Which business won an award?

[Steve]

This is fascinating. The College of Business at the University of Southern Indiana had a competition amongst it's students for the best business and which one won?

A lawn care business powered by electricity and Biodiesel fuel.

Do you think this is a business model that might take off in your area?

'Green' lawn service tops USI business contest (http://www.courierpress.com/news/2007/nov/08/green-lawn-service-tops-usi-business-contest/?ebj=1/) - First place winner, receiving $250, was Bryce Taylor, a senior majoring in finance. Taylor said his idea came from his seven years working in lawn care.

"I thought about creating a company that is completely 'green,'" he said. "It would be a completely organic and environmentally friendly lawn service; a carbon neutral if not carbon negative venture."

Taylor said his business would use biodiesel fuel for lawn tractors and solar-charged batteries for smaller equipment; organic pesticide alternatives and make use of concepts such as composting and recycling.

"It was a fun project. It was something I really enjoyed doing, putting my ideas on paper and seeing what other people thought," Taylor said.

[S.P.Martin Lawn Care]

I think its viable. All we need is small diesel engines to replace gas engines in all our applications and electric power with the same torque and run times we expect.

With high fuel prices, hopefully this stuff will come to the forefront and at a price we can afford.

[Steve]

Do you think that would be a good marketing hook? Would something like that really appeal to customers in your area?

[S.P.Martin Lawn Care]

I'm not convinced its THE marketing tool to get customers, but one of many we can use. If you can land new ones because of it, that's aways good. The quieter running machines would certainly be appreciated by the customers, as well as us (think hearing loss).

Ultimately this idea of of using biodiesel and electric power will increase our profit margins and due to reduced fuel overhead, at least when used for our mowing, trimming, and similar power equipment.

To show that you walk the walk, wouldn't it be a given that you have to use those same energy sources to pull your equipment around? Diesels we have, but hybrids just don't have the towing muscle or durability to get the job done. The premium price for diesel power puts it out of reach for too many of us. Paying more than $7K for a diesel engine is quite steep.

I'll get off my soapbox.....

[Steve]

The thing I wonder about biodiesel is how readily available is it? Is there anywhere near you that you know of where you can purchase it?

[pmblair]

I would LOVE to do that! Fits my business name perfectly!

GREEN AND CLEAN!!

[S.P.Martin Lawn Care]

We have biodiesel available up here in southern Maine, but it does cost a couple pennies more.

If you surf around on the net, there are do it yourself kits to make your own from all sorts of stuff. My only concern is the effect of cold weather on homemade fuel as diesel will gel up w/o additives.

[Steve]

Good point Steve.

Patrick this could really be a good idea for you and give you another thing that makes you all stand out.