Top 7 Sustainability Business Ideas That Realistically Generate Profits
Ecofriendly businesses must be profitable or perish
NASA says that July 2023 was the hottest month on record ever since 1880. Climate change is a real thing despite the hordes of deniers spreading false information. Sustainability is the need of the hour. But we would be unwise to think that sustainability can sustain itself unless backed by profits.
I am listing seven sustainability business ideas below. They are very much doable. But remember, the entrepreneurial game requires hard work and dedication. And sustainability ventures in particular require an additional level of accountability.
I asked PPC’s CEO Andy Burde what is the number one thing that has helped his company stay in business for so many years. His response:
Run as lean as possible.
Indeed it is important for business owners to focus on generating as much value for the customer while using minimum resources. If you keep a check on unnecessary expenses, profitability is a natural by-product.
Sustainability Business Idea 1: Eco-friendly packaging:
Packaging is one of the biggest sources of plastic pollution. It’s obvious. Just glance at the products at your home. Chances are, a few too many of them are wrapped in plastic.
Plastic has emerged as a necessary evil over the decades. But did you know that the sustainable packaging market size is over a hundred billion dollars? Big problem equals big opportunity.
Case study: The Mend
The Mend Packaging is an eco-friendly packaging company in India founded by Priyanka Jhaveri, Rhishika Reddy and Rhea Kothari. They provide a range of packaging products such as boxes, bags, mailers, accessories, adhesives, void fills and stationery.
Business model:
The Mend’s clientele companies span different industries such as apparel, home goods, cosmetics, technology and more. All sustainable packaging options are custom-made for each brand. They use recycled, recyclable or biodegradable materials. The Mend’s vendors are required to sign a supplier code of conduct and have clearances from the pollution board. The Mend is an ISO 14001 company, which underscores the commitment of its women founders to environmental responsibility.
Sustainability Business Idea 2: Recycling Business
We feel uneasy when we see towering trash hills that spawl hundreds of acres. They are intimidating because they are a disturbing reflection of humanity’s impact on the planet. But a few visionary minds perceive trash hills as gold mines. Literally so. You may have heard of the term ‘urban mining’ — the process of recovering rare metals from waste. Considering the dearth of good recycling facilities, trash is an underexploited opportunity ripe for the taking.
Case study: Attero
Founded in 2007, Attero is a NASA-recognized technology innovator and India’s largest electronic asset management company. They see an opportunity to convert unwanted waste into a wellspring of sustainable resources for the future. The company is focused on ‘rethinking, redesigning, restoring and reusing’ end-of-life electronics and lithium batteries in an eco-friendly manner.
Business model:
Attero collects e-waste and Li-ion batteries to extract precious non-ferrous and rare earth metals using their patented technology (extraction efficiency 98%). Backed by a total funding of over USD 28 million, it has a three-phased strategy for waste collection– I) faulty electronics from original equipment manufacturers, II) replenished IT equipment from large companies and III) everyday consumers.
Sustainability Business Idea 3: Sell plants!
Biophilia is the concept that humans are innately drawn to nature, on account of how we as a species evolved in the forests of Africa. Being surrounded by plants has a positive influence on our mental health. Greener offices have better employee performance. Neighborhoods with lots of plants do not suffer from the Urban Heat Island effect — saving energy otherwise wasted in cooling buildings.
Case Study: PPC International
Headquartered in Irvine, California, PPC International is a plant distribution business that services plant brands across the USA. All of PPC’s products and services are centered around plants.
Business model:
PPC sells plant products online and through brick-and-mortar. They create brands and product collections using different sales channels. Their buyers include startups and large corporations who understand the importance of environment-friendly workplaces. A focus on lean operations allows them to quickly adapt to market trends. PPC also offers dropshipping services and takes care of logistics to help clients grow their businesses. PPC owns a number of brands.
Sustainability Business Idea 4: Sustainability Consultant
Many businesses have no clue how to make their operations more sustainable. As environmental laws become more stringent, these companies seek adept individuals who can help them fix holes in their systems that adversely impact the environment, as well as uncover hidden avenues for positive change and ensure the long-term survival of the enterprise.
