Some of these eco-entrepreneurs you've likely heard of, some of them you surely haven't, but all of them deserve kudos for starting up companies that strive for sustainability. Read about their accomplishments, then tell us about green business owners who've inspired you in the comments section at the bottom of this page.
Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia
Patagonia has been a leader in sustainability since Chouinard spun it off from his original climbing-gear company in the 1970s. Having pioneered the use of organic cotton and recycled-plastic fleece, the outdoor retailer continues to innovate other eco-friendly materials, and even takes old clothes back for recycling. The company also powers all of its buildings with renewables, prints on recycled paper, and highlights activists and eco-campaigns in its catalogs.
Nell Newman, Newman's Own Organics
If you think Paul is dreamy, wait 'til you meet his daughter Nell. Her company, one of the most recognizable organic brands, came to life after she cooked up an organic Thanksgiving meal for her dad, served with a pitch that his Newman's Own line should add organic goodies to its offerings. It worked: Newman's Own Organics was launched as a division of Newman's Own in 1993, then split off to become an independent company in 2001 -- but it's stuck to the model of steering profits to charitable causes, including wildlife preservation and organic-agriculture research.
Ray Anderson, Interface
This carpet king wrote the book on sustainability, literally: Mid-Course Correction: Toward a Sustainable Enterprise chronicles his efforts to green his company. As an early adopter of the sustainability mind-set, Anderson set the lofty goal of eliminating all of Interface's negative environmental impacts by 2020. The innovations unrolled on his watch -- including recyclable, modular, and eco-fiber carpets -- have laid the green groundwork for countless other companies.
Janice Masoud, Under the Nile
Prompted by her own children's allergic reactions to the dyes, pesticides, and other toxics in most conventionally manufactured clothing, apparel designer Janice Masoud (pictured with her husband and business partner Mohamed) decided to take matters into her own hands and launch a line of organic clothing for tots. Since starting Under the Nile in 1998, Masoud has been adding more and more items -- including blankets and soft toys -- to its inventory, all made with 100 percent organic Egyptian cotton. Under the Nile products have now found their way into major chain stores like Target.
Jeffrey Hollender, Seventh Generation
Seventh Generation, founded by Hollender in 1988, is fast becoming a household name in greener cleaning, offering an alternative to the industry norm of chlorine-bleached virgin-paper products and toxic detergents. And if that weren't enough, the company has a new state-of-the-art green HQ near downtown Burlington, Vt.
Jeff Lebesch and Kim Jordan, New Belgium Brewing
We're only too happy to drink to this craft brewer, whose green cred overrunneth. The first beer maker to power all of its electrical operations with wind, New Belgium also runs its trucks on biodiesel, treats its wastewater on site, and has dramatically cut its water use. The Colorado-based company -- started by husband-and-wife team Lebesch and Jordan in their basement in 1991 -- just released its first organic beer. New Belgium not only gives employees free bikes, but also promotes cycling in the broader community with its Tour de Fat festival, named after its popular Fat Tire ale.
Gary Hirshberg, Stonyfield Farm
In 1983, Stonyfield Farm started as part of a seven-cow organic farming school. Today, the company, known best for its yogurt, is one of the biggest moo-vers and shakers in the organic dairy industry, pulling in about $260 million in sales each year. At the head of that growth has been President and "CE-Yo" Gary Hirshberg, an environmental activist, windmill-maker, author, and entrepreneur who joined Stonyfield just months after it was founded. He's now also putting his business smarts to work getting O'Naturals, an all-natural fast-food chain, up and running, and launching Climate Counts, a nonprofit that rates corporations on their efforts to fight climate change.
Michael Gordon and Vaughan Lazar, Pizza Fusion
A good organic pizza is hard to find, but if Michael Gordon and Vaughan Lazar have their way, one will be arriving at your door in a Prius soon. Their Fort Lauderdale-based company, Pizza Fusion, delivers organic pizzas in hybrids, a concept that is catching on fast. Since its flagship store opened last year, the business has spun off more than 50 franchises in seven U.S. states. Pizza Fusion stores are built according to LEED standards and powered with 100 percent wind energy, and their customers are encouraged to return their pizza boxes for recycling, giving credence to their motto: "Saving the Earth, One Pizza at a Time."
