Tired of watching grass grow? Watch Clean Air Lawn Care grow.
Three guys walked into a bar: A stockbroker, a tree-hugger, and Kelly Giard. Kelly Giard was in the market for a lawn mower and asked the stock broker what kind of mower he used.
“I’ve got people that take care of that for me – looks great.” “Must be nice, Fancypants,” said Kelly, and turned the same question to the tree-hugger, “How ’bout you, Greenie?”
“I don’t have one either. I’ll let mine go to seed before I use those noisy smog stacks.”
“Ok, Happypants,” Kelly mumbled.
That was 2003. Bad news: Kelly was drinking alone that night. Good news: a seed, Clean Air Lawn Care was planted – probably bluegrass because it sprouted and spread.
In the summer of 2005, a family friend, Katie Van Sant, was looking for some summer work before she headed off to graduate school at the Bard Center for Environment Policy. Kelly turned her loose with a “project.” Her mission: model a profitable lawn mowing crew that significantly reduced air pollution. She succeeded.
By the spring of 2006, Clean Air was up and running in Fort Collins, Colorado. With very little advertising and a late season start, Kelly led a grassroots effort and the rubber met the road. This time though, it was more like starting a fire than planting a seed.
Embracing his inner tree-hugger, Kelly’s long-time buddy, Gerry Keane, threw his Manhattan financial muscle behind Clean Air Lawn Care to help fan those flames.
In early 2007, we brought on Annie Carey and Michelle Holbrook to take Clean Air nationwide. We opened 10 locations to test our eco-friendly lawn service model in markets across the country. The response was overwhelming: Clean Air Lawn Care became a leader in the movement of ‘green’ going mainstream.
We began forming working relationships with industry leaders such as Black & Decker, Patagonia, Neuton, and In Harmony – to name a few.
Since 2008 our family has grown to include local owners in Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Texas, North Carolina and many other locations. We’re growing Clean Air from coast to coast and we need your help. Buy a Clean Air franchise, get a free estimate, or work for Clean Air today!
