The Washington Post brings to light just how big an impact Obama’s pledge will have for renewable energy companies. We’re already seeing high profile interest in funding entrepreneurs in solar, wind and alternative energy; early next year we could see a boom!
President-elect Barack Obama wants the nation to derive 10 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2012, up from 2 percent today. That comes on top of the global push for green power, making wind and solar power companies a good bet.
It’s been a rocky road for the high flying sector, recently as the credit crunch has reduced investors willingness to capitalize any company, least of all those involved in risky new ventures. But, that hasn’t stopped big names like T. Boone Pickens from investing in wind power and.. Read the rest of this entry »
My editor asked me to post a few more ideas on what an Ecopreneurist or any business interested in giving green gifts this year, might give customers for the holidays.
I wanted to approach the idea from two points. First, I am in the promotional items business. For our industry the main purpose of gift giving is to say thank you to the clients you have done business with in the past year, and to keep your name in front of those clients so that they do business with you next year.
Second, as an Econpreneurist gift giving gives my business a chance to show off our green credentials but also – maybe – influence our clients, not all of whom are green, about becoming more green in their own businesses.
So I decided to start off with something very basic. Mugs.
A basic mug cost little and can normally be printed on both the front and back, so there is a lot of room for both your logo and a message.
Perhaps “Thank you for your business in 2008. Think of XYZ company in 2009 for all your ABC needs” on the front and maybe an eco message like “Americans throw away an estimated 25 billion Styrofoam cups every year. The same Styrofoam cups will be sitting in a landfill 500 years from now. Please re-use this mug each day to lessen your impact on the planet.” Yes that will all fit on a mug. And trust me a case of mugs showing up at your client’s office goes a lot farther than a fruit basket. Read the rest of this entry »
The Environmental Leader reports that new green initiatives are changing the Great White Way.
The Broadway theater community has outlined a series of goals as part of a new environmental initiative. “Broadway Goes Green” hopes to reduce Broadway’s carbon footprint, adopt environmentally sustainable practices and promote environmental awareness in the creation and presentation of Broadway shows.
The new Broadway Goes Green website serves as a repository for all of the green initiatives undertaken by the theatre community in New York City. These include little things that we have recommended on our site, like replacing disposable mugs and turning off lights and big things like replacing the marquee lights that mark the top spots in the theatre district and encouraging purchase of carbon offsets for touring companies.
The initiative was announced with typical theatricssays The New York Times, by
And so it came to pass that Marcie Dodd, the current Elphaba in the Broadway production of “Wicked,” in full costume and green makeup, introduced Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg to a crowd at the Eugene O’Neill Theater on Tuesday. The occasion was the official commencement of Broadway Goes Green, a partnership between the city and Broadway that is meant to shrink the Shrek-size carbon footprint of the Great White Way. Read the rest of this entry »
This is a guest post by John Simonetta, owner of ProformaGreen, an eco-friendly promotional items consultancy. John’s posts are designed to keep us up to date on the “greening” of his industry.
A number of clients and readers have asked us about ideas for eco-friendly customer gifts and I wanted to write a couple of posts talking about items that have done well in the past for clients or that are new for this year and doing well so far.
I also wanted to break these articles into categories so this blog will cover PET (yes items made from recycled water bottles for the holidays). PET may be a boring material but it is being used in some neat products.
1) Eco 100% Recycled Owl Laptop Sleeve – Made from 100% post-consumer recycled material (product label affirms this claim), holding a standard 15″ laptop and with a very clean line design, these bags have been very popular as both employee and customer gifts. At about $15 including a one color imprint of your logo or message, these bags are very popular with hip eco companies and road warriors. The gift is also practical, for one thing it makes accessing your laptop at the airport a heck of a lot easier, and of course it does provide basic protection from bumps, nicks and Read the rest of this entry »
A post by contributing guest writer Melissa Chungfat.
I’ve been seeing a lot of Thomas Friedman on the tube talking about his book Hot, Flat, and Crowded. The three-time Pulitzer Prize winner is getting a lot of buzz stressing the necessity of a green global industry. Ecopreneurs are key in developing innovative solutions to deal with the tremendous global environmental problems.
The book title refers to the convergence of global warming, the rise of the middle class, and the exponential population growth. These factors drive the following five trends over their tipping point:
Energy and resource
Petro dictatorship
Biodiversity loss
Climate change
Energy poverty
In our culture of convenience, so many people want to help the environment – if they can keep all of their luxuries; they want to green their habits – if it’s convenient enough; they want to buy green products – if it’s easy enough to find. But this attitude won’t fly anymore with the problems we are facing. Read the rest of this entry »
Having a tough time trying to find that perfect gift for your ecopreneur? Below are just 4 oft-recommended books from a variety of topics that may interest the ever hard-to-buy-for ecopreneur. Best of luck on your holiday shopping and if you have any other books that you would recommend please let us know!
