There are a significant amount of resources currently available which were not available in the past, because of the internet. This is especially true for entrepreneurs who are interested in eco-friendly business opportunities. There are a number of websites that provide good sources for promoting environmentally friendly opportunities, like www.greenoppotrunities.org and www.environmentalleader.com and there are also articles from all over the world about certain environmental needs and ideas. The increase in social networking websites, like Facebook and Twitter, also allow for the ability to do fairly inexpensive industry and market research. There are also many books and magazines, which can be found in any bookstore, that focus on the opportunities available to green business owners and the unexplored industries that have room to be more environmentally friendly.

Using waste products to produce other saleable items offers a viable resource not thought of in the past. There are many waste products that can be recycled such as plastics, paper and cardboards as well as animal waste that can provide other products or can be used for energy production. Although we have found ways to recycle many of these products, there are many items that are taken directly to a landfill. The increased cost of fuel and energy, paired with the rising cost of disposal and a decrease in the land available for landfills, there are a large number of opportunities for creativity and innovation. Services that can find ways to recycle these products or manufacturing facilities that find ways to use these products will have a definite advantage over their competitors. These untouched waste products are the perfect opportunity for entrepreneurs who want to find a new industry or market to start their business.

Although there is much competition over almost all markets of the world, consumers show a definite preference for environmentally friendly businesses. The majority of todays consumers prefer to buy products that are eco-friendly, which creates a climate with a demand for eco-friendly businesses. Current statistics state that fifty percent of consumers imagined the green store would be more comfortable to shop at than the non-green alternative stores. The trend also includes consumers as employees wanting to benefit from the eco-friendly environment and the job security that these new business offer. Eighty one percent of employees in the United States would prefer working for a company that “has a good reputation for environmental responsibility.” This research depicts an atmosphere supported by a great number of consumers and employees, which is the healthiest possible condition for environmental businesses to quickly prosper and maintain success.

Consumers interest to be environmentally responsible also provides an incentive for corporations and governments to provide support for financing, investing, and cooperation. In the automobile industry the General Motors Company attempted to rebrand itself with a new design named Volt but Toyota is ahead of the game with their product the Prius which recently announced their new solar technology. Companies have the opportunity to apply to receive a variety of advantages from the government as well. There are grants, loans, and preferences currently available for green businesses. In April of 2009 on Earth Day, President Barack Obama declared that developing renewable energy is crucial and his administration will for the first time lease federal lands and waters for projects to generate electricity from wind and water.

There are many reasons to be a green entrepreneur, but most importantly the increasing trend is a solid base for a very successful business opportunity. Society has triggered the green movement, which has recently been supported by governments and is waiting for businesses to take advantage. With the available resources and support, environmental companies will be very cost-effective solutions that should last for a significant amount of time. Entrepreneurs should take advantage of these opportunities soon to be the first in their industry or market and get the full reward for their innovation an ability to follow the current trends.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/entrepreneurs-going-green-cost-effective-sustainable-business-opportunities-1775679.html

Make sure you don’t buy anything you don’t need! Try not to fall into marketing traps that make you feel as if you have to have something. If you don’t need it, don’t buy it! One of the biggest contributors to over-consumption is our ability to persuade ourselves to buy things we don’t actually want or ever use.

2.Buy local

Help your local community go green by buying local wherever possible. Not only does this mean a lower carbon footprint but it also keeps local independent shops running, they need all the help they can get in this age of big supermarkets and online shopping. Instead of driving to the nearest Tesco, walk to your local butcher, baker or delicatessen and help keep your local shops and producers open.

3. Recycle

Don’t let anything go to waste. Find out from your local council what recycling options your community has and recycle everything you can from cans to plastic, from paper to fabric. Get down the local bottle bank and take the plastic bags that have accumulated from years of shopping to a recycling centre.

4. Re-use

If it can be re-used then don’t throw it away! Shopping bags, newspaper, plastic bottles and fabric are all materials that can be very useful around the house. Try to get the most wear out of all your clothes and shoes and make sure nothing goes to waste.

5. Plan Ahead

If you plan your meals in advance you’re guaranteed not to over-buy on your weekly shop. Make sure you know exactly how much produce you’re going to use so you don’t end up wasting food and drink each week.

6. Cut Down

Cutting down your intake of meat can make a drastic difference to the environment. Try to eat meat just once a day (or once every two days if you can!) to lower the emissions and carbon footprint caused by your food consumption.

