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.

Like it or not, we are a society dominated by corporate interests. Of the 100 largest economies, 51 are corporations; the other 49 are countries. Industry (and its lobbies) has an enormous sway on politics, public policy, the economy, our lives, and of course, the earth. As powerful forces in the world, companies are going to have to lead the shift to sustainability. Getting companies to do the right thing no matter what its effect on their bottom line is going to take a major paradigm shift. It’s time for change, and we certainly can’t count on the government to do anything very quickly, so we need business to lead the way.

As socially conscious business owners and ecopreneurs, we need to listen to Gandhi’s famous words and “be the change we wish to see in the world.” It’s time to take the reigns, define sustainability for our companies and boldly pursue it. We can set our own standards if we have to, and then go above and beyond them. We can bring ideas like true cost economics and the triple bottom line to the forefront of business thinking and practice. We can share sustainable ideas that have worked for us with other business owners. We can invest in making our businesses more sustainable and ethical, and we can find ways to make a living at the same time. We can support other sustainable businesses we believe in and purchase fair-trade, organic, sustainably made products. We can market our goods and services by telling the truth about being green, instead of greenwashing. We can run our businesses the way that all businesses should be run: with integrity, responsibility, human dignity, and sustainability.

We can change the world if only we believe that we can. And given the influence businesses have, it’s up to us to create this change. I’m not just talking about switching to recycled office paper, although that’s certainly a good start. The stakes are high and we need massive change to steer us on a path towards sustainability. We’ll have to rethink the way we do business, change minds, and transform society’s priorities. If anyone can pioneer this change, it’s those with entrepreneurial spirit and good hearts.

Calling all conscious ecopreneurs: the time for change is now. It starts with us. Let’s be the change.

Read more about sustainable business:

• Nobody’s Really Going Green – Most Companies Just Pay Lip Service on Ecopreneurist
• The Six Sins of Greenwash… and How to Repent on Sustainablog
• Good Eco Entrepreneurs Don’t Greenwash on Ecopreneurist

However, ecopreneurs go beyond organic, beyond compliance to laws and regulations (or redefine them), beyond consumerism, beyond minimum wages and beyond the free market economy to conduct business. Entrepreneurs become ecopreneurs when their spirit, boldness, courage and determination not only transform the landscape but coalescence into a movement to transform global problems into opportunities for restoration and healing. After talking with thousands of ecopreneurs over the past decade, we’ve discovered quite a few distinguishing characteristics reflected in the chart to the right. Additionally, ecopreneurs seem to be more focused on cooperation and collaboration than competition as the means to get ahead in the world. That’s why so many form innovative partnerships or creative interdependencies with fellow ecopreneurs — just as in nature.

The most progressive ecopreneurial enterprises address more than one of the many challenges facing us. Their business might foster fair trade relationships (promoting economic justice and equity), generate more energy from renewable energy sources than it uses (severing our addiction to fossil fuels) and even serve local, seasonal, vegetarian, and organic meals to those who work in the business.

Ecopreneurs take a penchant for innovation and problem-solving, applying it to meaningful purpose. Ecopreneurs emblazen the re-greening of Earth, restoring degraded land, cleaning the air, building healthy and safe homes, devising clean, renewable energy sources, offering prevention oriented alternatives to treatment focused healthcare and helping preserve or restore the ecological and cultural wonders of the planet by changing the way we experience travel, just to name a few. While entrepreneurs make their money work for them through the businesses they create, or assets they accumulate, ecopreneurs use their businesses to implement their Earth Mission. If you’re earning a living now, perhaps working for a company or organization, then becoming an ecopreneur will revolutionize how you think about money, your livelihood, your life.

While many entrepreneurs may be motivated, at least in part, to the mantra of “greed is great” on their journey to becoming a millionaire, growing numbers of ecopreneurs are adopting a different course, focusing on solving the problems facing society through the businesses they create, greening their bottom line. Many are redefining their wealth, as we have, not by the size of their bank account or square footage of their home. Wealth is defined by life’s tangibles: health, wellness, meaningful work, vibrant community life and family.

