Page 9 - The Cut_Turf Catalogue_Dec 2020

to look up a supplier, most of them are pretty to take night classes at the local community research that is assigning value to these benefits
well informed on what they want and how to college? that we freely gain from the environment. …Like,
care for it. Consumers are now just as happy to CASEY: There are companies that are TPI if I’ve got grass around my home instead of rocks
purchase a pallet of Zoysia online, sight unseen, members that have developed and offer or other ground cover, the area around my home
as they are any other product they would order is going to be cooler because of the evaporative
software to allow any farm to sell sod online.
off Amazon. 2020 definitely played a part in this effect of that lawn, and that means less heat
They understand the market and can provide all
shift, and I think that growers need to be sure transfer to the home. And guess what, that
the tools you need to add online sales to your
they’re not missing out on any sales opportunity. means your home’s air conditioner is going to
operation. The time to do this, if a grower hasn’t
I mean, a farmer who a year ago couldn’t justify already, is now. With everything already being run less. So if 250,000 homes in Atlanta, Georgia
the expense of investing in web content for “contactless” in 2020, the investment to add are running their AC less because of the trees
online sales - because it was too time consuming online sales to a growing operation will never be and greenspace around their homes, what is the
or complicated or whatever - really needs to take value of that reduction in energy costs? …It’s in
a serious look at dedicating some resource to lower. And most importantly, and I cannot stress the billions. Or if we need to divert storm water
something that can significantly increase their this enough, this is NOT a trend that will go back, from Atlanta so that we don’t flood all these
it is not a shift that will ever go back. Online sales
bottom line. With contactless online sales now homes and businesses, what is the value of these
the norm in everything from grocery shopping will only grow from here. greenspaces that we have strategically placed to
to veterinary visits, the staff resources that "With everything already being keep around the area – be it trees, or pastures, or
normally would be needed to man a reception, "contactless" in 2020, the investment parks or golf courses, cemeteries or lawns – all of
sales, payment and loading space are no longer to add online sales to a growing these things that will capture millions of gallons
needed. People can place their order online, pay operation will never be lower." of water when the next deluge comes – what is
for it online, schedule a pickup time online and value of that area that captures that water that
receive their pickup instructions all via automated JP: What other changes do you think are just saves the City of Atlanta from having to spend
online systems. They just pull up to their around the corner? [billions of] dollars on infrastructure to just move
designated loading area, a staffer simply loads CASEY: Without a doubt it’s an area called the water around? So there’s a value to these
the pallets and then they’re on their way. ecosystem services, and basically what is places, and here at TPI we are working closely in
JP: How can [farmers] take advantage of such happening is value is being assigned to this emerging area to show people the value of
a huge opportunity quickly and without having greenspaces. Ecosystem services is an area of greenspace in urban areas.
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