GCPS e-ZONE

	January 8, 2008 Riddle me this... There are 2 ducks in front of 2 other ducks. There are 2 ducks behind 2 other ducks. There are 2 ducks beside 2 other ducks. How many ducks are there? (Scroll down for the answer.) Trends: Instant green This just in... There are any number of reasons you have jumped or will jump aboard the "Green" gondola or bandwagon or whatever it is that is making its way about the planet these days. Maybe you voted for Gore in Florida, back in the day when Florida voters became footnotes to history, even if their votes might not have. Perhaps you’re weary of Orange-level Ozone Alerts. It could just be that you like to garden, and you like people who like to garden, because you and they like the "getting back to nature" thing that is so garden-riffic. Whatever the root, the branches are now sprouting practically everywhere — which is good for the planet and probably not so bad for your business. By now, you’ve likely felt the urge/need to change your product mix to include earth-friendly items. You also deal with more vendors who have done the same. You almost certainly are dealing with customers who demand that you sell them goods that are good in the grand scheme, many of which can be marketed for more green than you imagined you could make before green became so darned fashionable. And that’s not even the good news. The good news is that, unlike so many trends that influence the industry, sustainability isn’t going away soon. In fact, if the folks at www.changereport.com have their way, we’ll have a reason a day to continue to support efforts that support the earth. This intriguing Web site/blog/news source/consumer watchdog is the creation of Change, an independent firm working to help brands navigate the rapidly shifting priorities of today’s environmentally aware consumer. Per Change’s mission statement: "It’s our job to know what’s going on with sustainability, so we read through tons of press, news articles, blogs, and whatever else we can get a hold of. As a result, this site was set up because we thought it would be a great idea to share what we read and learn with our readers. This hopefully will get more people thinking about sustainability and making a real Change." I would recommend you check in on the site on a regular basis. Further, I would suggest you encourage your green-minded customers to do the same. They’ll find out more than they could have imagined about sustainability. Meanwhile, they’ll probably remember it was your store’s staff that pointed them in the right direction. Speaking of right directions and the like, in the January issue of GCP&S we’re introducing our newest feature, "the online bonus." Each month, we’ll offer some kind of Web "special" — January has two, "Really Big Show (Case)" and "Holiday" — just so you can have even better/quicker/more efficient access to the products you’ll want to sell. To start your shopping experience today, go to http://www.greenbeam.com/gcps and click on the link that says "Bonus online content!" Click on it, I say! Paper or plastic... or neither? Check our BLOG Puzzling pictures 3,000 words, give or take... One of these photos is a puzzle. Choose the correct one and put the product together again. Then do the "Happy Dance." Then watch with glee as your teenage daughter realizes you are doing the "Happy Dance" in public and runs away, screaming in embarrassment. Then tell her she will appreciate your zest for life after you’ve died. Then pray it doesn’t happen today. Paper or plastic... or neither? Check our BLOG Pick 'n Click Products and more products... This list of links to suppliers can help you find the gardening and gift supplies for which you have been searching oh so long. Just point and click, and you'll find information about the various products in the most recent issues of GCP&S magazine. Achla Designs: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11101 Allsop, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11117 Anamese Garden & Home: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11034 ATLAS Glove Consumer Products, a Div. of LFS, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11059 Bartlett Bench & Wire, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11003 BC Landscape & Nursery Association: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11049 Bird Brain, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11007 Black River Nursery: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11046 Bowling Enterprises: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11042 Carruth Studio, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11071 Carson Industries: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11067 Ceramo Co.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11036 Chas. C. Hart Company: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11026 Clean Air Gardening: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11093 Country Originals, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11062 Danove Corporation: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11068 DeWitt Co., Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11061 Discount Pond Supplies, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11024 Dorothy Biddle Service: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11127 Dr. T's Nature Products: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11023 DuneCraft, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11096 Echo Valley: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11025 Fabriscape: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11027 Featherock, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11070 Firestone Specialty Products: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11020 Fiskars Brands: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11010 Gardenware: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11021 Georgetown Home & Garden: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11064 Gifts That Bloom: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11011 Good Directions, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11040 H. Potter: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11058 Kansas City Art Statuary: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11014 Kay Berry: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11114 Macore Co.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11016 Maine Bucket Company, Inc., The: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11022 Melrose International: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11050 Michael Gordon Ltd.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11055 National Lawn & Garden Show: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11012 Novelty Manufacturing Co.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11066 Ohio Wholesale, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11060 Olds Seed Company: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11017 Par A Sol: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11088 Parker Davis Company, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11029 Plant Revolution, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11136 Poly-Tex, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11009 Protective Industrial Products: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11073 Radius Garden LLC: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11048 Red Carpet Studios: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11140 Retail Service Company: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11044 Riverside Enterprises: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11028 Ruibal's Topiary Systems & Ironworks: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11063 Sherman Nursery Company: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11130 Silcast, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11001 Stoney Creek: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11015 Strong Marketing, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11030 Structural Plastics: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11085 Sunlight Supply, Inc.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11043 Sweetwater Irons: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11109 Tetra Pond: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11008 The Perfect Garden Tool: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11002 Tierra-Derco International: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11018 T-Mate-O: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11035 Trade Routes NW: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11053 Tula Hats: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11097 United Label & Sales Corp.: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11038 VAL-CO Environmental & Greenhouse Systems: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11032 Vitamin Institute: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11047 Walter E. Clark & Son: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11104 Wellmaster Carts: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11005 West County Gardener: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11006 White Cedar Gazebos: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11045 Winston Company: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11019 Yard Décor: Request info • Web site • 1-800-690-1826 ext. 11105 Paper or plastic... or neither? Check our BLOG Oh, yeah, the riddle answer... 4 (arranged as shown below) To SUBSCRIBE: http://www.greenbeam.com/email/email_form.html To UNSUBSCRIBE: Reply to this e-mail here. TO CONTACT EDITOR YALE YOUNGBLOOD: yyoungblood@branchsmith.com Reach the desktop of thousands of garden center professionals twice a month through the e-ZONE, contact Tiffany O'Kelley, tokelley@branchsmith.com or Ed Tavender, etavender@branchsmith.com. (c) 2008 Branch-Smith Publishing. 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