Case study: UGREEN
Ugreen is a Brazil-based company that provides sustainability consultancy services in multiple countries. Their mission is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainability.
Business model:
They offer services ranging from efficiency audits to sustainability strategy development to product life cycle assessment. UGREEN also provides courses and certifications to people who aspire to learn sustainability. The company has announced the beta version of an AI called S. A. M. I. that would guide professionals and companies in their sustainability goals.
Sustainability Business Idea 5: Biomimic
The natural world has all the answers to our woes. Most people perceive nature as random greenery — in reality, it is the oldest and largest library in existence, containing the solutions to humankind’s problems. Possessing over 3.8 million of data and experience, nature has thrived without cluttering the earth with trash. Have you ever wondered why the roads you drive your car on are not piled with dead dinosaur bodies?
I have written a very detailed white paper on the subject of biomimicry that you can read here.
Case study: Biomimicry 3.8
Biomimicry 3.8 helps companies incorporate inspiration from nature into their designs. Co-founded by none other than Janine Benyus (who ignited interest in biomimicry with her groundbreaking book “Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature” in the late 1990s). It is the world’s leading bioinspired consultancy.
Business model:
Biomimicry 3.8 is committed to a regenerative future and its services reflect this. It primarily provides consulting, training and speaking services. Their consultation staff consists of biologists, chemists, business leaders and designers. Biomimicry 3.8 has worked with over 250 companies in 25 industries with clients like Nike, Kohler, P&G and more.
Sustainability Business Idea 6: Become a landscape architect
Urban landscapes are notorious for having adverse effects on the environment. Lack of greenery, waste generation, ecological fragmentation, poor soil health, impervious surfaces that lead to flooding, poorly designed energy-consuming buildings that cause heat island effect and bring down life quality… the list goes on.
You can bring a revolution by becoming a landscape architect. You can restore the environment without requiring people to compromise on the ‘modern lifestyle.’ A landscape architect can design climate-resilient spaces that contribute to a healthier society. You can even tackle food generation problems.
Case study: Landprocess
Landprocess is a Bangkok-based architectural design firm founded in 2011 by famed landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom. They have completed some remarkable projects like the Thammasat University Rooftop Farm and Chao Phraya Sky Park among others.
Business model:
Landprocess provides three main services — landscape architecture, master planning and urban planning. It is focused on creating carbon-sequestering landscapes like green roofs, water-efficient design (particularly needed because of the flooding problem in Bangkok) and urban forests.
You can read my case study on the Thammasat University Rooftop Farm here.
Sustainability Business Idea 7: Develop green software/platform
These are greener alternatives to preexisting software/platforms. If you can develop a carbon-negative product without compromising on performance, it would be a hot sell, especially among environmentally conscious demographics.
Case study: Ecosend
Ecosend is an email marketing platform similar to Mailchimp… except Ecosend is carbon-negative. It has all the robust features of competitors but comes with the added benefit that it is focused on healing the environment.
Business model:
Ecosend comes with a monthly starter plan of $49 for 5000 contacts and a 7-day free trial. They claim to offset more carbon than they produce. How is this possible? They run on renewable energy and plant trees on behalf of their users. They have partnered with Treeapp to automate the tree planting process and to better assure the long-term survival of the trees. Customers can view details of the species planted as well as the location of the trees, adding more transparency to the sustainability efforts.
I wrote an in-depth article on Ecosend that you can read here
Are you a green entrepreneur with a successful business? Would love to interview you! It’s important that Earth allies should collaborate. Please choose a date here
References:
The Mend Packaging Company Profile, information, investors, valuation and funding. (n.d.). YourStory.com. https://yourstory.com/companies/the-mend-packaging
Jacob, S. (2013, October 20). For Attero, even waste glitters. www.business-standard.com. https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/for-attero-even-waste-glitters-113102100006_1.html
Attero Crunchbase profile. (n.d.). Crunchbase. https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/attero-recycling
NASA clocks July 2023 as hottest month on record ever since 1880. (2023, August 14). Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet. https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3279/nasa-clocks-july-2023-as-hottest-month-on-record-ever-since-1880/
