Introspection: The Year of Luxuries and Necessities
By Marvin Miller, AIB President
The last year has certainly been tumultuous. Last November we elected a new president, and in the months leading up to that election, Americans were offered choices that had never before been presented in presidential campaigns. For many months prior, there had been a legitimate female contender for the presidential nomination, and in the end, there was another woman running as Vice President. There was an African-American running for President on one of the major party’s ticket.
The choices for the top offices presented many Americans with difficult decisions, as we examined our personal biases and bigotries and weighed these against the candidates who we each thought offered the best ideas. For many, the self-examination asked whether we, as Americans, truly believed that “All men are created equal.” Indeed, this line was first used in 1776 by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. It was later quoted by Abraham Lincoln in his 1863 Gettysburg Address. And Martin Luther King, Jr. used this in his “I have a dream” speech in 1963. Yet, on the eve of the 2008 election, Americans asked themselves whether they truly believed this line that had been used repeatedly throughout America’s 232-year history. This serious introspection was not easy for many. Even with 24 hours left before the polls opened on the East Coast, polls indicated 14 percent of probable voters were still undecided.
As if that decision was not difficult enough, Americans learned a month later we were officially in a recession, one that was already a year old. Compounding the news was the unemployment forecast, which suggested that 1 in 10 Americans would likely be unemployed before the recession ended, an unfortunate statistic that has come true. In parts of the country unemployment is considerably higher. Add to this the legions of Americans who are underemployed, those earning a paycheck in a field which is not commensurate with their training or experience, and those working reduced hours. Year-end bonuses did not materialize for many, and some have gone without customary pay raises. Home foreclosures are at record levels, and property values have plummeted in many locales. Americans are suddenly debating what is really important in their lives.
Lest one think the statistics are just numbers printed across a newspaper’s page, it is important to think of the detail in individual terms. I have to find a new car dealership before my next oil change or needed repair, as the dealership I have used for over the last quarter century has closed its doors. I also need to find a new clothing store, as the place I have purchased over 90 percent of my clothes for more than 20 years is no longer there. My favorite Italian restaurant has also gone out of business after 20 years. And the bank president down the street from where I live, with over 25 years of banking experience, was bagging groceries at the local grocery store the last time I saw him. In each of these cases, people I personally know are now unemployed or underemployed. Stress and fear are now parts of their lives. The crisis of confidence is an issue of personal reflection for many.
Certainly with unemployment and home foreclosures high and with mergers, bankruptcies, and those businesses ceasing operations in the forefront of thought, the general concern for many Americans is one of budgets. For many, the times have called for purse-string restraint wherever possible. Cities, too, have faced financial strains, as unemployment has led to lower tax revenues when income, property, or sales taxes are part of the revenue stream. Especially in the hardest hit states, the prognosis for municipal budgets is bleak at best.
What is a city to do? The answer for many cities has been to cut back non-essential services. But the debate centers on what is considered a luxury and necessity. Unfortunately, too often the discussion becomes a “black vs. white debate” based on personal bias and does not include seeking alternative “grey” ways to accomplish the same goals. Perhaps, if consulted, businesses, civic organizations, and individual citizens would step up to the plate to provide funding or the volunteer efforts needed, which may no longer be afforded as municipal services. Such times certainly call for creative thinking, negotiating, and personal outreach.
When considering the importance of certain expenditures, one naturally weighs costs vs. benefits. If flowers and plants are considered only for their aesthetic qualities, one might easily brand them luxuries that cannot be afforded. Yet, as regular readers of this column are aware, flowers, trees, sod, shrubs, and groundcovers offer a lot more than beauty. These horticultural wonders offer calmness, stress reduction, motivation, crime reduction, inspiration, self respect, attentiveness, pride, and many other lifestyle benefits critically important during stressful times. Plants also can help mitigate urban climate extremes (including urban heat islands), can help ameliorate air, water, sewage and noise pollution, can help with flood and erosion control, can act as windbreaks, and can help control urban glare and reflection. Plants can help attract birds and other wildlife to the urban environment, can be used as a fun teaching tool for reading, writing, arithmetic, and biology, and can be used to help create a presence, whether marking the edge of or entrance to a city, one’s personal space, a public space, a business district, or even helping with traffic flow. In the process, these plant packages also have learned to sequester carbon and make oxygen at the same time! Indeed, we need to have both active and passive relationships with plants, as we need to be around plants for the inspiration and spirituality they provide and to have plants around us for all of the utilitarian benefits they offer. For details on the scientific evidence relating to any of the plant attributes or benefits I mentioned, please visit “The Benefits of Plants” under Resources on the AIB website at www.americainbloom.org.
