Going Green May Mean Big Bucks

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Tonight (11/8/07), on CNBC’s “The Big Idea”, Donny Deustch interviewed individuals who are making millions by “going green”.

Going green, means making and selling products that are friendly to the environment. Some companies strive to recycle, while others are finding ways to eliminate the amount of garbage that goes into landfills.

The guests on tonight’s show, included the founders of:

gGDiapers This invention was developed to eliminate the amount of disposable diapers that end up in land fills. The gDiaper, uses plastics free, flushable liners. The outer layer of the diaper is washable, reusable, and available in a variety of colors. Very stylish!

Method - This is a line of biodegradable, non toxic, cleaning products. Not something new, however, the packaging of the product, makes this one stand out. What a great way to enjoy cleaning.

Josie Maran Cosmetics -This is a line of makeup, that is totally natural and/or organic. The packaging is glamorous, and even that is recyclable. Great job Josie!

Stonyfield Farms This company makes organic yogurts, smoothies, ice cream, and milk, for the whole family. They are against using products that contain rBST, and buy all of their milk products from local organic farmers. The circle is complete.

Recycline. Here’s a company that took recycling seriously. Their first product was a toothbrush make from recycled materials. They then added razors to the list, and now tableware. Happy brushing.

EcoHangers Here’s a company whose goal is to divert wire hangers from ending up in landfills. They have created a recyclable hanger, that shows advertising on it. The dry cleaning companies get them free (saving money), and the companies that advertise on the hangers, get mass exposure. Brilliant!

360 Vodka. This company is making vodka with a twist. Their vodka is bottled in a bottle that has been made from 85% recycled glass, their label is 100 percent recyclable, and they provide a prepaid stamped envelope in which to return the closure (from the top of the bottle). They then sanitize and reuse the closure. Their website even includes ways to “go green” and assists you in finding a recycling center in your area. Cheers!

TerraCycle Inc.- Here’s an ingenious idea. This company started out by “bottling” worm poop, and packaged it in recycled plastic bottles. This is a natural fertilizer for plants, The company has since branched out, and now sells other organic gardening products, as well as products made from recycled packaging materials. Check out their website, as they also offer money for used yogurt containers, drink pouches, soda bottles. Worm poop, who knew?

Finding a way to create a green product, isn’t necessarily hard. The goal is to create a niche, and do it better than others.

If you look around, you could find many ideas.

In an earlier article, titled: “Recycling May Slow Down Global Warming, I listed 17 products that are recyclable. If you were to divide those into “subclasses, the possibilities are endless.

For six years, I was involved in a wood recycling business. For a tutorial on wood recycling, read: “Wood Recycling – A Green Opportunity” . We let nothing go to waste. Waste wood was ground up, used as compost, and used in blended topsoil. Wood chips were used for biofuel, animal bedding, and ground cover.

Going green can make you big bucks. It’s a business adventure that is good for the environment, and one that may stave off global warming.

Take time to look around. Is there something you can do to create a green product? Do you have a “big idea”?

Going green means you will leave this planet a little better than you found it. That’s great for the current generation, but more importantly, for those who follow.