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5 innovative environmental business ideas
Today is Blog Action Day. An important opportunity for bloggers of all sizes to influence the thoughts and actions of the mass and media. Collis, Cyan, and their team have done a phenomenal job organizing this event and having it recognized worldwide.
We were one of the first sites to sign up for the event and are anxiously awaiting the final tally later this week as the amount of participants, funds raised, and response from all the big news networks, is released
I thought it might be interesting to pick out a handful of existing businesses/ideas that you may or may not have heard of and highlight their environmental benefit. These ideas are creating markets of their own and opportunities for young go getters like ourselves to grab a share while they’re still in their early stages.
Recycled container housing
This environmentally conscious alternative has become quite the trend. Shipping containers that would normally be used to transport goods from overseas, are stripped down, cleared out, and stacked much like Legos to create a unique grid of housing or retail stores. These containers were and are used for many years in the Eastern world and by the military, but are only now becoming a cost-effective mobile condo.
Bicycle vending machines
A Dutch company called Springtime, has created the green version of Zipcar. Many cities pose quite a risk when locking your bike up outside. By creating vending machines for bikes, you’re enabled to rent one for a short or lengthy commute and return it to another machine near your destination. With zero emissions and the cost of pennies compared to a car, this initiative is much needed in many parts of the world.
Reusing instead of recycling packaging
TerraCycle is a truly innovative company. Their products, fertilizers, are packaged in cleansed pop bottles that each of us use every day. By providing a Pepsi bottle or whatnot, you receive $0.06 along with an ever important contribution to the already 1,098,440 bottles collected to date. This model could be applied to hundreds and thousands of different liquid based products that we use and eliminate the entire process of having to crush, melt, and re-form new bottles.
Designer shopping bags
We wrote about the trend of designer shopping bags back in July. The idea is that retailers offer a fashionable or classy version of a bag that replaces the disposable plastic ones we would normally receive at the checkout. These stylish woven ones can be used hundreds of times and serve as an accessory, especially for the female crowd. Would still be nice to see dozens of lines and variations of these bags be offered by the major chains across the world. Until then, the hilarious UK version you see above will be effective at grabbing attention.
Generating energy through our actions
The idea of being a hamster on a wheel doesn’t sound too bad when applied to our normal actions throughout the day across all our environments. Energy generating speedbumps are already in the works, as are treadmills that convert the rotation of the belt into electricity. While the small amount of power generated from these devices may seem minimalistic at this time, once a cost-effective way is developed to enable us to convert motion to energy, this could change the hydro industry altogether.
Happy Blog Action Day everyone. Please contribute to this initiative by writing on your blog or donating to a green charity of your choice. Cheers!
18 Comments
Patrick Algrim said on October 15, 2007
Thats awesome, I love this list! Great job guys, hope Blog Action Day makes it to some headlines for sure!
Bohemian Girl said on October 15, 2007
I was uncertain for a while what would be better for the environment, plastic or paper. I always choice plastic and have recycled it with pride. Now I have a new agenda, carry my shopping tote bag wherever I go. That way after I put my groceries away, I would just have to tuck away my tote bag in my kitchen drawer and that’s it. Thanks for those great ideas.
Adam Kayce : Monk At Work said on October 15, 2007
This is a great post — I love the idea of using the shipping containers as business space (I wouldn’t want to live in one, but I bet there are millions of people around the world who would…).
If we could hook up those treadmills, I bet we could power all the malls those gyms exist in, at least.
Naomi Dunford said on October 15, 2007
Man, I need to get me one of those bags. I mean, “I am not a plastic bag” is great and all, but “I’m not a smug twat”? That pretty much says it all right there. How much cooler is that than walking around with a bag that says “The Gap”?
Great post, and great pictures. Awesome job!
elysa said on October 15, 2007
I might be more motivated to work out if I thought my walking in place was helping the environment.
How Can We Help Save The Earth? : Freelance Folder said on October 15, 2007
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Kristina Richardson said on October 15, 2007
Everyone can make a difference! If you are passionate about stopping global warming and the environment you should check out this website http://www.nvisioncfl.com . Changing to CFLs is a great way for individual people to really make a difference! You should also check out this site http://www.youtube.com/user/helpourworld for more ideas on how to help our world!
Who and What They Said on Blog Action Day | Blog Gigs said on October 15, 2007
[…] Young Go Getter - The idea of being a hamster on a wheel doesn’t sound too bad when applied to our normal actions throughout the day across all our environments […]
Eric said on October 15, 2007
I too digg the designer shopping bags. I have never once seen one in Spokane, WA - *light bulb*.
Word of the Day: Actionate at The Shane & Peter Inc. Blog said on October 16, 2007
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Tanaka said on October 18, 2007
Very interesting ideas indeed!
Jarkko Laine said on October 20, 2007
This is great! It’s way too common to hear that companies are lamenting on how hard it is to do business in an environmentally friendly way, or how costly it will be for them.
These ideas turn this attitude upside down and prove that you can actually do good business by being green!
Thanks for sharing!
Jarkko Laine - Insanely interested » Blog Archive » Insanely Interesting Links: Blog Action Day said on October 20, 2007
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Usersky Daily News Network » How Can We Help Save The Earth? said on October 22, 2007
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Alan Edmonson said on March 13, 2008
I think there are so many wonderful ideas that people are advocating. It bothers me, though, when I listen to CNN and hear a reporter saying that there a good things to do but they are just too expensive. For far less than it costs to wage a useless war or to give tax cuts to people who don’t need them, the government could offer a package of grants and loans to individuals to buy solar panels for their homes and electric cars to drive. This would generate a new green industrial revolution as the auto industry and housing industry rushed to keep up with the demand for cars and home production of utilities. People would save so much from gas bills and utility bills they could pay the government back, lessening the deficit, and most important of all, save the planet and the human race.
Green Home Based Business said on May 18, 2008
I love the Website. A great post too. I come across great green ideas all the time, just yesterday I looked a website redesign for a green roofing company. Grean Meaning plants on the roof, everywhere. It was cool.
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