Chapter 21
The Green Business
The message to the business community is there need not be any conflict between the environment and the economy. We will find the way not only to reconcile those but to find new profits and new opportunities as we do the right thing.
—Al Gore
Whether we are talking about Al Gore winning an Oscar and the Nobel Peace Prize in the same year or continued reports of the melting of the polar ice caps, there is no doubt that climate change is changing the world. For the small business interested in this trend, this means one of two things: either you can take your existing business, green it up, and make it more environmentally friendly (often called creating a sustainable business), or you can start a new business intended to capitalize on the green marketplace. Either way, you can do well by doing good. This chapter explores both options.
Green Business Overview
Just what constitutes a green business? Broadly, sustainable businesses operate in ways that minimize their environmental impact by:
- Reducing waste
- Conserving natural resources
- Reducing, reusing, and recycling
- Preventing or minimizing pollution
- Operating more efficiently
- Selling green products
- Supporting other ecofriendly businesses
Creating a sustainable business can be as simple as instituting a recycling program in your office or as complex as, say, creating a carbon-neutral airline. Nature Air was started in 2001 in Costa Rica with one plane and 17 employees. Today, it has become one of ...
