- [Narrator] Ninety three percent Of customers now expect
the brands they use to support environmental issues.
These eco-friendly sustainable business ideas
are based on the five sectors,
contributing the most to climate change:
industry and manufacturing, transportation,
commercial and residential emissions,
agriculture and electricity and heat production.
Upcycled furniture.
Up-cycling, recycling in a way that creates an end product
of higher value than the original source
has increased dramatically since
the great recession of 2008.
An important aspect of creating a circular economy
is understanding the concept that waste does not exist.
All material can be transformed
into something useful and beautiful.
Furniture can be both those things.
In the U.S. alone,
increasing demand results
in over 12.2 million tons of furnishings produced annually,
while 9.8 million tons of used furniture go straight
to landfills as reported by the EPA.
There's ample opportunity to both profit
and do the planet some good,
bringing value to what would otherwise be discarded.
You'll need a workshop space, tools,
and safety gear to get started.
Partner up with waste collection services and thrift stores
in order to find good upcycling candidates.
Rather than buy a storefront to sell your wares,
you can reduce your overhead by renting
a vendor stall at an antique mall.
Online marketplaces will broaden
your pool of buyers for free.
But consider the shipping costs and logistics
if you want to deliver outside of your area.
Design your business around
either creating affordable upcycled furniture
that's accessible to all
or selling them as higher end pieces
for particular clientele.
Your production volume and target customer
will help you find the right balance of effort,
time, and money that goes into running this business.
Expand by not only upcycling furniture,
but other materials as well.
Since 21 billion pounds of textiles
are thrown into landfills each year,
many unique products can be made from textiles alone.
Electric vehicle conversion.
Oil and gas production are the culprits behind
the largest man-made source of methane,
which is the second biggest driver of global warming.
The transportation sector, specifically,
accounts for 20% of greenhouse gas emissions.
Electric vehicles can spare the Earth's precious resources.
Those handy with cars and technology
can aim to be a unique driver of social
and environmental change.
Converting gas guzzling cars into electric vehicles,
consumer reports found that 63% of car buyers in the U.S.
are interested in getting an electric vehicle.
Yet some of those people aren't buying this kind of vehicle
as soon as they want,
which may signal that they need more options.
People can get the car of their dreams sooner
and for less money if they convert their old car
into an electric vehicle.
Though many aren't aware that this is even a possibility.
Electric vehicle conversion shops are a great idea
if you already own an automotive repair company.
If you don't, you'll need a workshop space, tools,
and some stock of necessary parts.
Build a relationship with a business
that sells conversion kits to auto wholesale.
As you develop your skills and processes,
you can even create your own conversion kits.
To stand out and increase your value,
a conversion business can travel directly
to your customer's driveway
with the help of a workshop on wheels.
The skills developed from this line of work
are easily transferable to other technologies,
like green home retrofits,
electric generator installation,
and solar panel installation.
You can even use your sustainable mindset to renovate buses
into tiny houses for people to call home.
Eco-friendly bed and breakfast.
The average hotel uses 672,000 kilowatt hours of energy
and 2,352,000 cubic feet of natural gas per year.
Running an eco-friendly bed and breakfast
would not only appeal to people
who appreciate sustainability,
but would make a positive impact on the environment.
Thankfully, individuals and businesses
are turning a new leaf with sustainable practices.
Almost 25% of Americans believe it's important
to make eco-friendly choices when deciding on a hotel.
While big hotel chains like the Marriott In.
are utilizing methods to reduce their water
and resource usage,
transforming a bed and breakfast
into an eco-friendly destination is much simpler,
since they use less resources in the first place compared
to big hotels.
To start, you need a property that can be rented out
from a multistorey in to a small out building
on your property.
On your booking webpages and around your B&B,
promote and display what efforts you're taking,
such as using solar power,
growing your own food, or carbon offsetting.
States and cities usually require permits and licenses
in order to accept paying guests.
some states even have green certifications
you can apply for.
Level up by adding an eco-friendly spot
to your guest's green experience.
Recycle rainwater,
use soaps free from artificial sense and colors,
and use sustainable products with minimal packaging.
If your B&B is a success, expand to more locations.
Consider retrofitting the energy inefficient buildings
in your town.
Algae farming.
The Earth's oceans are host to possibly
the most underrated natural resource.
Algae could be a solution to the many challenges
we face today;
a source of carbon neutral fuel, feed for agriculture,
and aquaculture industries, and even food for humans.
Emissions from agricultural production currently account
for 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions
and have risen 14% since 2000.
Algae is carbon and nitrogen fixing,
meaning that not only can it replace polluting industries,
but it can reverse them.
Algae grow 10 times faster than terrestrial plants,
and less than a tenth of the land is required
to produce the same amount of produce.
With the growing demand for alternatives to animal products,
algae can supplement our diets with protein,
omega-3, antioxidants, and more.
The algae products market is predicted
to be worth $4.3 billion by 2027,
growing at a rate of 7.8% each year.
This is a simple business to start in terms of resources.
You'll need access to water to gather algae,
or you'll need space to build something in which to farm it.
To profit from this aquatic plant,
you'll either need to develop your own products
or build some business-to-business connections
with sustainability seeking companies.
Algae can be used in many forms,
including unique snacks,
beauty products like lotions and serums,
materials such as fabric and paper, health supplements,
and so much more.
If you plan on your algae being used for food products,
be sure to get licensed properly in your area.
Health and beauty products generally have less oversight,
so keep this in mind.
With determination and ingenuity,
this business idea is nearly limitless.
Sustainable construction.
Concrete is convenient for mass construction.
Ranking is the second most consumed substance in the world;
surpassed only by water.
However, its role in environmental pollution
is too big to ignore.
To reference the Dutch environmental agency,
"If the cement industry were a country,
it would be the third largest carbon dioxide emitter
in the world,
surpassed only by China and the U.S."
In 2015, 4.1 billion tons of concrete
were produced globally,
which also created 2.8 billion tons of CO2.
Fortunately, green construction
is officially a global trend.
People all over the world are using sustainable materials
in order to reduce waste and pollution.
When oil prices went up in the '70s,
scientists were motivated
to research renewable energy sources.
This led to the earliest experiments
with contemporary green building,
but the field really blossomed in the '90s.
Driven by a flood of government initiatives,
in 1992, Energy Star was created.
Since then client demands have pushed the development
of green building activity.
Sustainable construction materials
can be made from accessible materials,
such as ground up trash and recycled plastics
that would otherwise go to a landfill.
More new materials are being researched
to replace concrete as well.
Ferrock, timbercrete, and bio bricks
are only a sample of the options available nowadays.
Use these materials in your construction
or renovation practice.
If you have an idea for another sustainable material,
start experimenting.
Recycle, produce, and then sell materials
to construction companies.
For those who can't develop
or use these products personally,
sustainability consulting is a lucrative option
which educates existing construction companies.
With so many ways to participate,
this industry welcomes all types of entrepreneurs.
This list is just the tip of the iceberg.
Small businesses are the lifeblood of every community.
We want you to be passionate and prepared
for a lifetime of entrepreneurship.
If you're looking for more inspiration,
we made some free tools to generate ideas,
find a name, and form your business.
Find free resources and guides at truic.com.
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