Speaking at the Garden Centre Association (GCA) conference in Henley-on-Arden this week, Porritt said centres that say they are green but do not have environmental policies, such as the Garden Centre Group (GCG), are making "preposterous" claims.
The GCG dropped its "Plan Apple" policy in 2008. A show of hands at the conference demonstrated that only a couple of the 42 garden centres represented had an "essential" environmental policy.
Former Friends of the Earth director Porritt added: "I don't understand that. Garden centres are more under the spotlight than ordinary companies. It's a disappointment that they are not taking a leadership role."
The Eden Project's Dr Tony Kendle said garden centres need to focus on "the interface between gardeners and nature" rather than just selling "stuff".
He added: "garden centres need to be a place of experience, not a place of buying bits. We have to kill the poisonous word 'consumer' because gardeners don't consume all that we're talking about — they are explorers, adventurers and growers."
Government agency Envirowise representative Simon Drury accepted that businesses used to associate environmental improvements with higher costs but insisted that attitudes are changing.
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All Comments
Is this the same Porritt who believes in population control, restricting all couples to have only 2 children to save the planet? Why should we take him seriously?
Take him seriously because he was invited by the GCA to speak at conference....and because he is prepared to acknowledge the elephant in the room.
Indeed. Jonathan Porritt often talks a lot of sense. Whilst I am not an 'enironmental campaiger', I do have respect for those who make decent effort because without them we'd continue on up the creak we've paddling for the last 50 years.
Oh, and theres alot to be said for population control measures. Let's not forget that when people used to have lots of children it was because at least half of them wouldn't have made it past the age of 5.
Porritt has made a very good statement. Taking it further, once in place the Directors of Garden Centres need to ensure their environmental policies aren't just gathering dust on the book shelf but are dynamic, holistic, active documents that the leadership truly believes in and delivers on.
Given that most of the customers at our local garden centres are geriatric, I would be seriously concerned about making any long term investment in amateur horticulture if Porritt has his way.
The Garden & Leisure Group, who won Best Environmental Policy Award at the Garden Retail Awards 2009, have backed environmental campaigner Sir Jonathan Porrit's criticism that garden centres are complacent about having environmental policies.
The HTA reported that Sir Porritt, who was speaking at the Garden Centre Association \(GCA) conference, said that some centres, such as the Garden Centre Group \(GCG), claim to be green but in fact have no environmental policies. Sir Porritt also called on garden centres to take a leadership role in green issues.
John Moseley, Garden & Leisure Group's Marketing Director, said: "Garden & Leisure fully support Sir Porritt's comments. In our stores we are especially keen to encourage a greater interface between gardeners and nature – which is why we are stepping up our 'grow your own' drive and have adopted the Bumblebee Conservation Trust \(BBCT) as our sponsored charity of the Year for 2010.
"The Group has also demonstrated best practice on green issues – including making significant progress in reducing raw materials used, CO2 emissions, mains water misuse and waste sent to landfill."
Some staff at Garden & Leisure also volunteered to be ECO Warriors and helped to develop a Staff Awareness Program \(SAP). All the environmental projects undertaken by the Group have improved their environmental credentials and reduced their carbon footprint.
John added: "With environmental issues and climate change becoming more of a global concern with every passing year, I hope that Sir Porritt's comments will encourage other garden centres to look more closely at their environmental policies."