SMALL BUSINESSES ARE MAKING THE WORLD GREEN
Small Wonders presents hundreds of vivid, distinct, concrete examples of small businesses successfully greening in one way or another. Why so many? What's the point?
The point is to show that small businesses are everywhere and making the world greener. The point is to show that small businesses are doing almost everything and greening almost everything. This boundless pervasiveness and infinite variety is the point.
Even so, the many examples listed here do not begin to scratch the surface of the teeming small business universe. The best we can do is to provide a mere suggestion of its boundlessness.
Green small businesses are doing almost everything under the sun. Here is a list of a 101 different ways they are doing it:
1. Alternative Transportation
Zane’s Cycles - Branford, CT
One of the top 10 largest retail bicycle stores in the nation, Zane’s is part of the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) On-Site Renewable Distributed Generation Program. It recently installed a 22.7-kilowatt solar PV system on the rooftop of its building.
Phoenix Motorcars, Inc. - Ontario, CA
Specializing in all-electric vehicles, this company plans to begin selling its zero-emission electric truck and SUV by 2010. The freeway-speed Phoenix SUT and SUV use a non-toxic battery pack that cuts down on noise and air pollution.
2. Architects
Barley & Pfeiffer Architects - Austin, TX
Founded two decades ago, this company has been nationally recognized for “mainstreaming” the concept of green building into the North American home building industry. It has made a commitment to use energy-efficient & environmentally-responsive architectural design to meet clients’ needs.
FXFOWLE - New York, NY
This 30-year-old architectural, planning, and interior design firm has won an ENERGY STAR Award from the U.S. EPA for reducing its energy and electrical usage through efforts such as upgrading its HVAC system and switching to compact fluorescent light fixtures. “As a sustainable design firm, it is important that our workplace communicate our philosophy and commitment to the environment to our employees and our clients,” says Bruce Fowle, FAIA, LEED, senior partner.
3. Auto Dealers
Pat Lobb Toyota - McKinney, TX
When Pat Lobb began making plans for his new Toyota dealership, he decided to reduce energy costs as much as possible. With help from outside experts, Lobb and his team studied every aspect of the design and performed digital energy modeling to create a dealership with lower energy usage than what is common in the industry. The company became the first LEED-certified automotive dealer in America.
Hand Motors - Manchester Center, VT
Jim and John Hand pledged to make Hand Motors the first carbon neutral automobile dealership in Vermont and saved more than $36,000 in annual energy costs as they worked toward their goal. As a result of these efforts, it Hand Motors was a 2008 Small Business ENERGY STAR winner. The dealership, which also operates Manchester Auto Rentals with the same carbon neutral goal, heats its new 12,000 square-foot service shop with 100% waste motor and vegetable oil at no cost to the company. The dealership now saves more than $15,000 a year by not having to buy standard heating oil.
Lambert Auto Sales, Inc. - Claremont, NH
Another winner of the 2008 Small Business ENERGY STAR Award, Lambert Auto Sales began its energy efficiency journey in January 2007 when the National Automobile Dealers Association and ENERGY STAR announced the Energy Stewardship Initiative. The program is designed to assist auto dealers in reducing energy costs by encouraging them to take the ENERGY STAR Challenge and reduce energy consumption by at least 10%.
4. Auto Rentals
Bio-Beetle - Kahului, HI
This is the first company in the world to offer rental cars fueled exclusively with biodiesel. It currently offers biodiesel rentals on the Hawaiian island of Maui.
Simply Hybrid - Beverly Hills, CA
Southern California’s first totally hybrid rental service enables eco-conscious customers to rent models ranging from the Hybrid Toyota Prius to the Hybrid Lexus RX.
5. Auto Service and Repair
Luscious Garage - San Francisco, CA
At the nation’s first auto repair shop specializing in hybrids, owner and mechanic Carolyn Coquillette - who has a degree in physics -relies on solar-power. Almost every aspect of the business is green, thanks to practices that range from avoiding supplies that include volatile organic compounds to recycling its scrap metal.
6. Baby Clothes & Bedding
Kate Quinn Organics - Seattle, WA
This retailer sells baby apparel and bedding made from 100% certified organic fabrics.
Sage Creek Organics - Tarzana, CA
No chemicals or pesticides are used in creating the organic cotton clothing and bedding this retailer sells. All dyes are eco-friendly and no finishing agents are used on the fabric in its baby clothes.
7. Banks
ShoreBank Pacific - Ilwaco, WA
Committed to environmentally sustainable community development, this bank specializes in helping small businesses in fields such as alternative energy, specialty agriculture, and green building.
8. Batteries
EnerDel Inc. - Indianapolis, IN
Formed when an alternative energy company merged with one of the world’s largest automotive components firms, this four-year-old enterprise is developing lithium ion battery technologies for hybrid electric vehicles. Its goal is to create lighter, smaller, and longer lasting batteries than the nickel metal hydride batteries currently being used in this market.
9. Bed and Breakfasts
Natural Seasons Bed & Breakfast - Weston, WV
This renovated, Federal-style home is part of an ecotourism boom in the state. Complete with its own organic garden, it serves as the headquarters of the West Virginia Ecotourism Association.
The Raritan Inn - Califon, NJ
Needing no outside electricity or heating, the Raritan Inn relies on the natural power of solar energy and geothermal heating, making the buildings super-efficient and the innkeeper’s quarters a residential power plant.
