franchise owners know that they are actively making a difference in the world, and earning a great living by doing so.

The lucrative business of owning a lawn care company in the “green industry.” The lawn care industry is a profitable one, and so is the green industry. Put them together and you have a solid business model for steady cash flow and growing revenues. Sustainable, organic lawn care companies like Clean Air Lawn Care are quickly gaining ground on conventional lawn care companies. Homeowners are learning more about the harmful impacts of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and are looking for an effective all-organic option. On top of that, many communities are starting to put regulations or bans on lawn equipment noise and pollution, and our electric lawn equipment solves both issues.

With zero-emission, sustainable and organic lawn care, Clean Air Lawn Care takes a profitable business approach to solving an environmental issue.