7. Get Creative

Don’t throw that old pair of jeans out, turn it into a denim skirt! See what you can do with all those things you normally throw away. Wine bottles make great candle holders and old dresses can often be turned into wonderful new skirts. It’s good for the planet, your wardrobe and your imagination!

8. Make a Small Change

Small changes lend themselves to big differences. Try focusing on one aspect of your life a week that can be slightly altered to help the environment. It might be switching energy companies, it might be turning off appliances at the plug, it might even be walking or cycling to work every day. Buy your next party dress from an ethical clothes supplier rather than Topshop. Take small steps one week at a time and see your carbon footprint shrink.

9. Mend

If your favourite pair of shoes are starting to look a little worn then take them to the cobblers. If your favourite top has holes in then sew them up. Make the most out of what you’ve got by mending your current clothing rather than buying replacements.

10. Search Around

Check out your local charity shops before you go on that shopping spree. Not only could it save you money, but if you search around before buying ‘that’ top you might realise you didn’t need it in the first place!

Eco Champion is the enthusiastic owner of MoreEco Ltd. The site helps the consumer find greener ways of shopping by offering cash back incentives. For more information please see http://www.moreeco.co.uk

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/top-10-tips-for-greener-consumption-in-2010-1766734.html

There are lots of sites out there, that provide you with great tips. Most of the sites actually have hundreds of tips, I’ll try to show you the most important ones. Not only to save you some money, but also to help the global warming of the earth. It actually is so easy to save money, it’s just that people often forget about the little things. But the little things, they make the difference!

1) Turn of the TV, radio and all other electronic devices. Do NOT put them on the standby modus.

2) Shut down all windows, lock doors properly and turn off or lower the heating when you do have the windows open.

3) At night when you go to bed, set the heating on 13 to 15 degrees, not lower otherwise it will cost you lots of energy when you want to turn up the heat the next morning. This alone could save you around 42 per year

4) Don’t always use the drier, hang out your clothes when it’s nice weather outside. By only hanging out half of your clothes, this could save you 5 till 20 euros per year.

5) Buy energy-efficient lamps, this will cost you less energy and less money. Your savings can rise up to 5 per energy-efficient lamp per year

6) Thaw out your freezer, a freezer with lots of ice uses almost twice as much power. Check out if your freezer closes properly, if not it could use more energy.

7) When you want to thaw an frozen product, put the product in a refrigerator. The refrigerator uses the temperature of the product and so it will cost you less power.

Turn off the lights when you’re not around that much, most people forget to turn off the lights for example in the living room or the kitchen. The will result in unnecessary use of energy.

9) We shower an average of 10 minutes and we use 100 liter of water. If you could save 1 minute in the shower, it could save 10 liter of warm water and so use less energy

10) The chargers of several electronic devices that everyone nowadays has, for example a cell Phone or a video camera, also use power. Even when the battery is fully charged, still power is being used. So turn the power off if your device is fully charged.

Martijn van Nijf - http://www.tipsofgreenliving.com

http://www.beerforeveryone.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/10-basic-tips-for-green-living-1767151.html

Unlike inside the home where the handy kitchen trash can is used to throw our food remnants or other litter, outside is not so easy. And this is a major problem because the food waste and the garbage that is thrown on the floor gets many times wet due to heavy rains. This in turn attracts all sorts of nasty and dirty animals, including flies which breed many different harmful bacteria to humans. On the other hand, if the garbage is dry, it can burn very easily and create some dangerous fires, particularly when people also throw away cigarette butts that are still burning. No matter how you look at it, you need garbage cans outside to collect your trash and litter.

And even if you ignore all these, just think about a city with clean pavements and streets, and one which is littered all over the place. Which looks better in your eyes? Using outdoor trash cans also makes possible for your town or city to be a place of attraction, a place that people speak nicely and positively about. Don’t you want to be proud of your place, to give a positive image to everyone who is passing through the town, to the tourists who will go home with a particular opinion of your locality?

Another reason why we need the outdoor garbage cans is because of the saying ‘litter attracts litter’. This is so true and it is based on human nature. When you see trash thrown away in a place, and you have litter in your hands, what do you do? Exactly. You throw your trash on the already existing pile of garbage, thinking that the place is already littered and feeling less guilty about it. Like I said, human nature.

We need to unlearn some bad traits and learn good and healthy behavior that will help our environment by using the outdoor trash cans. These are simply the best way for us to throw away our garbage when we are outside.