10. Beer and Ale
Wolaver’s Organic Ales - Middlebury, VT
One of the nation’s original certified organic breweries, Wolaver’s is committed to producing beer in an ecologically sound way. Its craft ales are brewed using organic malts.
11. Building Supplies
Nature Neutral - Charlottesville, VA
Home owners interested in using environmentally preferable products to build and renovate can find them under one roof here. Its offerings range from paints that eliminate toxic materials to bamboo flooring.
Green Way Supply - Indianapolis, IN
Solar-powered attic fans, recycled aluminum tiles, and zero VOC paints are just a few of the many green building products this e-commerce company offers to consumers and builders.
12. Business Development
Sustainable Research Group - Grand Rapids, MI
This organization of experienced industry professionals is dedicated to identifying, documenting, and improving business performance based on principles that are economically sound, environmentally healthy, and socially responsible. Clients include manufacturers, service companies, and governmental and institutional organizations that recognize the value of sustainable business practices and energy efficiency.
GreenBusiness.net - Decorah, IA
Inspired by attending a Coop America conference, founder Jason Trout decided to create this online community where owners of green ventures, angel investors, and professionals can barter services, advertise to sell a business or simply exchange ideas.
Green Spaces - Brooklyn, NY
With its own rooftop garden and reclaimed furniture, this shared work space brings together green entrepreneurs in a like-minded community. Its newsletter reaches 4,200 green-minded people.
13. Buses
Fisher Coachworks - Troy, MI
In 2008, Fisher Coachworks rekindled 100 years of manufacturing history with the launch of the Advanced Technology Hybrid Bus. Leveraging a successful $3.5 million dollar prototype project funded primarily by the Department of Energy, the launch vehicle is an innovative hybrid mass-transit bus featuring an improvement in fuel economy over existing hybrids.
14. Catering
The Green Table - San Francisco, CA
Catering operations don’t have to be wasteful. This service specializes in cooking with organic ingredients for the events it runs.
Greg Christian Catering and Events - Chicago, IL
Billing himself as Chicago’s Conscious Caterer™, Christian specializes in transforming corporate meetings and events and weddings into green gatherings.
15. Cemeteries
Memorial Ecosystems, Inc. - Westminster, SC
Ramsey Creek preserve was opened by this company in 1996 as the first “green cemetery” in the United States. The preserve was formed as a model for the funeral industry, with the objectives of protecting and restoring land and providing a less expensive and more meaningful burial option. The focus is to develop multi-functional nature preserves that are created with the cooperation and assistance of non-profit organizations. By choosing burial in the preserve, clients leave a permanent legacy for their families and their communities.
Green Burial Council - Santa Fe, NM
This group’s certification program is the “gold standard” for green burial practices and places among consumers, land trusts, park service agencies, as well the cemetery/funeral profession.
16. Cleaning Products
EcoLogic Solutions - Brooklyn, NY
With the goal of introducing the safest, effective and cost competitive cleaning products to mass consumers, this company sells only non-toxic and non-polluting formulas.
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day - Minneapolis, MN
A leader in household cleaning alternatives, Mrs. Meyers uses plant-derived ingredients whenever possible in its widely distributed products.
Biokleen - Vancouver, WA
Biokleen, which won an award from its city for its pollution prevention and sustainable practices, concentrates its products in order to leave the smallest footprint on the environment. As a result of using less packaging, it contributes less waste to landfills.
The Clean Environment Company - Omaha, NE
For more than 15 years, it has manufactured and distributed a line of eco-friendly commercial cleaning products.
Pacific Sands, Inc. - Racine, WI
This small company has found a niche in manufacturing nontoxic products for cleaning, pet care and pool, spa and water maintenance applications.
17. Clothing
Birch Clothing - Minneapolis, MN
This retail store and web marketer features organic, fair trade and sustainable clothing, accessories, gifts, jewelry and linens.
Green3 - Oshkosh, WI
Designing and marketing women’s casual apparel made from organic fabrics, this firm has brought its own spin on sustainability to the fashion industry
Earth Creations, Inc. - Bessemer, AL
This company uses natural clay dyes to create a full line of organic T-shirts for men, women, and children and a complete line of women’s casual wear made using sustainable fibers.
Marchuska / cmarchuska LLC - Endicott & New York, NY
Those who have avoided buying sustainably made clothing because they view the cuts as unfashionable have an alternative in this trendy T-shirt maker
18. Coffee
Rogers Family Company, Inc. - San Leandro, CA
This family run firm roasts shade grown & organic coffee, some of which it grows on its own organic coffee farms.
19. Construction Materials
Serious Materials - Sunnyvale, CA
Creating traditional drywall contributes to greenhouse gases because of its heavy use of gypsum, a producer of carbon dioxide. This venture-backed company’s product, EcoRock, relies on a process that uses less heat and produces less carbon, thanks to its use of an alternative material diverted from landfills.
20. Cosmetics
Hugo Naturals - Chatsworth, CA
Using natural products like jojoba ester, coconut oil, shea butter and botanical extracts, this small business avoids harsh additives or fillers in its products.
