Ecopreneurist

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 From Green Options’ The Inspired Economist

In view of the current financial crisis, it is hard to grasp the fact that overnight investment banks once regarded the kings of Wall Street, are teetering on the edge of stability. The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers has threatened the survival of Morgan Stanley in spite of the fact that it has just declared great earnings. All eyes are on Morgan and Goldman Sachs, the two big I-banks left standing. Will they go next? What will this mean for corporate social responsibility in the investment banking sector?

Investment Banks have long been the entrepreneurs of Wall Street. Sure they take risk but then look at the return that they bring. In a capitalistic society, who doesn’t respect the work of an entrepreneur? Time and again they have been instrumental for fueling the economy. A high return on investment has enabled many of the investment banks to show a solid to commitment to corporate social responsibility in the last few years.

>>Read the rest of this post at The Inspired Economist

It’s been said many a time that one way to reduce a company’s footprint is by using web conferencing tools rather than flying everybody to meet in person. Noble, efficient and potentially cost saving as that is, there’s one problem: There’s been no way to quantify just how much of a difference it’s actually making. Sure, saved costs of flight, transport, accommodations are easy to calculate. But how about reduced emissions? And even if you were to know that, how can that be translated into a figure meaningful to our everyday lives?

iLinc has created the Green Meter to give concreteness and life to the abstract. It calculates the CO2, cost, and travel reductions accrued while using their service, down to the individual level. When companies are required to reduce their carbon footprint, whether internally or by the government where they do business, this will prove an invaluable tool. And in this fragile, downwardly spiraling economy, being financially  prudent with your expenses will be increasingly important.

Read the rest of this entry »

The collapsing housing market has wreaked havoc in a variety of industries. Everyone from realtors, to mortgage bankers to builders has seen lay-offs and steeply declining sales. The savviest of the group have realigned their businesses to go after the new markets a recession creates or focused on smaller, still growing niche markets.

For builders who thought going green was the answer there’s some bad news. While the hype surrounding green building features would make one think this trend would last forever, a recent study by the New York Times reveals some holes in this theory.

Ninety-three percent of all home buyers, both nationally and in the New York metro area, are not willing to pay more for green or energy efficient features when building a home, according to a recent independent study commissioned by The New York Times Customer Insight Group. Read the rest of this entry »

It seems no matter where you look these days, there’s bad news about the US economy. Does that extend to the budding green collar jobs market as well? Yes and no. I spoke to Nick Ellis, Managing Partner at Bright Green Talent, a US/UK based recruiting agency with a focus on green jobs, and a commitment to walking the talk within their own company as well. Ellis was frank, encouraging, and insightful.

Well then, what does the green collar jobs market look like?

From where Ellis sits, there is an enormous demand on the client side (those looking to hire) and there is a shortage of green collar job candidates. Really? Yes, and that includes an intriguing factor: Many of the client companies have set their expectations so high, who they’re seeking doesn’t exist. An example Nick gave is asking that the candidate have 5 years experience with LEED certification. Many people may have tremendous experience in techniques and knowledge that falls within the green building realm, but LEED is fairly new, most don’t have that much experience with LEED specifically yet.

How to remedy this? Read the rest of this entry »

REI sees bike sales skyrocket reads a recent headline. When established bike manufacturers gear up, ecopreneurs can cash in.

Driven by an increase in gas prices, as well as, growing awareness of the impact all those cars have on the environment more and more people are dragging out their bikes for more than just a quick jaunt around the park.

Commuters now ride the unheard of distance of oh…2 miles to work, aided by the more casual dress requirements on many companies and the slick carrying packs now available for dress shoes and laptops. Moms gear up with child carriers and pint sized bikes and take the kids out for lunch. Grocery shopping done by bike seems to be the preferred method in semi-urban neighborhoods.

The list of bike accessories grows long. Most are marketed to serious athlete -bike suitcases, rechargeable lights, gloves, grips and parts specifically for improving speed. But more and more the green, casual commuter is an alluring target. Read the rest of this entry »

Just when you thought that inflation would drive consumers away from more expensive green products, the silver lining appears. The Wall Street Journal, in an in depth article, Green Products Gain From New Price Equation on the subject, reports that green products and those with greener packaging may turn out to be the big winner as energy prices spiral out of control.

Consumers typically have paid a premium for environmentally friendly products. But with soaring energy prices pushing up the price of mainstream goods, green products are becoming just as — or even more — affordable these days.

Because eco friendly companies tend to use fewer fossil fuels in production and tend to focus on energy saving techniques, as the price of oil rises, it impacts green companies less. Eco friendly products made from natural materials, rather than plastic, a petroleum derivative, are impacted less by rising material costs. The same applies for packaging costs. Avoiding the plastic wrapper turns out to have been a smart economic move. Read the rest of this entry »

As going green becomes more and more popular, it seems that everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. Consumers want more sustainable options for all their needs, and companies are beginning to listen. Or are they?

Maybe I’m just a little paranoid, but I don’t tend to trust the megalithic corporations that have so much power and wealth today. So while I see many ad campaigns touting green promises and hear of many large corporations changing their ways, as much as I want to believe them, I have my doubts that many of these companies are truly committed to sustainability. The very nature of our economy leads companies to focus solely on profit and their own growth, at the expense of people and the environment. Read the rest of this entry »

One hurdle that many companies selling green goods face is convincing consumers to pay the difference between conventional and green or organic products. Recent health scares and increased interest in saving the planet aside, a recent article quoting a LOHAS survey states:

…many consumers’ purchasing patterns are affected by the phenomenon of trading up: a willingness to pay more for a product that is emotionally satisfying in terms of the perceived quality, performance, brand image, and the stature it provides.

Things could change.

As prices for a wide variety of commodities hit levels not seen before, the cost of everyday items from food to furniture and gasoline to gadgets is rising also. This is, of course, putting a bit of a strain on consumer’s pocketbooks. Read the rest of this entry »