To learn more about how outdoor garbage cans can help our environment, click here –> Outdoor Garbage Cans

However don’t forget that as we learn to take care of our environment by using the trash bins outdoors, we also need to continue keeping our home - trash and litter free.

The stainless steel trash can</a

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/outside-trash-containers-keep-your-streets-clean-and-help-save-your-environment-1756225.html

There are some basic oil spill cleanup methods that should be followed by everyone.

Even small oil spills need to be responded immediately. If left as it is, the spilled oil will seep into cracks and will be very difficult to clean. If the spill is saturated on a concrete or wooden surface, then the only way to clean up the place would be demolition of the place. To avoid this problem, you can try Oil Gone Easy S-200. It is an oil stain remover that removes oil stains from any surface that include concrete, flag stone, brick, pavers, and soil.

In case of oil spills in your house, first thing to be done is to turn off flame and spark sources. Attempt to clean up the spilled oil by vacuum cleaner should also be avoided.

For small oil spills Prevent unnecessary exposure to oil by the use of rubber gloves and shoes. Proper ventilation is also very important to avoid any accidents.

Use absorbent material over the spill. Dispose the oil spill absorbent carefully in a heavy-duty plastic bag. Use of soap and hot water is recommended to clean up oil on hard surfaces and appliances. Repeat the cleaning if necessary.

For large oil spills Report the spill immediately to an oil delivery company or to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). It is important to inform the fire department for them to check for any explosion hazard. Call a professional clean up service.

Fuel oil has many toxic substances that cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, and also causes serious health problems in extreme cases.

In any case of oil spill, care should be taken to avoid harmful chemicals which affect the environment as well as animals. Use environmentally friendly products, such as Oil Gone Easy for oil spill cleanup methods.

OilSpillBlog

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/home-fuel-oil-spill-cleanup-strategies-1757877.html

1. Save Electricity

l Instead of taking the elevator every day, use the stairs. Not only will you be saving energy, but youll also be getting your daily dose of exercise too!

l Turn your lights off every time you leave your office or area, even if its only for ten minutes. The notion that you use more electricity turning lights on and off simply isnt true. You use less electricity when you arent using it.

l Use windows to their maximum capacity. Draw back the curtains and let all that natural light in! You might not even need to use a light at all.

l Turning off your cell phone when its finished charging is another great way to save electricity. Leaving your phone turned on once its finished charging actually uses just as much electricity as when its charging.

l Use energy saving tools on devices such as computers, printers, and photocopiers. Check to see if any of these have a standby feature that they could stay in when not in use or shut them down when possible.

l When its time to leave for the day, unplug all of the machines. When machines are kept plugged in, there is still electricity moving through the plug. Unplug everything, and know that there is no electrical activity going on when youre not there.

l Turn down the heating or air conditioning when you leave for the day so that theres not energy being wasted when theres no one there.

l During the summer months, close the blinds partially. This will keep the room from heating up and using more air conditioning.

l Use only as much water and coffee grinds as you need for your office. If youre the only drinking coffee, dont make a whole pot.

2. Reduce Supplies

l Keep track of how much paper and toner you use. Just keeping track of how much paper youre wasting is sure to make you pay attention to it and reduce the number. Use any paper that cant be used for scrap paper. Use it to take messages, write reminders, etc.

l Instead of making copies of very large documents, email them or put the document together in a Power Point presentation.

l When possible, read documents on the computer rather than printing them out.

l Always use the Print Preview option before printing something out. This will let you see if there are mistakes in your document and save you from printing it out twice.

l Email phone messages and other messages instead of writing them on paper.

l Regularly update mailing lists and delete any that are out of date.

l Dont use fax cover sheets when you dont absolutely have to.

l Create business cards for departments rather than for individual people.

l Use scrap paper that has writing on one side to create draft documents. Always make sure that all staples and paper clips have been removed.

l Change printer settings so that Draft qualities are being printed rather than Best. This will reduce the amount of times youll need to print the document.

3. Share Stationary

l Ask that reports be printed once and passed around the office for everyone to read instead of printing out a different report for every person.

l Share supplies such as staplers, hole punches, etc. instead of buying each person their own.

l Use labels that can be reused for sending out packages and then reuse the packages.

l Use tape dispensers and pens that are refillable rather than buying new ones.

4. Recycle

l Buy recycled paper products. Make sure that anything that will be going through a machine such as a printer or photocopier can handle high volumes of recycled paper. Also buy re manufactured toner rather than buying new.

l Use recycling bins. Set a few up for paper, aluminum, and cardboard and place them throughout the office.

l Use a reusable mug for your coffee instead of using a paper or plastic cup several times a day.

l Car pool with a friend on the way to and from work or take the bus.