Complexions - Spa/Salon/Boutique - Albany, NY
The eco-friendly conversion of 8,500-square-foot facility earned this small business a 2008 EPA ENERGY STAR Award. Guests are encouraged to be more earth-friendly through measures such as discounts on retail products when they buy a reusable organic shopping bag. VIP parking is available for guests who drive a hybrid car, and parking spaces for bikes are available. The owners estimate saving of more than $10,000 annually with energy-efficient measures. The greenhouse gas savings are estimated at 56 tons annually, the equivalent of the CO2 emissions from the electricity use of nearly seven homes.
21. Dairies
Crave Brothers Dairy Farm - Waterloo, WI
Known for award-winning, farmstead mozzarella and other fresh cheeses, the family-run firm is environmentally friendly. In 2007, it began using a computer-controlled anaerobic digestion system to convert methane generated from cow manure to electricity for its own use and to power 120 homes.
22. Dating Services
Green Singles - Pickerington, OH
A dating website that features “personal ads for progressive singles in the environmental, vegetarian, and animal rights community,” this membership network includes people from across the U.S., Canada, and other parts of the world.
23. Dry Cleaners
Hangers Cleaners - Kansas City, KS
Hangers uses liquid carbon dioxide as its cleaning solvent instead of harsh chemicals like perchloroethylene, employed in traditional dry cleaning.
OXXO Care Cleaners - Hollywood, FL
This franchise, which has stores in Florida, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., uses environmentally safe cleaning products and practices, avoiding harmful perchloroethylene.
24. Education
North American Alliance for Green Education - Prescott, AZ
This nonprofit consortium is comprised of educational institutions and organizations with a commitment to environmental studies programs, located in diverse bioregions.
25. Employment Services
Green Dream Jobs - Huntington Station, NY
Operating online for 12 years, this site is one of the largest sources of job listings for earth-minded job seekers.
EnvironmentalCareer.com - Hampton, VA
In today’s tough job market, this site brings together leading environmental employers with qualified candidates.
26. Energy Consultants
3Degrees Group, Inc. - San Francisco, CA
Helping other companies to achieve their sustainability goals, this small firm provides Green-e Energy Certified Renewable Energy Certificates and third-party certified Verified Emission Reductions (carbon offsets).
Bright Power, Inc. - New York, NY
Founded in 2004 to provide consulting services and energy solutions to building owners and companies, this firm helps clients achieve their goal to use clean energy.
27. Energy Management (Smart Energy)
EnergyHub - Brooklyn, NY
With help from this technology start-up, consumers can reduce their home energy usage by identifying waste in their residences and controlling their appliances with a touch-screen dashboard.
GridPoint, Inc. - Arlington, VA
This company’s innovative smart grid platform empowers utilities to optimize electrical grid management, increase grid reliability, promote environmental stewardship and fuel the adoption of renewable energy sources.
Greenbox Technology, Inc. - San Bruno, CA
Households can track, understand, and manage their home energy usage and environmental footprint using this web-based solution.
iPower Systems - Valhalla, NY
Homeowners and small businesses can use this company’s batteries for emergency backup power, giving them a green alterative to a generator.
Electronic Educational Devices - Denver, CO
How much of an energy hog is that hair dryer – or washing machine? Watts Up “plug load” meters have been answering questions like this for consumers since this company was founded in 1997. These handy devices measure the electrical usage of whatever is plugged into them. And at less than $100, they are affordable to many homeowners.
28. Environmental Mapping
3TIER - Seattle, WA
Meteorologists, hydrologists, and oceanographers at this firm are working on supercomputers to map the world for wind and solar resources, country by country.
29. Environmental Planning
Rana Creek - Carmel Valley, CA
A landscape-architecture and ecological-design firm with 32 employees, Rana Creek traded in four of its 10-autos for hybrids.
The Green Team - Tulsa, OK
Founded by architects Dru Meadows and Charles Bell, this environmental consulting firm has won awards from the U.S. Green Building Council and other groups for its work in helping clients create buildings that incorporate sustainable design. Among its high-profile clients: the American Lung Association, the City of Los Angeles Fire Department, and Walmart. It received a $1.75 million contract through the U.S. EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research program in early 2008 to develop an authentication and registry service for green products and services used by the building industry.
30. Ethanol
Mascoma - Boston, MA
While competitors turn to corn and other feed stocks for ethanol production, this three-year-old firm is exploring non-food sources, such as wood, straws, fuel energy crops, paper pulp and other agricultural waste. It has caught the eye of equity investors, who have pumped $100 million into its research and development efforts. The government is also paying attention. Mascoma has secured $100 million in state and federal grants, among them $26 million from the U.S. Department of Energy.
31. Farms
Black River Organic Farm - Ivanhoe, NC
http://www.blackriverorganicfarm.com/
Consumers can purchase a share of the season’s harvest at this farm, which distributes its vegetables through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.
Applegate Farms - Bridgewater, NJ
This company sells meat raised humanely, without antibiotics or hormones.
Somerton Tanks Farm - Philadelphia, PA
Based on a half-acre in Philadelphia, this demonstration farm has promoted the possibility of raising produce in the heart of urban areas. By pushing the physical and philosophical boundaries of agriculture, it is achieving a level of productivity and financial success that many thought impossible.
32. Fast Food
The Grille Zone - Boston, MA
Known for its burgers and French fries, this fast food outlet has also built a reputation for environmentally sustainable practices. It is certified by the Green Restaurant Association.
