Do you want to start a business and, at the same time, protect the environment? You came to the right place. If there is one thing that entrepreneurs must do now, it is to discern what their own environmental advocacy is. People love corporate social responsibility (CSR) because they are now more aware than ever of the humongous responsibilities that businesses must shoulder in exchange for profiting from their production and manufacturing. However, what they love more than anything else is a business that tries to protect the environment and make its operations as sustainable as possible.
So what are these businesses that can be considered eco-friendly? What green businesses are right for you? You can be as creative as you can be when it comes to eco-friendly businesses. There is a lot to choose from.
Construction
An engineer or architect can consider going into the construction industry and still run a green business. Plenty of contractors now offer sustainable building materials to their clients. They partner with eco-friendly suppliers of hollow blocks, cement, and other materials.
They also advise their clients to install solar panels instead of relying on the grid alone. To separate yourself from all the other contractors and construction firms out there, you should take a CSCS examination. Passing it means you are a certified and legitimate contractor and construction worker.
Recycling Plastics
Do you know that a business can be born out of what many consider trash? Go to the waste collection site and talk to them about how you can take plastics off their hands. While many of them can recycle the plastics they collect at home, most localities have no idea how to take care of the recyclable materials they get from households. That’s where a legitimate recycling business comes in. You can create many things from plastics—building materials, decorations, chairs, stuffed toys, mulch, and many more.
Secondhand Clothes
Millions of tons of clothes are being wasted every year. That’s why if you don’t like a particular shirt or skirt anymore, the best thing to do is bring them to a secondhand shop. They can buy them from you for cheap (or you can donate them). On the other hand, they can still make a profit from it. That’s what you can contribute when it comes to reselling secondhand clothes and other items. You can buy the used clothes in bulk and sell them in pieces either in-store or online.
Organic Catering
Instead of serving the usual fare, you can cater to individuals and businesses using only organic and natural ingredients. Some examples are free-range chicken, gluten-free meals, vegan, vegetarian, and paleo meal options. You can partner with offices nearby so you can deliver lunch boxes every day to the employees. Another concept is a farm-to-table restaurant wherein you need to run a farm and use the vegetables there to prepare meals for customers.
Refillable Ink Cartridges
Companies that produce the ink cartridges don’t normally refill them. If you run out of ink, you have to buy the whole cartridge. Starting an ink-refilling business is an eco-friendly venture because it eliminates the need to waste those cartridges made of hard plastic. It is also cheaper to have the cartridges refilled instead of buying the whole set. Some people think that using paper in this day and age is not very friendly to the environment. The option is to use recycled paper. Besides, paper is still an important part of any business; an ink cartridge is not.
Landscaping
As long as you use energy-conserving methods in landscaping, this kind of service-oriented business is also eco-friendly. Not only are you providing plants and flowers that help the whole ecosystem, but a well-maintained yard can also add character to a property. But there are some concerns that landscaping wastes water, and some methods are not exactly green. To make sure you are following sustainable methods in taking care of the yard, take some courses and study what plants are needed in the area.
Farming
Of course, is there anything greener than managing a farm? You can raise organic cattle and poultry. You can grow vegetables and fruits that do not use harmful chemicals such as pesticides. To further your advocacy, you can partner with local restaurants so their patrons can get the freshest ingredients from their orders.
It is not really easy to run a green business. Although there is a lot of concern right now about the state of the environment, many people still can’t afford organic and all-natural ingredients because they are priced higher than conventional ingredients. What you can do is to find a balance between trying to profit and providing opportunities for people to afford green products.