Colin Crooks, Green-Works
Colin Crooks -- "arguably the U.K.'s most successful social entrepreneur" -- started Green-Works with a dual purpose: keeping large furniture out of landfills and helping charitable groups. Through programs that refurbish, recycle, or reuse businesses' castoff items, the company provides low-cost furniture to schools and charities, while employing homeless, disabled, and other underemployed populations. Since 2001, Green-Works has kept more than 20,000 tons of unwanted furniture from being trashed.
Gary Erickson, Clif Bar
Clif Bar not only makes a dang good array of energy snacks using 70 percent organic ingredients, it also keeps on greening its operations. The company uses recycled paper and nontoxic inks, focuses on reducing manufacturing and packaging waste, and participates in global-warming awareness campaigns. In his new book Raising the Bar, Erickson describes how his company evolved out of his mother's kitchen, where he launched it in 1992, to become one of the fastest-growing private firms in the U.S.
Sean O'Hea, Vehizero
It might not have the market clout of Toyota, but Sean O'Hea's up-and-coming Mexico-based company has high hopes for its lineup of industrial hybrids. Beginning with a one-ton delivery-type truck called the ECCO, Vehizero started tapping into the rapidly expanding market for cleaner vehicles just last year, primarily in Mexico City. Its hybrid truck reduces fuel use by some 50 percent or more and pollutes much less than conventional vehicles. Vehizero plans to roll out more hefty hybrids soon, including a taxi, a larger truck, and a 100-passenger bus.
Joseph Whinney, Theo Chocolate
Theo Chocolate, based in Seattle, is one tasty answer to the problems posed by industrial chocolate. Founder Whinney witnessed the effects of unfair, unsustainable cocoa trading as a conservation volunteer in Central America and envisioned a much different model for his company. Today, Theo is the only organic chocolate roaster in the United States and was the first U.S. company to use fair-trade certified cocoa beans in its confections. Sweet!
Jigar Shah, SunEdison
Since opening its doors in 2003, SunEdison has become the largest supplier of solar energy in the United States. Under the leadership of biz-savvy CEO Shah, who left BP Solar to bask in the rays of his own Sun, the company gives big businesses a win-win deal: SunEdison installs and maintains solar systems on their facilities with no upfront costs -- just a 10-plus year contract with fixed power rates.
Martin Ernegg, Zelfo Australia
Seven years ago, Ernegg patented Zelfo as a crazy-useful plastic material made from high-cellulose fibers, including hemp, sugarcane, and waste paper. The process for making and molding Zelfo products, which doesn't use any glues, resins, or toxics, results in a versatile wood-like plastic that can be shaped into just about anything, including musical instruments, furniture, dishes, and more. One popular Zelfo product is a 100 percent hemp didgeridoo. What's not to love? Oh, and the company is also carbon-neutral and uses veggie oil and solar for most of its power.
John Mackey, Whole Foods Market
A major player in the sustained growth of the organic market, Whole Foods sprang from humble natural-food roots to become the world's leading natural and organic supermarket with sales of $5.6 billion in 2006. Mackey has led the company through its massive expansion and its adoption of humane animal-treatment standards for its suppliers, as well as its purchase of wind-power offsets for 100 percent of the electricity used in its North American stores. (Of course, he also led Whole Foods' controversial buyout of Wild Oats, and he got nailed earlier this year for some outlandish sockpuppeting.)
Runners-Up
H. Harish Hande, SELCO-India
It may sound like a faceless insurance company, but SELCO-India actually provides solar-powered lighting to underserved areas in India and other developing countries. The company, co-founded by Hande in 1995, offers sustainable lighting and electric solutions, via small-scale solar projects, to households and small businesses. But it doesn't just sell its products; SELCO also works with micro-lenders and rural banks to help its customers get solar-system funding that many couldn't get on their own. Hande's enterprise is already illuminating some 75,000 homes in India, principally in rural areas.
Josh Dorfman, Vivavi
Though he's author of The Lazy Environmentalist and host of a radio show by the same name, Josh Dorfman has been anything but lazy in launching and growing Vivavi, an eco-friendly, high-end home-furnishings company.