Against the Gods – A worldwide bestseller for the ecopreneur that would enjoy a very interesting, historical perspective on entrepreneurialism and the concept of risk. Google book describes it as a “narrative that reads like a novel, chronicles the remarkable intellectual adventure that liberated humanity from the oracles and soothsayers by means of the powerful tools of risk management that are available to us today. This is a richly-woven tale of Greek philosophers and Arab mathematicians, of merchants and scientists, gamblers and philosophers, world-renowned intellects and obscure but inspired amateurs who helped discover the modern methods of putting the future at the service of the present, replacing helplessness before the fates with choice and decision.”
Triple Bottom Line – Andrew Savitz. If you have not already come across this book, now is the time. A must read for ecopreneurs, business managers, social responsibility managers, and consumers and investors. The Triple Bottom Line illustrates the connection between the financial, social, and environmental bottom lines of any operation and demonstrates that innovative and profitable solutions to the real problems companies face can come from sustainability. This book is becoming one of the essential pieces of literature guiding many of today’s top companies transition into a more sustainable business model.
“We need solutions at the speed of business,” says Hunter Lovins, author, speaker and founder of Natural Capital Solutions in the Naturally Successful DVD, produced by Arnold Creek Productions, Inc., known for its award-winning videos on sustainability used by organizations around the world.
Naturally Successful is an expertly assembled compilation of inspiring interviews of the leading visionaries giving a voice to the emerging green ECOnomy and the businesses that are in the business of remaking the world for the better. The release of this video couldn’t be better timed as millions of Americans explore ways to prosper despite the economic downturn.
“Build your business around your calling,” continues Lovins, who like the many leaders featured in the DVD, recognize opportunities for enterprising ecopreneurs to solve the most pressing problems now facing us, turning some profits in the process while achieving a happier, more fulfilling life. “We’re not in a sprint. We’re in a marathon to save the world…What is it that you love to do? How do you make a business of it?” asks Lovins.
To grasp the scale of the sustainability movement afoot and harness ideas to guide your green business, this 78 minute DVD offers insights on what being an ecopreneur is all about with a focus on building a values-driven business, providing meaningful leadership, achieving results beyond profits, serving customers, thinking long-term, seizing opportunities in new and existing markets, creating a thriving business and embracing a new type of commerce that seeks to make the world a better place. Interviews are woven together like a well-made life raft for anyone setting out to launch a green business that thrives with a triple bottom line.
My family is coming for Thanksgiving this year and in the spirit of the season, we wanted to try and do something a little different, a 100-mile Thanksgiving.
The 100-mile movement is a local eating experiment whereby you buy food that is locally raised and produced from within a 100-mile radius of where you live. We have 22 family and friends coming from up and down the East coast from Ithaca, NY to Tampa, and while the family is generally sympathetic to green-living, it required some friendly advice to pull it off. So, I sent an e-mail describing the concept and offering helpful advice, tips, links, etc.
We did our part, ordering a bunch of stuff from our milk man and local farm, Southmountain Creamery. We spent Sunday morning at the Dupont Circle Farmers Market and found all sorts of fabulous greens, yams, “Dr. Seuss” cauliflower, herbs, cheeses and chicken for stock. Once the kids warmed up with hot cocoa and croissants it was a terrific morning all around.
As for the rest of the guests, at first I heard nothing back from my email.
Then a few requests to resend the email.
Finally….
My sister-in-law from Brooklyn jumped in with apple-pear chutney to replace cranberry sauce. She also asked if chocolate from Jacques Torres in Brooklyn qualified. We decided, since one cannot pass up Jacques Torres Chocolate and we’re making a similar exception for coffee, that products with raw materials that cannot be found within a 100 miles (cocoa nibs, coffee beans) can be brought if they are processed locally. So, Jacques Torres is in as is Gimme Coffee! roasted in Ithaca, NY. Read the rest of this entry »
I’m a firm believer in voting with your dollars. One of the most effective ways to effectuate change is to voice your opinion by the way you spend your hard-earned money. If you want to support renewable energies, sustainable fabrics, green building or fair trade products – then buy them. You, and all those that “vote” with you, will get attention simply because every business wants to provide what consumers want.
This weekend America will celebrate what has become the greatest logistically challenging holiday in its history – Black Friday. The one day retailers, online and offline, as well as economy and industry analysts, wake up and just watch the numbers,.The staffing, sourcing, shipping, & production cycles generated to meet the demands of this massive consumption holiday are tremendous. All are hoping to capture at least a small portion of consumers’ massive holiday wallet spend.
Van Jones has recently surfaced in America’s Shift to Green Living as a strong advocate for the Green Collar Economy. He is the founding president of Green For All, a U.S. organization that promotes green-collar jobs and opportunities for the disadvantaged. He is also the author of The Green Collar Economy, which has been endorsed by Nancy Pelosi, Tom Daschle and Al Gore.Read the rest of this entry »
Ecopreneurist provides news and advice on sustainable and social entrepreneurship. Learn about new green products and services for the LOHAS demographic, and get marketing and branding assistance for your green start-up business.
The Washington Post brings to light just how big an impact Obama’s pledge will have for renewable energy companies. We’re already seeing high profile interest in funding entrepreneurs in solar, wind and alternative energy; early next year we could see a boom!
