Let’s face it: In this day and age, businesses are no longer able to play the “ignorance is bliss” card when it comes to the topic of climate change. Over the past decade, many have stepped up their green game, recognizing that environmental responsibility is more than just a hot trend—it’s here to stay. This week’s blog post will dig deep to discover how three businesses have set impressive eco-friendly examples for us all, incorporating the value of nature into their business strategies.
With luck, you’ll be inspired and learn a trick or two along the way to help reduce your small business’s carbon footprint.
1. Ecosia Is Planting Trees in Brazil
Berlin-based Internet startup Ecosia launched a search engine in 2009 with a simple yet effective concept—search with Ecosia and help plant one tree in Brazil every 26 seconds. In a short space of time, they’ve made their environmental mark on the earth. Now receiving 15M searches per month, Ecosia have taken on the big guns of the tech world, donating 80% of revenue generated directly to rainforest protection projects.
To date, their total contribution to the environment is $2,333,305, but the hard work isn’t stopping there. By 2015, Ecosia’s aim is to plant one million new trees in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest through their partnership with U.S. environmental charity organization The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Ecosia have proved to be effective when it comes to combining a successful business and sustainable initiatives, so let’s watch this space to see what they’ll impress us with next.
Lesson 1: It can pay to prioritize positive impact over profit. Take a leaf out of Ecosia’s book; believe in your business’s environmental potential and do your bit to save the rainforest. Don’t be afraid to start small—after all, Rome wasn’t built in a day .
2. Coca Cola Is Investing in Sustainable Water
Coca Cola may have a timid past when it comes to green contributions, but in recent years they’ve expanded their environmental efforts—proving to provide a can with a green plan!
In the effort to reverse their H2O usage, Coca Cola have invested in the creation of a sustainable water business, aiming to return to communities the water used to produce their drinks. Through the launch of the EKOCENTER kiosk, Coca Cola are helping to provide a clean drinking water system in some of the poorest countries in the world. Want to learn more about other cool carbon reduction projects that Coca Cola are getting involved in? You can check them out here.
Lesson 2: By investing in the planet, Coca Cola is investing in their own future too. Waste not, want not—use vital resources carefully so they’re not lost forever! Volunteer your business for the things you consider to be important. Remember the world is your oyster and regardless of your business’s size, you can make a significant impact.
3. Patagonia Makes Planet-Friendly Clothing (and Saves Rainforests Too)
Outdoor clothing manufacturer Patagonia have raised the eco-friendly stakes with a healthy planet business ethos. Three-quarters of their materials are either recycled, organic or environmentally friendly, so customers can shop to their hearts’ content without a guilty conscience.
If you love the feel-good factor of shopping with a responsible retailer, then you’ll love Patagonia. Earlier this month, they celebrated an environmental victory in Chile following an eight-year campaign to protect Chilean Patagonia from the destructive HidroAysén dam project, which would have devastated rare forest ecosystems and agriculture.
And Patagonia aren’t stopping there—they’ve taken a serious stance to encourage customers to follow in their footsteps and adopt an environmentally friendly lifestyle. Keeping transparency in mind every step of the way, Patagonia have introduced Footprint Chronicles to report and share corporate practices, products and supply chains with the public. It’s no wonder they’ve earned themselves such a respectable business reputation. Great work Patagonia—your public is proud!
Lesson 3: Keep your customers updated and engaged when it come to your business’s environmental initiatives. People feel empowered when they know what they’re actually buying. As an added bonus, you can utilize your green efforts as a promotional tool to increase your business’s positive press.
So there you have it—three eco-friendly examples of businesses working to tackle environmental problems with real actions and benefitting their businesses in the process. Hopefully, you’re feeling inspired and ready to start putting your carbon reduction measures in place. Here are some practical tips to help you implement your green business and make Planet Earth proud!
Got a story about your business’s green activities? Tell us in the comments below!