December 1, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Denis Flanagan

Phone: 1-800-265-5656, ext. 303

Email: dflanagan@landscapeontario.com

Landscape Ontario enters consumer marketing arena with ‘Green for Life’

MILTON, Ontario — What happens when the green industry ‘takes back’ green? Despite the news releases from large oil companies, metal mines and other Canadian industries, one of the few truly green industries is comprised of the 2,000 plus members of Landscape Ontario. By introducing the ‘Green for Life’ program, Landscape Ontario reestablishes the connection of how green our gardens really are.

From cooling our cities to removing pollution and improving our quality of life, green spaces with trees and other landscape plants make a difference. Shade trees reduce the need for air conditioning and plants help cool the air temperatures through evaporative cooling.

Landscape Ontario is North America’s premier horticultural trades association. Our mission is to raise awareness for the environmental, economic, and lifestyle benefits of gardens and green space. Our goal is to landscape Ontario and help others to do the same. “Our members grow, plan and nurture true ‘green’, we felt this was a good time to talk with consumers about the real benefits of spending more time outside.” says Tony DiGiovanni, executive director of Landscape Ontario. “From the growers with nurseries that grow our landscape plants to the garden centres, the designers and the landscape service providers, we help green the province.”

Outreach will include a new consumer website launching in spring 2009. The website will showcase hundreds of award-winning member designs to help inspire consumers to better use their outdoor living spaces. The new program includes outreach to consumers with signs for landscape contractors’ trucks, store signs and banners for garden centres, as well as public relations activities.

“Green for Life will inspire with hundreds of award-winning images of designed outdoor spaces. The website will connect the public to our amazing landscape and nursery professionals.” says Denis Flanagan, Landscape Ontario’s public relations manager. “Our province is blessed with some of the best designers in the world; when you see the magic designers create in an outdoor living space, you begin to understand our excitement regarding the consumer outreach program. Connecting the public to the outdoors is what we do best.”

For more information about ‘Green for Life’ and please contact Denis Flanagan at Landscape Ontario, 800-265-5656, ext. 303 or dflanagan@landscapeontario.com or Lee Ann Knudsen at Landscape Ontario, 800-265-5656, ext. 314 or lak@landscapeontario.com.




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