33. Finance
Lee Capital Advisors, LLC - Newtown, CT
This firm specializes in financial solutions for renewable energy and conservation, such as an energy optimization loan program. With support from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) On-Site Renewable Distributed Generation Program, it recently installed a 17.6-kilowatt solar PV system on the rooftop of its building.
34. Florists
Organic Bouquet - San Rafael, CA
Saying it with flowers no longer has to mean ordering a bouquet grown with pesticides. Founded in 2001 with the goal of creating a national market for organic flowers, this enterprise now offers options that meet biodynamic, sustainable, Fair Trade and other standards, thanks to a network of both large and small growers. Prices are comparable to those of other online florists.
35. Food
Annie’s Inc. - Napa, CA
Annie’s Naturals, a leading maker of all-natural and organic salad dressings, marinades, flavored olive oils and condiments, has found a place on many supermarket shelves. The company’s Annie’s Homegrown brand of organic and natural pasta meals and healthy snacks has also become well-established.
Wilderness Family Naturals - Silver Bay, MN
Located on the Shore of Lake Superior in an area that is home to beaver, bison and bald eagles, this family run business has grown to employ 30 people. It supplies the area with a wide array of natural, raw, and organic foods.
36. Forest Products
Confluence Energy - Kremmling, CO
Rotting pines killed by beetles might not seem to have much of a useful future ahead of them, except perhaps as compost. This company has come up with a process that turns them into wood pellets used as heating fuel. The trees are dried using a sawdust-powered furnace and then hammered into wood chips that are made into pellets. In June the company made its first shipments from a new state-of-the art plant, the largest in the U.S. west of the Mississippi.
Forest Concepts LLC - Auburn, WA
An innovative wood-strand erosion control material made by this company outperforms agricultural straw by lasting longer, resisting wind and clinging to steep slopes better.
Green Forest Products - Green Forest, AR
Creating jobs in a depressed area, this small firm recycles wood waste into garden mulches. After reinventing itself from a previous incarnation as a feed pellet manufacturer, it is seeing rapid sales growth.
37. Fuel Cells
FuelCell Energy - Danbury, CT
TheUltra-Clean stationary fuel cell power plants created by this company generate electricity with up to twice the efficiency of conventional fossil fuel plants – and virtually no air pollution.
ReliOn, Inc. - Spokane, WA
A world leader in making backup fuel cells, this company has developed systems for preserving telecommunications during severe storms and other emergencies.
Jadoo Power - Folsom, CA
A leader in fuel cell technology, Jadoo provides hybrid fuel cell power for government, military and commercial applications.
38. Funerals
The Green Funeral Site - Kent, WA
Those planning green funerals can turn to this comprehensive source of information.
39. Gardening
D’Vine Designs - Salt Lake City, UT
To help customers maximize their gardening space, this company provides equipment such as vertical structures and suspension systems for melons. It makes some of them from recycled plastic.
40. Geothermal Heating & Cooling
EarthHeat - Duvall, WA
Specializing in the design, installation and promotion of geothermal heating & cooling systems, EarthHeat offers engineered systems for homes or commercial buildings.
WaterFurnace International, Inc. - Fort Wayne, IN
This company enables homeowners to reduce their energy usage through its WaterFurnace geothermal system, which draws on free, renewable energy found in a homeowner’s back yard.
41. Grocers
Oklahoma Food Cooperative - Oklahoma City, OK
Buying food that is locally grown or produced is easy for customers of this store, which specializes in merchandise from its home state. It sells about 900 products a month, from jelly to venison. The founders are spreading their know-how to other states. They have helped launch coops in Nebraska and Texas.
42. Hamburgers
Burgerville - Vancouver, WA
Founded in the 1960s, this privately owned fast-food chain has grown to 39 restaurants in Washington and Oregon, making a name for itself through its commitment to sustainable practices and fresh food purchased locally. Burgerville is also known for its commitment to its employees. It provides low-cost healthcare to those who work at least 20 hours a week and is known for its commitment to providing career opportunities to people who are deaf and hard of hearing.
EVOS - Tampa, FL
This franchise chain sells slow-roasted burgers from naturally raised meats, salads made with organic field greens, shakes from fresh fruit and hormone and antibiotic free milk. It has franchises in Tampa, Chapel Hill, NC, San Luis Obispo, CA, and Henderson, NV.
43. Herbs and Spices
Glenbrook Farms - Campbellsville, KY
Offering a wide selection of non-irradiated bulk herbs, as well as bulk spices and teas, this small firm has carved out a niche in internet retailing.
44. Homes
Sustainable Spaces Inc. - San Francisco, CA
Helping homeowners to create healthier, energy efficient homes is the specialty of this firm, which has developed an approach to home performance contracting that treats the home as a system.
Eco Custom Homes - Atlanta, GA
On the forefront of sustainable building in Metro Atlanta, this company’s focus is on the custom home market.
GreenHomeGuide - San Francisco, CA
Founded in San Francisco in 2004 to help people find reliable advice on green homes, this resource now includes information for Los Angeles and New York City.
Eco Custom Builders - Decatur and Mobile, AL
A leader in the construction of sustainable homes, this firm makes both custom- and semi-custom designs available to its customers
45. Home Furnishings
Vivavi - New York, NY
Offering modern style, eco-friendly furniture and home furnishings, Vivavi also enables consumers to find newly built green residences and green home professionals throughout the United States and Canada in its companion resource, Modern Green Living.