One of our America in Bloom judges, Marlborough Packard, a professor of historic preservation at the Savannah College of Art and Design, recently asked, “Would we think differently about the arts and horticulture if for every poem not written there was a heart attack, for every painting not painted there was an aneurism, and for every flower not planted there was a stroke?” Certainly we would! But even if the consequences are less dramatic, might I suggest that most Americans and, perhaps, even some in the horticulture industry, undervalue what plants can contribute to society.
As one might imagine, the recession has had varying consequences on particular horticultural subsectors, with horticultural businesses also sharing in the unfortunate business closure statistics. Some businesses have reported record years, but more have reported flat to declining sales, somewhat akin to how the local economies in which they market their products are performing. Those producing trees and shrubs, for the most part, have fortunes at least partly tied to new construction and the sales of new or newly acquired homes or business properties. Landscapers focusing on maintenance seem relatively unscathed, especially if the focus is on commercial properties, while those focused on new installations generally have struggled. Parts of the sod and groundcover subsectors are also tied to building construction, though some are tied to recreational installations like parks and golf courses; here, too, recessionary pain has been felt. For those producing floriculture products, the jury is still out, as some have reported record years, while others have seen sales reduced. The story for retailers seems as mixed as the weather, as firms even in close proximity to one another have had very different seasons, perhaps, dependent on how they are perceived for product innovation and selection, customer service, promotion, or other marketing variables.
Certainly for those who have recognized the benefits of horticultural products, the essential importance of a program like America in Bloom is apparent. Indeed, many cities have announced enhanced planting programs in this last year, even in these challenging times, for they realize the power of plants in the urban environment. We thank you for making your cities more beautiful and for adopting the many ancillary benefits plants offer alongside the aesthetics, for these benefits are truly needed now more than ever. We thank you for recognizing the power of volunteerism and for the strength it can offer in turning your cities and towns into real communities. And we thank you all for planting pride in your communities and in the hearts of your citizens.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
The last year has certainly been tumultuous. Last November we elected a new president, and in the months leading up to that election, Americans were offered choices that had never before been presented in presidential campaigns. For many months prior, there had been a legitimate female contender for the presidential nomination, and in the end, there was another woman running as Vice President. There was an African-American running for President on one of the major party’s ticket.
The choices for the top offices presented many Americans with difficult decisions, as we examined our personal biases and bigotries and weighed these against the candidates who we each thought offered the best ideas. For many, the self-examination asked whether we, as Americans, truly believed that “All men are created equal.” Indeed, this line was first used in 1776 by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. It was later quoted by Abraham Lincoln in his 1863 Gettysburg Address. And Martin Luther King, Jr. used this in his “I have a dream” speech in 1963. Yet, on the eve of the 2008 election, Americans asked themselves whether they truly believed this line that had been used repeatedly throughout America’s 232-year history. This serious introspection was not easy for many. Even with 24 hours left before the polls opened on the East Coast, polls indicated 14 percent of probable voters were still undecided.
As if that decision was not difficult enough, Americans learned a month later we were officially in a recession, one that was already a year old. Compounding the news was the unemployment forecast, which suggested that 1 in 10 Americans would likely be unemployed before the recession ended, an unfortunate statistic that has come true. In parts of the country unemployment is considerably higher. Add to this the legions of Americans who are underemployed, those earning a paycheck in a field which is not commensurate with their training or experience, and those working reduced hours. Year-end bonuses did not materialize for many, and some have gone without customary pay raises. Home foreclosures are at record levels, and property values have plummeted in many locales. Americans are suddenly debating what is really important in their lives.
Lest one think the statistics are just numbers printed across a newspaper’s page, it is important to think of the detail in individual terms. I have to find a new car dealership before my next oil change or needed repair, as the dealership I have used for over the last quarter century has closed its doors. I also need to find a new clothing store, as the place I have purchased over 90 percent of my clothes for more than 20 years is no longer there. My favorite Italian restaurant has also gone out of business after 20 years. And the bank president down the street from where I live, with over 25 years of banking experience, was bagging groceries at the local grocery store the last time I saw him. In each of these cases, people I personally know are now unemployed or underemployed. Stress and fear are now parts of their lives. The crisis of confidence is an issue of personal reflection for many.
