Rooted in our purpose to GroMoreGood everywhere, clean water is our top environmental priority. Why? Because the impact of clean water goes far beyond lawns and gardens. It is essential to all living things. And that means our entire company, from our charitable foundation to the work of our associates, have had a hand in conserving, protecting and improving waterways at some time or another. Whether through the development and manufacturing of water-friendly consumer products or supporting the efforts of local groups working to restore shorelines and expand gardens, together we are positively impacting this precious natural resource.
The best part is that the beneficiaries of this collective work are people, communities and the environment. In fact, each year, our efforts to protect and conserve water resources reach over 130 million Americans through our nonprofit partners.
Product innovations that help consumers and the planet
We don’t just evaluate the effectiveness of our products on lawns and gardens, we look at how our products interact with and impact the environment. We constantly seek ways to be on the forefront of local, national and global water quality and conservation efforts, whether it’s finding innovative ways to battle phosphorus-fed algae blooms or drought, and continuously evolve our product and application devices to better serve the environment. We reached a key milestone in our efforts nearly a decade ago when we removed phosphorus from our lawn fertilizer products, and we didn’t stop there. Working with stakeholders, we increased our use of slow-release nitrogen nationwide. We’ve also improved our spreaders and sprayers to ensure our product is applied only where intended.
Jim Hagedorn speaks from the shores of the Indian River Lagoon in Florida, on one of the most critically impacted estuaries from Harmful Algae Blooms.
Strategic partnerships making local strides for clean water
Our water commitment goes beyond providing products that consumers can trust and rely on. We partner with leading environmental organizations across the U.S. who are making a positive impact in at-risk waterways, such as the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay and Indian River Lagoon. We support programs from educating people on protecting water at home to helping restore living shorelines in Florida, Texas, New York and Ohio. Our Foundation was also the presenting sponsor of the George Barley Water Prize, a $10 million global competition from the Everglades Foundation to discover a solution for removing phosphorus from freshwater.
National Geographic Photographer shares what it was like behind-the-scenes to tell the story of our water partners.
Making a difference
We adapt our water stewardship efforts based on regional needs. At times, we rely on our R&D Scientists and Brand teams to push the envelope on new product formulas, technology and consumer education. Other times, our Government Relations and Regulatory teams work with policymakers to further effect positive change, like Ohio’s recently created H2Ohio Fund.
Thanks to the hard work of our teams and our collaborations with nonprofit partners, together, we’ve:
- Restored 18,900+ square feet of coastline
- Planted 100,000+ seedlings in targeted coastal areas
- Educated 1,470,000+ people on water conservation practices
- Volunteered 65,000+ hours in coastal habitat restoration
- Cleaned 2,900,000 gallons of polluted water with George Barley Water Prize competitors
The work does not stop here. This is a passion for our team both on and off the clock and just a few of the important ways we work to GroMoreGood for the future sustainability of our planet for years to come.
Learn more about our purpose to GroMoreGood everywhere.