In the end, ecopreneurs are all about making a difference for the planet, fellow citizens, and our community. As we write about in ECOpreneuring, ecopreneurs generate revenues to run their business based on their passion to make the world a better place. Not, as the late Milton Friedman expounded: to make profits for a relatively few shareholders.

Recently I had a chance to chat with Susan Doris and Robbie Mahlman, co-founders of Robbie Adrian Luxury Organic baby blankets. Their company takes 100% organic, machine-washable baby blankets to a whole new level of gorgeous style and soft texture, and Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera are just a few of their celebrity customers. These forward-thinking entrepreneurs make sure every detail of their business is as green and sustainable as possible, and all their products completely made in the USA.

These women are also moms who are raising families and running an ethical business in a highly competitive field. They took a moment from their busy day to answer a few questions:

1. Your blankets are unique in that they combine organic, sustainable design with colorful style. Why do you think it’s taken so long for organic manufacturers to move beyond beige?

Traditionally organic products have been marketed to consumers very tuned to organic products and wanting the “natural” look and all the natural features. With more awareness about the environment recently, it has helped organic products to go more “mainstream.” Our reason for starting Robbie Adrian luxury organics is our conviction (as both moms and designers) that more traditional parents would buy organic if more color and style were added! Parents want natural products for their babies, but also want products that are cute and stylish — so Robbie Adrian blankets offer both.

2. Price is always a family concern. Besides your blankets (of course!) which items do you think parents should really invest in?

Well, our company is about providing parents choices and offering “baby steps” to being green. We encourage parents to become informed and make choices that are right for their family. Products that are closest to their baby, especially to infants, such as blankets, cribs, mattresses should perhaps get the most scrutiny, which would also include shampoos, lotions etc. It’s sometimes not possible to go natural everywhere, and that’s okay — every little step a parent makes toward healthier products for their baby and planet is a good thing!

3. Many of us are slowly incorporating eco-friendly and sustainable products and habits into our family’s lives. What are the most recent switches you’ve made in your respective households?

Susan Doris: It’s amazing the things we have learned working with organic products - it has made a big change in some of our own habits! My husband just bought a Toyota Hybrid, and because of my research about other blanket fibers, polyester and conventional cotton, we have tried not to purchase so much of those fibers for our family, as they are so hard on the environment. I also won’t let my kids heat up food in plastic baggies or bowls any more! I also learned that Teflon is a product that stays around forever, and has been recommended to the EPA to be upgraded to a “likely” human carcinogen - so as much as I hate scrubbing scrambled eggs off a non stick pan - I’m trying!!

Robbie Mahlman: My husband and I purchased terrapasses for our vehicles to offset the carbon use on both. Also we purchased cloth towels to diminish paper towel use, no longer use insecticides in our yard, and use natural methods rather than broad spectrum spraying. We purchased a front loader washer and dryer, we try to purchase organic produce and milk whenever possible, we use canvas bags when we go to store, or we “just say no” to bags whenever possible, and carry in what we can. We no longer purchase water in individual water bottles, and we also walk to school! We figure every little bit helps!

For a detailed GreenOptions review of Robbie Adrian Luxury Organic blankets, check out Jennifer Lance’s great post here. For more Robbie Adrian blanket styles, colors, and details, visit robbieadrian.com.

And yet, there may be times that nothing’s coming to you. You’re either stuck for a new idea, or having doubts about or missing pieces to what you’re currently working on. In steps Springwise. Springwise is hub for people to share ideas, and is smartly designed for rapid skimming, by category, keyword, and country.

Now, you may say, what’s new about this? There are lots of business and entrepreneurial blogs and publications out there. Fair enough. Amsterdam based Springwise puts it well when they say,

Springwise scans the globe for the most promising business ventures, ideas and concepts that are ready for regional or international adaptation, expansion, partnering, investments or cooperation. We ferociously track more than 400 global offline and online business resources, as well as taking to the streets of world cities, digital cameras at hand.

They also enlist the eyes and minds of an additional 8000 Springspotters in 70 countries to keep an on the ground perspective on what’s going on.

What does this look like?

