8 Green Business Ideas
There is No Planet B illustration by Maria Nilsson Available as a Free Digital Download
Green Business Ideas to Contribute to Environment Preservation
Guest Blog Article by Alison Brown
Our environment constantly clamors for our attention, and planet Earth desperately needs our help. And for any entrepreneur looking to start a business, doing what you can to contribute to environment preservation is paramount in addition to being very much appreciated.
Today, consumers are just as riveted to eco-friendly solutions and clear corporate social responsibility (CSR) as they are in your brand's services and products.
And besides, when your business is eco-friendly, you'd be a proud business owner knowing that you're doing what's within your power to minimize waste, utilize resources efficiently, and maximize conservation of the environment.
It's your own special way of contributing to the green revolution.
Environmental Blog Sites
There are more than a handful of people with a feverish passion for writing out there. And if you're one of them while also being an environmental nut at the same time, then you're in the prime position to spread the knowledge of eco-friendly practices. In addition, you can make money out of your passion too.
77% of internet users read blogs
23% of time spent on the internet goes to blogs and social networks.
90% of consumers find content useful
You generate income through blogs via advertising banners, affiliate sales, pay-per-click, and CPM advertising.
But most importantly, in your quest to write relevant content and climb up the search-engine rankings, you'll also be raising awareness about environmental care -- dispelling the myths and shining light on the cold hard facts about our deteriorating world.
This is you showing your target audience that they should be accountable for their actions; because they too can make a large difference in their own ways.
Eco-friendly Construction Materials
At first glance, construction materials don't appear very sustainable, but there are companies who have done it and who you can look to for reference. This green business idea is also good as many people today are all for building and remodeling their houses to use eco-friendly building materials.
Sustainable construction materials are primarily made for increasing energy efficiency and reducing the impact of harmful materials on human environment and well-being.
From foundation to insulation, interior and exterior, ceiling to flooring, and even for countertops; there's no shortage of various environment-friendly materials.
Properties of eco-friendly building materials that you should be aware of include:
Its ability to be reused and/or recycled.
Being biodegradable.
Local availability.
Being found in renewable sources.
Capabilities to reduce land, air, and water pollution.
Its durability and lifespan.
It's perfectly possible to furnish and build an entire home made of eco-friendly materials. Plus, they're a lot cheaper to produce than other traditional materials.
Organic Beauty Salons
If you're passionate about beauty products for men and women and plan on establishing your own beauty salon, you can easily do so while still contributing to sustainability.
16 billion pounds of plastic leak into the ocean waters yearly. And with the world population increasing steadily year after year, that number is depressingly increasing. But it doesn't have to.
If you haven't done this before, it can be quite off to imagine a beauty salon without all those plastic containers around, but here are some things to remember when you're putting your organic beauty salon together:
Only offer products that are vegan. No animal-tested or animal-derived ingredients.
Provide formaldehyde-free keratin treatments.
Use and sell recyclable/reusable products.
Hair coloring products free of ammonia.
Provide products that have negative carbon footprints.
Stay true to your goal and use eco-friendly decor as well.
Eco-consulting Services
If you're an expert on all things that involve green living, then perhaps it's in your best interest to start an eco-consulting service. It's a business that has a wider scope of services; helping offices and personal homes with solutions for better sustainability.
Eco-consultants guide companies and other consumers into decisions that benefit the environment -- like establishing processes that would control waste, reduce costs, and manage energy use. And for this to truly take off, it's advisable to investigate trends and keeping tabs on the latest environmental news.
Sustainably Remodeled Furniture
Old and broken furniture is still perfectly usable -- given improvements and small changes to fix what's broken, of course. With your knowledge in woodworking or furniture creation, you can break down and rebuild tables, chairs, dressers, bed frames, etc., into new pieces that you can make a profit out of.
Also, remember that sustainable furniture is determined by the material. It is mostly comprised of renewable raw materials like wood labeled with the FSC seal. It's also treated with eco-friendly paints, waxes, varnishes. In addition, this provides healthy indoor climate at home.
Eco-friendly Landscaping
Professional and stylish landscaping turns any home into a gorgeous wonder. But all the upkeep necessary for that costs the environment. It doesn't have to be that way though, if you're a business owner bent on providing eco-friendly landscaping.
It also helps that it's actually easier than most people think. By advising homeowners about how to go about landscaping with environment conservation in mind, you're doing your part to preserve our ecosystem. The biggest impact you can have is reducing the amount of water you need for landscaping.
Tips for creating eco-friendly landscaping include:
Using hardscapes like boulders and pavers.
Reducing your lawn's size.
Planting wisely.
Enhancing slopes.
Layering your landscape.
Nourishing the soil with essential nutrients.
Installing smart irrigation to avoid wasting water.
Investing in artificial grass for less waste on water and fertilizer.
Second Hand Boutique
New items are expensive, and they add up. And with many secondhand stores cropping up, you can help encourage your customers to save money and contribute to preserving the environment. instead of discarding the clothes you've outgrown, donate them instead to be sold at half the price and help someone else.
Purchasing pre-owned clothes have environmental benefits.
Eco-friendly: Chemicals and gallons and gallons of water go into manufacturing clothing. The resources (that can be saved) can be used for other purposes instead.
Dealing with textile waste: Clothes get thrown in the trash after a few wears. If they're donated to secondhand stores instead, perfectly good clothes can still be used by other people and extend the lifespan of clothing at the same time.
Encourages recycling: In addition to helping people in need, you also encourage your community to recycle.
Organic & Healthy Catering
Your passion for making food can be a great source of environmental conservation. It's a commitment to utilize organic produce in every meal course. This means vegetables and fruits are grown and served with no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, GMOs, etc. This also means meat and dairy are produced with no growth hormones or antibiotics.
Organic catering is sustainable eating that creates minimal waste in addition to supporting the local community by encouraging healthy living.
Take care to limit or eliminate the use of plastic goods too.
The Takeaway
Putting up an eco-friendly business is a noble effort, and a very appreciated one. It's rewarding in addition to being profit-friendly. You appeal to like-minded customers in addition to promoting eco-friendliness in your local community.
Author Bio:
Alison Brown is the brains behind Panel Wall Art -- one of the world's biggest creators and manufacturers of high-quality canvas art prints. She manages a team of highly creative professionals, designers, and skillful artists. Aside from writing about fine art, she's also really into improving home decor, and Star Wars.