5. Pass It On

l Tell your office that youre going green and encourage everyone to join in!

Going green is especially important in todays day and age when everyones worried about using up our resources and reducing consumption. Office spaces are one of the easiest places to go green, and maybe even save some overhead costs too!

Clear Environment.co.uk provide of sustainable and environmentally friendly office clearance, for more information please visit Environment.co.uk

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/top-tips-for-going-green-around-the-office-1736851.html

Crayola, known the world around for its multicolored array of wax pencils, known as crayons, was founded in 1885 and now makes 120 different colors to amuse children and adults. The concept is old; the solar farm, which is expected to begin producing electricity early in 2010, is new but reflective of the companys commitment to environmental stewardship, according to Executive Vice President Peter Ruggiero.

The 15 acres, owned by Crayola, are being leased by Allentown-based PPL Corp., an energy and energy services provider with about 12,000 megawatts of generating capacity and operations worldwide, and Reading-based UGI Energy Services, a natural gas and electric utility subsidiary of UGI Corporation.

The land borders Plainfield Township, and the two energy companies will foot the bill for the solar farms design and build-out, as well as the farms operation over time. The panels themselves are being installed by Perrysburg, Ohio-based First Solar, a thin-film manufacturing firm with a solid reputation for quality which recently broke the $1-per-watt manufacturing barrier.

When completed, the 26,000-panel farm will deliver 1.9 megawatts of clean, renewable solar energy and will be, according to the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protections John Hanger, one of the largest installations in the state.

The solar farm will provide about 10 percent of the Crayola factorys annual electricity usage under a power purchase agreement with the utilities, and will prevent about 1,900 tons of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide per year all of which are produced by generating electricity with fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. The output, 1.9 megawatts, is enough to power about 1,500 average American homes.

This, according to calculations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, is the same as removing 325 cars from the road, reducing gasoline consumption by 200,000 gallons, or planting 400 acres of pine forest.

Funding for the project, via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA, provided $1.5 million in grant money, with an estimated $10.5 million in matching funds from private sources.

Energy production, usage and other data for the solar farm will be made available through a solar energy display at the Crayola Factory in downtown Easton.

Cooler Planet is a leading solar resource for connecting consumers and commercial entities with local solar Installers. Cooler Planet’s solar panel resources and solar energy page contains articles and tools to help with your solar project.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/solar-energy-farm-for-crayola-crayons-1730658.html

Wisconsin, at 2.5 with a peak of 3.5 is harder to imagine. Yet Wisconsin is the only state in the union other than California and Texas to have two major cities included in the Solar America Cities program; Milwaukee and Madison.

The Solar America Cities program is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Energy, which aims to see accelerated adoption of solar energy technologies to create a cleaner, more secure energy future. Comprised of 25 major American cities, the program operates through 180 municipal, county and state agencies, as well as solar companies, universities, regional utilities and various non-profit policy organizations, all of whom are committed to seeing solar energy take a front seat at the energy table.

The fact cant be accounted for merely by Wisconsins renewable portfolio standard, or RPS, since the goal is 10 percent of energy from renewables by 2105.

The law, SB 459, enacted in March 2006, allows utilities to fulfill their requirements by buying renewable resource credits (RRCs) from one another, and also allows a carry-forward method of accounting.

In spite of that, Wisconsin really is leading in renewable energy, notably solar, with a proposed $19.6 million project for Roundy’s Corp. supermarket distribution center in Oconomowoc.

Initiated by the states Office of Energy Independence (OEI), and funded through an $8.822-million grant that the OEI applied for in 2009 (via the U.S. Dept. of Energys Community Renewable Energy Stimulus program), the 12,000-panel, 3.177-megawatt installation will, when completed, become the largest solar project in the Midwest.

The project will also create 190 jobs, double the states solar portfolio, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4,237 tonnes per year, and provide for almost 20 percent of distribution centers electricity needs.

Add to that the new factory in Mazomanie, to be built by Menomonie-based Cardinal Glass, which makes low-e glass for energy-efficient windows and will now being making solar panel glass, adding about 60 jobs and competing with Corning, an industry leader in glassware production who is also thinking of expanding into solar panel glass manufacture.

