• Company: Atlantis Indoor Garden Supply and Organics
• What: The company specializes in hydroponic equipment with lights, pumps, containers, fertilizers and testing equipment for water. Hydroponics uses less water than conventional growing methods. The store is a one-stop shop for indoor gardening, sales associate Scott Brown said. Atlantis sells specialty soils safe for use indoors.
• Location: 1800 Rossville Ave.
• How it's green: Hydroponic growing is a green alternative to living in a concrete world, such as an apartment complex downtown, Brown said. Customers can set up a hydroponic system on a south-facing patio and grow vegetables three stories off the ground, while using less water than conventional growing. Growing locally saves diesel fuel and keeps things local.
• Why do it this way: For customers who live in the inner city without much outdoor space, or consumers with no yard, hydroponics may be the only option. For others, it may help brighten up a home.
• Advice for others considering green initiatives: Brown said that depends on a few factors. "What type of yard do you have to work with?" "Have you ever done any gardening?" Gardeners come in all shapes, sizes and ages, and no one piece of advice fits everyone. He recommends talking to an expert about specifics.
• Is environmentalism an essential part of the business and why?: Growing your own food and keeping agriculture as local as possible is very green, Brown said. "If you take control of your food source, you are being more sustainable, and in essence, being environmental."