46. Hospitals
Providence Newberg Medical Center - Newberg, OR
Billing itself as the first sustainably built hospital on the West Coast, this facility offers an alternative to the energy inefficiency that plagues many other medical centers.
47. Hotdogs
Let’s be Frank - San Francisco, CA
Selling its all-beef, grass-fed and nitrate-free franks at stadiums and in supermarkets, this company has made an inexpensive staple healthier.
48. Hotels
Green Hotels Association - Houston, TX
“Green” Hotels are environmentally-friendly properties whose managers are eager to institute programs that save water, save energy and reduce solid waste. Their purpose is to bring together hotels interested in environmental issues and to encourage, promote and support the “greening” of the lodging industry.
49. Household Appliances
Western Appliance - San Jose, CA
Recognized with an ENERGY STAR Small Business Award in 2007 for its innovative marketing of ENERGY STAR labeled appliances, Western Appliance has made ENERGY STAR its “differentiator.” Western Appliance operates 10 stores with 64 sales professionals selling kitchen and laundry appliances, competing with “big box” retailers in California’s Bay Area.
50. House Cleaning Services
Ecolistic Cleaning - Lewes, DE
Finding a cleaning person who uses environmentally-friendly products wasn’t easy at one time. But with more consumers trying to keep toxic products out of their homes, the market has responded. This business, founded by a concerned mom, is one of a number of green cleaning services that are thriving. Serving areas of Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania
51. HVAC INSTALLATION & SERVICE
Comfort Engineered Systems, Inc. - Nolensville, TN
Operating since 1994, this energy-saving HVAC company offers customers access to cutting-edge technologies such as geothermal installations.
TAG Mechanical Systems, Inc. - Syracuse, NY
This small heating, cooling, and indoor air quality Service Company installed energy efficient HVACR systems in 845 homes as part of a military housing privatization initiative at Ft. Drum, NY. The results have been 30 % lower energy costs for the soldiers who live in these homes, improved indoor environments, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
52. Hydropower
Verdant Power - New York, NY
Emerging technology developers have worked with utility industry veterans to construct and operate electricity generation facilities, with a specialty in hydropower.
53. Interior Design
Robin Wilson Design - New York, NY
A pioneer in the eco-friendly interior design sector known for a classic style with a modern edge, Wilson and her team focus on design that is sustainable, reusable, non-toxic and recyclable.
Spectrum Fine Homes - Mountain View, CA
This design, building and remodeling firm has claimed three national awards for green remodeling.
54. Jewelry
Brilliant Earth - San Francisco, CA
Couples concerned about the origins of the jewelry they wear can purchase conflict- free diamonds that are guaranteed to originate from ethical and environmentally responsible sources from this business. It donates 5% of its profits to communities harmed by the diamond industry. The company has made a nice for itself by using precious metals from renewed sources, derived from recycled jewelry or industrial products.
55. Landscape Architects
Brown & Danos Landdesign - Baton Rouge, LA
Landscape architects Dana Nunez Brown and Chad Danos have made their concern for ecology a hallmark of their business. They have been involved in projects from green rooftops to the recovery efforts in New Orleans.
56. Laundries
World’s Largest Laundromat - Berwyn, IL
Owner Tom Benson says has opted for solar power, an anomaly in his industry. He believes that even when gas prices increase, he will have the ability to maintain his competitive edge by giving customers lower prices.
57. Lawn Care
NaturaLawn of America, Inc. - Frederick, MD
This pioneering franchise chain uses organic-based/biological products and services and integrated pest management, as alternatives to chemical fertilization programs and the application of pesticides. There are currently 67 NaturaLawn® of America franchise locations providing services in 23 states to the residential and commercial markets.
58. Lighting
LEDdynamics - Randolph, VT
Imagine not having to change light bulbs for twenty years! That’s the promise of LED lighting technology, a specialty for this company. LED lamps utilize light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a source of illumination rather than electrical filaments or gas. They are 80% more energy efficient than standard lighting and they last 50 to 100 times longer than standard bulb.
Cree, Inc. - Durham, NC
A manufacturer of semiconductors, Cree has found ways to enhance the value of LED solid-state lighting, power and communications products by increasing their energy performance.
59. Lubricating Oil
PetroTex - Cedar Hill, TX
Only about 55% of the used motor oil in the U.S. is collected. Most of the recovered oil is burned as part of a fuel oil mix that contributes to air pollution. By recycling the used petrochemical into lubricating oil instead, this small company offers another, more environmentally friendly recycling alternative.
60. Mattresses
Savvy Rest - Charlottesville, VA
Manufacturing organic mattresses and pillows, the company also sells adjustable bases and beautiful hardwood platform beds by The BedWorks of Maine.
61. Meetings
The Green Meeting Industry Council - Hattiesburg, MS
Meetings and conferences don’t have to generate excess trash. This organization helps the meeting planning industry improve the environmental performance of meetings and events.
62. Mortgages
Better World Mortgage - Portland, OR
With the nation’s mortgage crisis still unresolved, many Americans don’t have the luxury of buying a new home. But for those who do, Better World Mortgage offers a chance to do business with socially responsible brokers. The members of its network of mortgage brokers have agreed to donate 10% of their commissions to a charity of the borrower’s choice.