One idea that stuck out to me is the MyHab. In the UK, where music festivals and rain are both abundant, they have created temporary shelter that is durable, waterproof, raised, and recyclable. Rather then have to lug, set up, break down, clean (or perhaps throw away) a tent for the festival, you reserve one, similar to a hotel, and can have them visually customized.

Then when you’re done, you leave, nothing more to do, while MyHab breaks them down and recycles them. Now it might be said why don’t they reuse them, but still, this is a step ahead towards reducing waste and increasing the quality of experience  for festival goers. Or you might say “Hmm, I have an idea to improve upon this service. I’ll do it myself, modifying it for the US. Or help consult with MyHab to further strengthen their offer.”

The ideas here, no matter the category, seem skewed towards the sustainable and the social ventures. But there are others that are nonetheless intriguing, like the pedestrian curtain. Perhaps impractical, but definitely food for thought.

Readers: Where are some of your favorite sources of inspiration for ideas? What are some interesting ideas you’ve seen lately? Please comment below.

Additional resources:

Idea Blob: An Infectious Way To Fund Your Green Business

Green Dreams: Inspiration From Green Design Businesses

How To Approach A Venture Capital Firm With Your Eco Business

Do yourself a favor, and go watch the introductory video on the new KivaB4B site, which makes the most clear, compelling connection between entrepreneurs like yourself, and people in the countries that microfinance serves. It shows, side by side, the similar needs and activities we all have as entrepreneurs — a little boost, a bit of advice, and a lot of encouragement and community.

In a powerful synergy, Kiva, one of the top players in this realm, has partnered with Advanta, a credit issuer that is highly supportive of small businesses, to create KivaB4B. It’s simple really: You as a business owner put money towards someone via Kiva, and Advanta matches it, dollar for dollar, up to $200 a month. This may sound small, but think about it this way: If only 1% of Advanta’s 1.3 million customers put even $50 towards this, that would mean $1.3 million going to these people. Dollars that go a lot farther then they do here, making for a potentially significant positive impact for people just like yourself, really.

You were once (or perhaps you still are) getting started in business, and for many of you, there was some break, some nudge, some sign that you were going to go further than just an idea, just another company failing after a year. KivaB4B now provides you with a simple, no maintenance way to do the same, for the person of your choice, at as little or as much money as you care to put towards this. Not all corporate social responsibility efforts need to be grandiose. Sometimes it’s the smallest of gestures that can have the greatest of impact. And satisfaction.

To see specific examples of who’s giving and who’s receiving, go the the KivaB4B website, and click the Who’s Giving link. You may just recognize yourself in these people. To learn more about KivaB4B, and other happenings in the world of microfinance (or to write about it yourself!) KivaB4B has a community blog here.

Readers: What sort of businesses would you like to support through microfinance? What are some other examples of microfinance and social enterprise development you’ve seen and admire? What are some other models of creating economic and social vitality that exist or your propose?

Additional resources:

Kiva.org - Loans That Change Lives

Another Eco Child’s Play Kiva Loan

Alternative Gifting = Lending and Microloans

Idea Blob: An Infectious Way To Fund Your Green Business

Image courtesy KivaB4B.org

As an example of the types of programs available, consider UC Davis’s Green Technology Entrepreneurship Academy (GTEA), which provides a free week-long intensive for science and engineering researchers. Yes, I did say free, and it’s held at Lake Tahoe, Nevada in July—a very nice plus.

According to UC Davis Center for Entrepreneurship Assistant Director, Nicole Starsinic, the GTEA combines classroom learning with a team project, which pairs scientists with business school students and professionals. A number of venture capital firms, law firms, and other professionals, which are listed in the Academy’s schedule, devote time in the hope of discovering the cleantech Google.

Apply: If you are interested or know someone who would be a good candidate for the GTEA, please note that applications are due May 2, 2008.