Wisconsin is a leader in solar panel installation training, with more certified solar installers per capita than nearly every state in the nation, according to the Midwest Renewable Energy Associations executive director Terri Parker, whose agency plans to train 200 instructors across six states over the next five years, thanks to a $3.3-million grant. And this isnt even counting the cooperative, internally financed solar education farm being developed by the Milwaukee Area Technical College and Johnson Controls, which will consist of about 2,500 panels.

Some information in the story was provided by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Cooler Planet is a leading solar resource for connecting consumers and commercial entities with local solar Installers. Cooler Planet’s solar panel resources and solar energy page contains articles and tools to help with your solar project.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/wisconsin-leading-solar-energy-push-1730704.html

Some people think maintaining a green lawn is a bad idea because it uses so much water and space. However, a healthy lawn (maintained appropriately) is a great addition to the ecosystem. Grass and gardens work to produce much needed oxygen while eliminating overabundant carbon dioxide. Additionally, these lawns help to suck up rain water, which would otherwise wash into the sewers. Lawns and gardens even help replace destroyed habitat by providing refuge to insects and animals.

Our communities and housing developments replace original ecosystems. However, we can do our part by creating a healthy replacement to the lost ecosystem. When shopping for lawn care products, it is what you put into your reusable shopping bags that determines how healthy your lawn is.

Many people run to the store to purchase weed killer at the first sign of foreign plants in their otherwise pristine lawn. However, weed killers are highly toxic to humans and other animals. They were created to break down and destroy biological life. Instead of destroying life, it is more prudent to cultivate it. Indeed, growing an extremely healthy lawn generally eliminates weed problems on its own. Few weeds can compete with healthy grass for resources. For this reason, it is better to invest in quality, eco-friendly fertilizers and compost instead of poisons. Work to create a healthy lawn first, and most weed problems will disappear.

This principle applies equally well to gardens. Instead of poisoning problem plants, take care to cultivate the plants you want. By keeping these plants extremely healthy, they will often outcompete the unwanted weeds. Additionally, cypress mulch is an effective eco-friendly way to reduce weeds. Mulch naturally suppresses the growth of weeds without damaging the environment. Additionally, mulch conserves water by reducing evaporation, and keeping soil moist longer.

But what about pests? Like weeds, pests often send people to the store for poisonous chemicals, but this is definitely not the green choice. The negative impact of these pesticides should keep you from ever adding them to your reusable shopping bag. The truth is, most pests can be combatted without toxic chemicals. For instance, a little mild dish soap and water applied to leaves will stop aphid infestations. Beetles can easily be handled with bag traps instead of spraying poisons. These traps can then be disposed of properly. Additionally, your garden supply store might sell ladybugs, which make short work of most aphid populations.

One more important element to green lawn care involves lawn equipment. When was the last time you added an oil filter or a few new spark plugs to your reusable shopping bag? Keeping your mower in good running condition is a great way to reduce emissions. Doesn’t seem worth the effort? Think about the impact of millions of mowers running each week around the country. It does make a difference.

The next time you head to the garden center, think life instead of death. Purchase items that foster healthy life, not chemicals meant to destroy it. This is green living.

Eliza Reeder writes articles that deal with environmental concerns and eco-friendly living. She encourages everyone to help protect our planet’s future by doing things like using organic cotton bags. You can find more eco-friendly living tips on her reusable bags site.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/reusable-shopping-bags-and-green-lawn-care-1716661.html

Shop and support your local farmers markets. You can cook fresh, organic meals impressing your bed and breakfast guests while assisting a local farmer who uses less or perhaps no pesticides that contaminate soil and can seep into your water supply. Buy a reusable water bottle to take with you on the go and re clean with soap and water after each use. This will eliminate the buying of bottled water at the store, and save you money as most bottled water costs are comparable to soda or juice prices. And, below 20% of all water bottles purchased today are actually recycled, and they are quickly becoming the main trash item in most of our countries landfills. Also, most plastic water bottles are made with petroleum, and when the bottle warms, can leach dangerous chemicals into your water. As you can see, ‘Going Green’ does not require paradigm shifts in your current lifestyle, and with minor changes you can help preserve our planet’s beauty for generations to come. And don’t forget, be sure to share with your guests the various ‘Green’ environmental techniques your bed and breakfast inn has implemented, because we all care about the future of this beautiful planet and the preservation of it’s illustrious future.

David Ludwig
Blog/Marketing Director
The Bed and Breakfast Directory Blog
TheBedandBreakfastDirectory.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/businesses-going-green-1716872.html