Pursuit of openness and public outreach has given many lawn-care operators the opportunity to showcase the work they do to protect the environment, ensure worker safety and safeguard the community. Businesses which have put environmental concerns at the top of their priority list welcome a closer examination by the community. They understand that carefully planned, open communication actually improves their company's bottom line, too.Studies show that lawn-care operators active in community relations earn a much higher level of public acceptance than those who aren't. A report by the Center for Communication Dynamics, for example, shows that facilities receive the backing of the community when:
- Residents believe the business is genuinely concerned about being a good neighbor.
- The facility and employees appear organized and well managed.
- The company is known to be safety and environmentally conscious beyond just obeying the law.
- The business makes frequent and creative contributions to the surrounding area or local community.
Lawn-care operator efforts to raise employee and customer awareness of environmental considerations must be supplemented with similar energies geared to customers and neighbors. Their concerns and understanding of agrichemical issues will be much different, requiring alternative communication methods. Nevertheless, lawn-care operators must reach out to the general public to help them understand that pesticides and fertilizers are safe when handled properly by trained people.