63. Moving Vans
MeanGreen Trucking - New York, NY
Without careful planning, a move to a new home can create a tremendous amount of waste. Billing itself as the “Earth friendliest local and long distance moving company in the country,” this startup aims to offset that. It plants a tree with every move, powers its five trucks with waste vegetable oil, and operates out of a solar-powered warehouse.
64. Nanotechnologies
NEMS/MEMS Works LLC - Columbia, MO
Keshab and Shubhra Gangopadhyay, the husband and wife team who founded this nanotechnology venture, have focused their efforts on creating tiny devices useful in industries such as energy and medicine. They are working in partnership with the University of Missouri-Columbia, to bring their technologies from the lab to the marketplace.
Altair Nanotechnologies - Reno, NV
This company is a leader in making proprietary ceramic nanotechnologies that help automakers with their energy needs. It has worked with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to develop safe techniques for manufacturing and handling the very tiny materials involved. It is also involved in recycling. Currently on its agenda: finding an effective way to make titanium dioxide from a waste product left after oil is extracted from sand.
65. Nursing Homes
Duncaster, Inc. - Bloomfield, CT
Caleb Hitchcock Nursing Home and Health Center in Bloomfield, a non-profit retirement community, provides independent living, assisted living or skilled nursing home services to residents. Its residents joined with management to cut energy consumption and costs. They are saving $18,000 per year as a result of their energy saving projects.
66. Paint
The Freshaire Choice - Cleveland, OH
This company’s paint contains no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), keeping harmful pollutants out of the air.
67. Pest Control
Ecotect Scientific Pest Elimination, Inc. - Sussex, NJ
Providing organic and earth friendly pest elimination services for both residential and commercial clients in New Jersey and New York markets, this company provides solutions to invasions by carpenter ants, ticks, wasps, and other common pests.
EnviroCare Pest Solutions - Columbus, OH
Offering consumers choices of organic and natural pest-control options, this small venture aims to use the smallest possible amounts of appropriate materials in just the right places.
68. Pet Care and Supplies
Fromm Family - Mequon, WI
Offering gourmet dog and cat food, this company, founded in1904, uses only natural ingredients.
Bio Bag - Palm Harbor, FL
BioBag Dog holds the distinction of being the first biodegradable and compostable “plastic” pooper bag in the world. This is one of the company’s most popular products.
West Paw Design - Bozeman, MT
Not only has this company diverted over 165 tons of plastic bottles from landfills by creating safe and eco-friendly dog toys from recycled plastic, but it embraces green practices such as reusing boxes and enabling customers to send products back to its team for recycling.
PlanetWise Products, Inc. - Pine Bluff, AR
Among this company’s natural and environmentally friendly pine products are cat litter and animal bedding.
Earthdog - Brentwood, TN
Dog-owners who are concerned about sustainability can purchase this company’s leashes and collars made from hemp. This biodegradable resource does not require pesticides or herbicides, and is stronger, more absorbent, and more insular than cotton.
Krebs Recycle - Seattle, WA
The nylon rope used in rock climbing might not seem to be the most versatile of materials. But this small, family-owned enterprise has found a way to put both used climbing rope and scraps from manufacturers to good use, turning it into sporty dog leashes.
69. Pharmacies
Elephant Pharm - Berkeley, San Rafael, Walnut Creek, CA
Billing itself as the country’s “first green pharmacy,” this four-store chain goes far beyond offering natural and organic products. It provides recycling collection to customers for products such as halogen lamps, eyeglasses and DVDs. It collects unused medicine for environmentally safe incineration and conversion to energy. It doesn’t use plastic bags, uses recycled paper, and recycles virtually every material it uses. It newest store, a model for future ones, is part of a pilot LEED program for retail stores, incorporating state-of-the-art green building practices.
70. Pizza
Rustic Crust - Pittsfield, NH
Whenever possible, Rustic Crust uses fresh, local, and organic ingredients in its flatbread pizzas.
Galactic Pizza - Minneapolis, MN
Galactic delivers its “planet saving pizza” via all-electric vehicles. The restaurant is powered by wind-energy. Its mozzarella cheese comes from cows untreated by growth hormones. The menu features produce purchased from nearby farms. The restaurant’s packaging is made mostly of recyclable or biodegradable material. Its menu is made from hemp paper, and hemp is an ingredient in several pizzas. Food waste from the restaurant is recycled at a pig farm.
71. Plastics
Harbec Plastics - Ontario, NY
This tool and mold maker has taken care to ensure that virtually every aspect of its operations are environmentally sustainable, using the ISO 14000 environmental management system as its guide. Using a wind turbine and other green technologies, owner Bob Bechtold generates much of the electricity the plant uses. He collects the heat the plant generates during manufacturing, saving on heating and cooling. And he relies on a fleet of electric and biodiesel-powered vehicles.
72. Plastic Containers
Eco-Products - Boulder, CO
After starting out as a distributor of environmentally friendly products, this company branched out into making its own, such as compostable fast-food containers derived from corn rather than petroleum.
PlastiPure - Austin, TX
Companies that want to use plastic products that don’t contain endocrine disruptors can turn to this eight-year-old startup as a supplier. It develops everything from baby bottles to cosmetic containers using safer formulations its scientists have developed.
