Renewable Energy Businesses
There are a lot of opportunities in the quickly growing renewable energy markets. Winners in these markets will go on to be some of the largest and most important companies of the next few decades, much as the giants like Shell, Exxon and other oil companies have dominated the preceeding ones.
The great thing about renewable energy is that it’s available to just about everyone, regardless of capital. You can start small, and with the right ideas and attention to quality, get your foot into these developing markets. It’s so easy in fact, that many people are able to provide for their home’s energy needs as a hobby.
Imagine what you could accomplish with a focused business initiative!
Internet and Home Based Businesses
It may not seem obvious at first, but internet based businesses can often be some of the greenest around. You can eliminate environment-damaging activities by keeping your entire business as virtual as possible.
For e-commerce stores, you can eliminate parking lots and shelf-space. This frees up more area that would have been paved over. You allow customers to visit your store online, rather than needing to drive to the store. While using a computer does still use energy, it’s far less than even the most efficient cars.
This applies not just to your customers, but also to your employees as well. You can sometimes eliminate wasteful commutes by either having the office closer to where they live (instead of being tied to the store) or allowing them to telecommute.
Interesting Environmental Business Ideas
Another “low tech” take on green business opportunities is in construction. Many times home-owners are using far more electricity than they need to. This is most apparent in summer months when the air conditioner is going full blast.
What if simple structural and decorative improvements to the home could also help to mitigate the cost of cooling the house in summer? What if they could do so in an environmentally friendly way that won’t interfere with the sunlight in winter when it’s a valuable clean energy source for heating?
Well, that is possible with the use of arbors, pergolas, trellises and other natural shade providers. During the growing season (the warmest times of year) the shade cast by the leaf canopy can dramatically cool the home and provide comfortable outdoor living areas. During the winter when the vines die back, more sunlight is allowed to warm the house, offsetting the costs of heating.
This is the best of both worlds, and is not just energy efficient, but can make for a visually appealing addition as well. No wonder that the demand for pergola, arbor, and trellis designs is so high!