Up and Coming Green Tech Companies

Two of interesting companies that are emerging from last year’s GTAE show the range or projects that are appropriate for the Academy. MIT doctoral student Jon Mapel has developed a high-efficiency, low-cost solar electrical concentrator that uses 300 times fewer solar cells than conventional methods. In the Center for Entrepreneurship’s latest newsletter (out today), Mapel says he will soon follow up with the venture capitalists and angel investors he met at GTEA last summer. Another participant who started a business with his GTEA experience is UC Davis doctoral student Peter Tittman whose company, Forest Eye, will help forestland managers meet financial and environmental goals by conducting carbon, timber and biomass inventory using an aerial laser scanning technology.

Programs for Green Entrepreneurs at Other Universities

Many universities have business plan competitions that are open to non-students. Some competitions have cash prizes, and some startups get angel or VC funding right out of these competitions.

We’d love to hear your stories if you have participated in any of university or foundation-sponsored programs or competitions for entrepreneurs.

Photo of Lake Tahoe from Wiki Commons.

Image source: http://timblair.net | Lights out for Sydney, Australia 2007

An http://greenprinteronline.com dispatch. 

Earth Hour is tonight, March 29th from 8 to 9 pm. The idea is to turn off the lights as a symbolic gesture that us citizens, business owners, uber-corporations (hello, Google’s black screen, hello McDonalds in Toronto saving 10 000 kilowatt hours) local governments and non-profit groups are taking climate change seriously.

Despite gripes that Earth Hour falls on the NCAA basketball regional, it’s lights out for over 23 major cities worldwide like Toronto and Bangkok.

Globally, landmarks like Sydney Opera House, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco’s Alcatraz prison and Chicago’s Sears Tower are also included in the event.

It’s been dubbed a WWF led “spread of soft fascism” and “a new-age, tooth-fairy delusion” by global warming skeptics (wow, they still exist?) and it has four million strong Facebook group following.

Whatever the goal behind WWF’s Earth Hour, it’s a positive message spurring many unexpected and inspiring actions like the {4 One Earth I Will} initiative in Vancouver, where local residents make a visual pledge to take action on climate change.

What’s more interesting than the beaten “soft fascism” idea is that with climate change becoming the new religion, Earth Hour has all reminisces of a vigil - a “ritual devotion observed on the eve of a holy day”.

For citizen groups, businesses, governments and your neighbors, it’s more than just sitting in the dark, it sends a message that “yes we take climate change seriously”.

So, keeping in line with the theme of buying local to reduce emissions, us Vancouverites at Green Printer want to give kudos to local businesses for flicking off, including:

1. Telus

2. BC Hydro

3. Small Energy Group - tracking the energy usage

4. Raincity Grill

5. Better Business Bureau of Vancouver Island

6. Jawl Properties Ltd.

7. Orion Homes Ltd.

8. Morguard Investments Ltd

And, it’s not just business, its entire communities too, who are taking action.

The 170 residents in the northern B.C., Canada town of Hartley Bay are taking Earth Hour’s mandate a step further and turning off their power generator for the hour. “No heat. Not lights. No nothing,” said Hartley Bay Coun. Cameron Hill, a member of the Gitga’at First Nation.

Save trees, time and money the climate friendly way with our recycled paper, sustainable printing methods and eco-calculator with Green Printer - more details at http://greenprinteronline.com. Now, wasn’t that easy?

Image source | www.jiinjoo.com

An http://greenprinteronline.com dispatch.
When asked: how “green” are you, the brains behind accounting, IT and architectural firms who, kudos to them – both the closet greens or eco-warriors who proudly bear their eco-badge on their sleeve – jump up to say that they are helping their clients drive sustainability solutions.

Even lawyers are realizing their impact on their environment. No seriously, lawyers are sharp enough to know that using all that virgin paper cannot be good to the environment.

But when it comes to driving internal sustainability initiatives? Many still respond by: “we recycle”. Period.

A challenge? Entrepreneurs and businesses see opportunity to market and sell to the hot, relatively economically resistant and (not so new) marketing target market: the professional services market.

I say “not so new” because it relates to green business to business marketing.

But, the fact is, getting all professional partners to agree to a sustainability policy – let along all those brilliant minds in one room – is no easy task.

