Clean Air’s motto is “changing the way America mows the lawn.” With a company history web page that starts out “Three guys walk into a bar…,” these folks may be a breath of fresh air in more ways than one.
President Gerry Keane is an avid outdoorsman, family man, and entrepreneur who’s been in business since the dot-com boom, and sounds happy to be right where he belongs- on the cutting edge, so to speak.
Why did you choose to start a sustainable lawn care service?
5-10% of the nation’s air pollution is generated by lawn and garden equipment and no one was utilizing the clean equipment on the market to change that. The founder, an entrepreneur with a green streak, saw an unoccupied market niche that would allow him to start a business that could be scaled on a national level while making a difference.
From the looks of Clean Air’s website, you people are actually doing good, doing well, and having a lot of fun, all at once. Are you sure that’s legal?
So far. We try to keep things simple around here; after all, our lives revolve around grass. Clean Air is fortunate enough to attract great people – GrassMasters and franchisees alike – who are passionate about providing an outstanding service, making a big difference, and having a great time and who geek out equally about a cool new piece of equipment and a great microbrew…
What’s new and different about the way Clean Air cares for lawns?
Clean Air Lawn Care uses clean & quiet electric equipment. This equipment is charged with wind energy overnight and run off the truck-mounted solar panels while in the field. The equipment is emissions-free and 50-70% quieter than its gas-powered counterparts. Larger biodiesel mowers are used for commercial properties. Clean Air also offers an organic fertilization program for a chemical-free, healthy lawn. All grass clippings are mulched or recycled. Our GrassMasters are outfitted in Patagonia clothing and KEEN footwear to ensure they’re looking good, comfortable and wearing eco-friendly uniforms. The company is carbon neutral.
In 2008, we reduced over 34,000 pounds of air pollution nationwide by switching our customers from gas-powered equipment to electric equipment – the equivalent of reducing more than 1 million vehicle miles.
Has it gotten easier to find equipment and supplies that help fulfill your mission?
Absolutely. The increase in demand for sustainable alternatives and increase in oil prices is rapidly driving innovation in both the equipment and fertilizer sectors (chemical fertilizers are made from fossil fuels). For example, the Neuton CE 6.2 electric mower is the first mower with interchangeable batteries – this feature has revolutionized our business model and allowed our crews to switch from 8 hour days to 10 hour days and increase operational efficiency. As battery technologies continues to evolve/improve, so does the power and run time of our equipment. We provide Neuton and other industry partners with feedback on product performance and suggestions for upgrading their products. The quality of organic fertilizers also continues to improve.
Clean Air has been franchising since 2008- how is it going? Do you feel that the word’s getting out?
Franchising is going great despite the troubled economy because our business model is proving to be recession resilient. Our locations that have been operating for a couple years are seeing extremely high customer retention rates. So far in 2009, we’ve opened 6 new locations and expect to add another 10-15 locations by the end of the year. Our mission is to retire the use of gas-powered equipment and chemical fertilizers by the industry and homeowners alike; our success and growth demonstrates the viability of electric equipment and organic fertilizers to those who doubt those products.
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