73. Printing
Consolidated Printing - Chicago, IL
Recognized for its environmental efforts by the Governor of Illinois and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, this company, originally operated from the founder’s basement when it launched in 1973, has eliminated toxic chemicals from all of its operations
PrintingForLess.com - Livingston, MT
Founded in an old dairy creamery in 1999, this online printer has grown to the point that it will bring in a projected $30 million in sales this year. Now the biggest private employer in Montana, it moved in 2006 into an environmentally-friendly facility that uses paper from responsibly managed forests, making this option affordable to small companies that want to go green.
74. Public Relations
perkettPR - Marshfield, MA
This woman-run, “virtual” company keeps overhead low – and cars off the road – by letting all of its employees telecommute. It has won industry recognition for its work in serving entrepreneurial clients in fields ranging from speed dating to technology.
75. Ranches
Veseth Cattle Company - Malta, MT
Winner of an environmental stewardship award, this cattle farm is a leader in developing sustainable practices for its industry.
76. Real Estate
W&M Properties - Stamford, CT
The green real estate development has switched its fleet of more than 25 pickup trucks to hybrid Ford Escape cars. Recently, W&M completed the “green” renovation of the world headquarters of Pitney Bowes, a Fortune 500 company.
77. Resorts
Park City Mountain Resort - Park City, UT
Located in the heart of Utah’s ski country, this resort began offsetting all of the energy its seven ski and snowboard resorts purchase from the electric grid by investing in renewable energy credits. It is purchasing the credits from Renewable Choice Energy in Boulder, which promotes the use of wind and other renewable energy sources.
78. Restaurants
Green Restaurant Association - Boston, MA
A national non-profit organization, GRA helps all sectors of the restaurant industry, which represents 10% of the U.S. economy, to become more environmentally sustainable. It offers research, consulting, education, marketing and community organizing resources.
Founding Farmers - Washington, DC
This upscale casual restaurant serves farm-to-table American food in a LEED-certified building.
Java Shack - Arlington, VA
When Dale Roberts was mulling over how to give his independent coffee shop a distinctive flair in a crowded and very competitive market three years ago, he decided green was the way he should go. He began with relatively small steps, such as changing his paper cups to more biodegradable versions made from corn. He switched his incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescents. Today, the shop gets 100 percent of its energy from wind power and is recycling about 80 percent of its waste, compared with only about 20 percent before.
79. Ridesharing
NuRide - Essex, CT
This large online community rewards members for using alternative forms of transportation such as carpooling, vanpooling, biking, walking, telecommuting, or public transit.
80. Shipping
uShip - Austin, TX
Founded in 2001, this forward thinking business helps consumers find ways to ship large items such as furniture and appliances, for a fraction of the cost of conventional shipping, by enabling them to find shippers who are already heading in a certain direction and would like to travel with full loads. In doing so, it helps shippers maximize their resources.
81. Shoes
Great Green Shoes - Boston, MA
Eco fashionistas can find out about the latest eco-friendly and vegan shoes from this shopping blog.
82. Shopping Centers
HealthGoods - Manchester, NH
By providing healthy products from organic bedding to indoor gardening systems, this comprehensive online retailer has found opportunity in the green marketplace.
83. Solar Power
Nanosolar - Palo Alto, CA
This company has developed a proprietary process for making solar cells thinner and speeding their manufacture. EDF Renewables, said to be the world?s largest electric utility, invested $50 million into the 18-year-old company in a recent strategic partnership.
HelioVolt - Austin, TX
Led by B.J. Stanbery, a 30-year veteran of the solar industry, this company has helped speed the adoption of solar energy. It makes thin film used in the industry from Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS), an alternative to expensive silicon.
groSolar - White River Junction, VT
Founded by a husband and wife team of engineers, Jeff and Dori Wolfe, groSolar started out with small, off-the-grid solar projects in 1998. It gradually branched out into residential and commercial solar energy installations and became a photovoltaic distributor. Today it is involved in projects such as providing solar electricity technologies to affordable housing complexes in Connecticut and Massachusetts and bringing a solar hot-water system to the Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Park. After acquiring Energy Outfitters in 2006, it became one of the largest solar distributors in North America.
Konarka - Lowell, MS
Imagine window shades or awnings that produce electricity for offices and homes.
Those are some of the innovations of this startup, which develops products that convert light to energy – anywhere.
84. Sports Equipment
Oceanic Worldwide - San Leandro, CA
By consolidating its IT environment to improve efficiency and reduce the energy costs associated with running the technology, this small scuba supplier has underlined its commitment to going green. The company also works to raise awareness about the value and plight of coral and rocky reefs worldwide, and to encourage people to take action to help conserve reefs and associated ecosystems.
85. Summer Camps
Pine Forest Camps - Greely, PA
The owners of this third-generation family business have learned that it is never too late to go green. Motivated to reduce high energy costs at Pine Forest’s three children’s summer camps, Mickey Black, the founder’s grandson, turned to the Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP) at the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers. EMAP recommended a series of simple changes that Pine Forest Camps adopted, such as switching to energy-saving metal halide bulbs for outdoor lighting, replacing indoor incandescent bulbs with more efficient fluorescent ones and using a special blanket to keep pool water warm when no one is swimming. After saving $13,000 the first year, the camp is now considering a second series of recommendations from EMAP, such as opportunities to use solar- and wind-generated power.
86. Taxicabs
enviroCAB - Arlington, VA
An environmentally sustainable taxicab company, enviroCAB uses hybrid vehicles. It estimates that their emissions are 60% lower than those of standard cabs.