For other emerging trends about marketing to consumers and companies buying into the sustainability lifestyle, David B. Bohl makes a very interesting case for tracking trends in the luxury travel industry. Bohl suggests that trends that may start out in the luxury market have a habit of making their way into other demographic markets as well.

“Like luxury travelers, other consumers realize that not only is time money, but money is time. And we’re willing to spend our money on time.”

The opportunities
1. Make your pitch.
Happier and more productive employees. Willard, author of The NEXT Sustainability Wave: Building Boardroom Buy-In estimated that productively – which went up 10.50% amongst companies that adopted sustainability practices – is the biggest financial benefit of “going green” and ultimately creating a more socially vibrant workplace (think: the three “pillars” of sustainability).

2. Then, it’s about values.
“People want to work for companies that have strong values and care about sustainability,” says Madeline Turnock, vice president of Hill & Knowlton, a public-relations consultancy in Portland, Oregon.

3. Win through showing simple actions, never words.
It can start with something as simple as paper and move towards energy use, carpooling and retrofitting.

Paper
Forest Ethics estimated that largely due to deforestation, junk mail manufacturing creates as much greenhouse gas emissions annually as 3.7 million cars. Corporations and SMEs, I’m betting, are getting their fair share of junk mail every day. So, the EcoEco tireless creatives behind the Red Dot Campaign point us in the right direction and we at Green Printer use recycled paper exclusively (with the funky Eco-Calculator, of course) and print with dry offset printing - the eco-friendly choice.

Carpooling
Make it fun – sign up the dry humoured Accountant and mile-a-minue Marketing Manager in a car. You can also go more organized and still be green(er) with potentially less conflict by signing on to Car Share or Zip Cars.

Retrofitting, insulation, smart energy controls and more
Home ideas fit for the office – and WWF’s the Good Life measures it in terms of actual kilograms per year of greenhouse gases reduced.

Environmental action teams
Action teams that are actually fun to be a part of (think: setting up a cool “water cooler” spot where staff can have fun raiding the company’s locally sourced and healthy “junk food” rack), letter writing parties to get green laws legislated and even “change through challenge” as pointed out by Marilyn Gardner of the Christian Science Monitor on the always sharp Vancouver Green Business Journal.

Worth quoting in the article is Patricia Bjerrisgaard, a senior director at Business Objects, a software firm in Vancouver, British Columbia, who suggests that people also want to work for companies that ask for their green ideas.

“Anytime employees make a suggestion and vote on it, and the company acts on it, that’s really powerful in terms of building pride in the workplace”.

We’re in.

Back then, my connection to my work ended at the end of my 3.5 inch business card. No purpose, no passion, no desire to do anything other than fill a job description someone else gave me and pay my mounting credit card bills.

Flash forward to today, as I say hello from my 5.5 acre organic Wisconsin farmstead and bed & breakfast Inn Serendipity. Passion for the diversified entrepreneurial “hats” I now wear long ago replaced my former grindstone approach to a job. I truly love what I do, from writing to innkeeping to consulting on various green projects, and that passion keeps me fueled into the night, long after my am caffeine buzz wears thin.

For me, finding purpose in my work paralleled finding a sense of place. Living and working where I can see stars and silos, I found my creativity started to bloom. As I planted zucchini and found 100 post-consumer waste paper options, I realized we can create businesses that enhance — rather than exploit — the earth. As I left that staid job description that fit on a business card and entered the world of self-employment, I discovered I actually possessed an entrepreneurial soul — despite my former cookie-cutter corporate career path. And as I juggle a daily schedule of writing deadlines, B&B guests, farm duties, homeschooling our young son and an array of other fulfilling endeavors, I realized you can have it all and do good for the planet — if you call your own shots.

As my husband, John Ivanko, and I write about in our book Rural Renaissance and our forthcoming book ECOpreneuring: Putting Purpose and the Planet Before Profits, find the joy in the journey of continually learning, innovating, evolving and creating. Ideas bloom, doors open mentors appear if you follow your heart. I look forward to sharing my ecopreneuring experiences with you on this Ecopreneurist site. Where are you on your journey right now? Still needing to escape on a Friday night — or working with purpose?