Certainly with unemployment and home foreclosures high and with mergers, bankruptcies, and those businesses ceasing operations in the forefront of thought, the general concern for many Americans is one of budgets. For many, the times have called for purse-string restraint wherever possible. Cities, too, have faced financial strains, as unemployment has led to lower tax revenues when income, property, or sales taxes are part of the revenue stream. Especially in the hardest hit states, the prognosis for municipal budgets is bleak at best.
What is a city to do? The answer for many cities has been to cut back non-essential services. But the debate centers on what is considered a luxury and necessity. Unfortunately, too often the discussion becomes a “black vs. white debate” based on personal bias and does not include seeking alternative “grey” ways to accomplish the same goals. Perhaps, if consulted, businesses, civic organizations, and individual citizens would step up to the plate to provide funding or the volunteer efforts needed, which may no longer be afforded as municipal services. Such times certainly call for creative thinking, negotiating, and personal outreach.
When considering the importance of certain expenditures, one naturally weighs costs vs. benefits. If flowers and plants are considered only for their aesthetic qualities, one might easily brand them luxuries that cannot be afforded. Yet, as regular readers of this column are aware, flowers, trees, sod, shrubs, and groundcovers offer a lot more than beauty. These horticultural wonders offer calmness, stress reduction, motivation, crime reduction, inspiration, self respect, attentiveness, pride, and many other lifestyle benefits critically important during stressful times. Plants also can help mitigate urban climate extremes (including urban heat islands), can help ameliorate air, water, sewage and noise pollution, can help with flood and erosion control, can act as windbreaks, and can help control urban glare and reflection. Plants can help attract birds and other wildlife to the urban environment, can be used as a fun teaching tool for reading, writing, arithmetic, and biology, and can be used to help create a presence, whether marking the edge of or entrance to a city, one’s personal space, a public space, a business district, or even helping with traffic flow. In the process, these plant packages also have learned to sequester carbon and make oxygen at the same time! Indeed, we need to have both active and passive relationships with plants, as we need to be around plants for the inspiration and spirituality they provide and to have plants around us for all of the utilitarian benefits they offer. For details on the scientific evidence relating to any of the plant attributes or benefits I mentioned, please visit “The Benefits of Plants” under Resources on the AIB website at www.americainbloom.org.
One of our America in Bloom judges, Marlborough Packard, a professor of historic preservation at the Savannah College of Art and Design, recently asked, “Would we think differently about the arts and horticulture if for every poem not written there was a heart attack, for every painting not painted there was an aneurism, and for every flower not planted there was a stroke?” Certainly we would! But even if the consequences are less dramatic, might I suggest that most Americans and, perhaps, even some in the horticulture industry, undervalue what plants can contribute to society.
As one might imagine, the recession has had varying consequences on particular horticultural subsectors, with horticultural businesses also sharing in the unfortunate business closure statistics. Some businesses have reported record years, but more have reported flat to declining sales, somewhat akin to how the local economies in which they market their products are performing. Those producing trees and shrubs, for the most part, have fortunes at least partly tied to new construction and the sales of new or newly acquired homes or business properties. Landscapers focusing on maintenance seem relatively unscathed, especially if the focus is on commercial properties, while those focused on new installations generally have struggled. Parts of the sod and groundcover subsectors are also tied to building construction, though some are tied to recreational installations like parks and golf courses; here, too, recessionary pain has been felt. For those producing floriculture products, the jury is still out, as some have reported record years, while others have seen sales reduced. The story for retailers seems as mixed as the weather, as firms even in close proximity to one another have had very different seasons, perhaps, dependent on how they are perceived for product innovation and selection, customer service, promotion, or other marketing variables.
Certainly for those who have recognized the benefits of horticultural products, the essential importance of a program like America in Bloom is apparent. Indeed, many cities have announced enhanced planting programs in this last year, even in these challenging times, for they realize the power of plants in the urban environment. We thank you for making your cities more beautiful and for adopting the many ancillary benefits plants offer alongside the aesthetics, for these benefits are truly needed now more than ever. We thank you for recognizing the power of volunteerism and for the strength it can offer in turning your cities and towns into real communities. And we thank you all for planting pride in your communities and in the hearts of your citizens.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
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