Discount Cab - Glendale, AZ
This cab company has invested in 20 Toyota Prius cabs and completed $1 million remodeling of its corporate headquarters to reduce its carbon footprint. The square footage was doubled without increasing utility bills, thanks to upgrades such as a new air conditioning system
87. Tea
Numi Organic Tea - Oakland, CA
This young organic tea maker experienced retail success quickly, earning a place on the shelves of Whole Foods.
88. Toys
North Star Toys - Questa, NM
Since 1979, this family business has been making quality, non-toxic wooden toys at affordable prices. It uses recycled materials whenever possible.
Maple Landmark, Inc. - Middlebury, VT
Creating wooden toys, games, and gifts aimed at helping children learn, this company adheres to high standards of environmental protection.
89. Trash Compactors
BigBelly Solar - Boston, MA
Created as a startup by entrepreneurship students at Babson College in 2003, this manufacturer of cordless, solar-powered trash compactors now has many clients. Its compactors, which self-generate all of the electricity they use, can be found everywhere from The Alamo in San Antonio to Walden Pond.
90. Travel
RezHub - Orlando, FL
Want to stay in a green hotel, rent a hybrid car or fly on an airline that participates in a carbon offsetting program? This site, equipped with a custom search, makes it easy for eco-conscious travelers to do so, offering a convenient online place to book environmentally-friendly options. It donates 20% of revenue from travel booked at the site to environmental organizations.
91. Trucks
Advanced Transit Dynamics, Inc. - South San Francisco, CA
This promising Silicon Valley startup, founded in 2006, develops, tests, and supplies fuel-efficiency technology to trucking fleets. By improving the aerodynamics of tractor-trailers, the company says its TrailerTail product – a patented rear-drag reduction device -- will save trucking companies fuel and money.
92. Truck Stops
IdleAire - Knoxville, TN
Long haul truck drivers often idle their trucks to heat or cool their cab during the federally-required 10 hours rest period for every 11 on the road, polluting the air. IdleAire allows drivers to shut off their engines by providing heating and cooling when the truck is at rest. Truckers simply need to install a $10 window adapter for the truck. IdleAire also provides electrical outlets and communication and entertainment options for the driver.
93. Vehicle Salvage
Salvage Direct - Titusville, PA
An online auction site, Salvage Direct makes it easier for auto insurances to sell salvage vehicles to licensed vehicle dismantlers. The company also provides salvage management services to the auto insurance industry.
94. Veterinarians
Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Care - Madison, WI
While serving its primary mission of helping animals, this facility promotes energy efficiency by leading through example. Its building is a LEED registered project.
95. Waste Management
Zia Engineering & Environmental Consultants - Las Cruces, NM
Zia works in association with iiná bá, a Native American-owned and managed environmental consulting firm located in Farmington, NM. The two minority-owned firms provide solid waste management technical support for ten federally recognized tribes located within the Colorado Plateau.
96. Water
Global Water Management, LLC - Phoenix, AZ
Reclaiming and reusing residential wastewater provides water for many residential and commercial uses without making additional demands on natural aquifers. It makes communities and the desert that surrounds them more livable. The company received the 2008 Award of Merit from the WateReuse Association.
AquaPoint, Inc. - New Bedford, MA
The custom designer of wastewater treatment systems has developed a portfolio of technologies that enable it to adapt to specific waste stream characteristics and demanding regulatory standards.
97. Water Filters
New Market Naturals - Fayetteville, AR
This small company sells moderately priced drinking and shower water filters to consumers. The replaceable cartridges used in its products keep them from ending up in landfills prematurely.
98. Weddings
Green Elegance Weddings - Woodinville, WA
This online resource helps couple plan environmentally and socially responsible weddings.
99. Wilderness Tourism
Great Alaska Adventure Lodge - Sterling, AK
Promoting environmentally sustainable economic growth while minimizing visitor impacts on wild lands, this company designs adventure travel trips for small groups.
100. Wine
Frey Vineyards, Organic and Biodynamic Wine - Redwood Valley, CA
This 25-year-old firm specializes in organic wines made with no sulfites added.
Sonoma Wine Company - Graton, CA
Named one or eight national winners of the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Award for 2007, this firm is realizing nearly a quarter million dollars in annual energy savings as a result of an integrated design process coordinated with its local utility, PG&E. The firm, founded in 2003, offers custom winemaking services to the wine industry.
Willamette Valley Vineyards - Turner, OR
Even the corks used by this wine maker are green. In 2007, announced that it is the first vineyard to use bottle stoppers from responsibly managed forests certified by the Rainforest Alliance to Forest Stewardship Standards. And in 2009 with cooperation of Whole Foods Markets, launched a sustainable cork recycling program, Cork ReHarvest. Those are not the company’s only green efforts. It provides up to 50 gallons of free biofuel per month to employees. Its tractors and delivery vehicles also run on biofuels.
101. Wind Power
Bluewater Wind - Hoboken, NJ
This developer of offshore wind farms is part of Arcadia Windpower, the family of companies behind Montana’s first onshore wind farm. Currently involved in bringing wind energy to Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island, this venture just signed what it describes as the first U.S. contract for the sale of offshore windpower. It has agreed to provide power from a wind farm off the coast of Rehoboth Beach in Delaware to Delmarva Power for 25 years.