Virginia Young and Janie Lowe, YOLO Colorhouse
This Portland, Ore., company is painting the town green (and a range of other earth-inspired tones) with its Green Seal-certified products, which are free of volatile organic compounds, ammonia, formaldehyde, and other nasties common in conventional paints. Young and Lowe -- YOLO -- also use wheatboard, soy inks, and 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper in their displays and materials, and encourage creative reuse of their paint samples.
Mark Bent, SunNight Solar
Mark Bent launched SunNight Solar to provide simple, hardy, and incredibly useful solar-powered flashlights to people who might not otherwise have access to cheap, reliable lighting. Displacing sooty kerosene lamps and candles, the LED flashlights have been making their way into rural homes in African nations and other developing countries, changing people's lives one light at a time. One distribution channel is the BoGo Light site, short for Buy One Give One, where for $25 you get one solar flashlight for yourself and one for a charity in a developing country. What a bright idea!
Todd Hymas Samkara and Kate Sheppard contributed to this list.
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Comments View as Flat
bellemichelle Posted 2:49 am
18 Sep 2007
How about Anita Roddick?
I know she just passed away, are you limiting to the living?
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globalbee Posted 4:07 am
18 Sep 2007
Vehizero
Sean Ohea is one of my heroes!
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Lloyd Wright Posted 4:13 am
18 Sep 2007
Questionable products
A motorised vehicle manufacturer and a producer of alcohol? You might want to consider the deleterious social side effects of these products before giving the producers too many kudos.
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topsymax13 Posted 4:44 am
18 Sep 2007
What's so bad about beer?
The fact that the New Belgium brewery produces beer should in no way detract from its sustainable business practices. I believe that the majority of the "deleterious social side effects" of alcohol occur because of the way alcohol use is simultaneously demonized and glorified in American society. I live in Fort Collins, the home of New Belgium, and jobs at the brewery are highly sought after, primarily because they treat their owner-employees very well and are focused on being an environmentally friendly company.
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solar greg Posted 5:02 am
18 Sep 2007
beer I might understand
I drink beer once in a while. I drive an automobile more than I would like to. They may not be too pretty but I'd rather be behind one of these in a traffic situation than a dirty diesel truck. I don't see a problem with making these two things less contaminating. Good for all of them and anybody else out there making changes for the better.
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Lloyd Wright Posted 5:09 am
18 Sep 2007
Re: What's so bad about beer?
Well, it is not just a US-issue, but also globally. Alcohol is involved in a significant number of deaths and accidents. It is also often involved in acts of violence and other crime. Alcohol is attributed to family violence and family break-ups.
Should the type of product affect whether it is sustainable? Well, what about guns, other weapons, SUVs, Learjets, fur clothing, etc. Maybe someone produces a nice version of these products, but I am not sure they should be on this list.
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LEForbes Posted 5:27 am
18 Sep 2007
green entrepreneurs
check out www.forbesenergy.us
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solar greg Posted 5:32 am
18 Sep 2007
the root of the problem
The problem is not beer, the problem is not guns, it's Man. If humans don't learn to respect each other just like we don't respect our Mother Nature then we need to work on ourselves!! I deffinitely do not like what cocaine does to the world (not just the drug addicts and our youth, but the incredible armies, money and power the druglords have) but banning it's use (I believe it's illegal) hasn't solved the problem. I think it's worse. We have to become responsable as humans, for all our actions, and yes I drink beer once in a while with my Pizza.
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GulfAaron Posted 5:40 am
18 Sep 2007
absolutely biased
As we're a recipient of their 'earth month' donation program, but I'd put in a plug for Horst Rechelbacher, the founder of Aveda.
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amc89 Posted 1:55 am
19 Sep 2007
Clif bars
I also like Clif bars because they're vegan. So are many of the Newman's Own Organics products.
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mcgregorj Posted 6:46 am
19 Sep 2007
Mackey
Of course, it just reminds me that you can still be a jerk and be "green". Case in point, #15, everyone's favorite CEO who talks like he's read too much Ayn Rand, John Mackey.
How anyone figures that the likes of Mackey are going to spur/support any kind of serious environmental change is beyond me. But, hey, enjoy your green capitalism, I guess.
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Jonathan Rosenthal Posted 8:21 am
19 Sep 2007
Green Leaders
A list of wonderful visionaries. I am amazed that there are no people of African or Latino/a heritage that made the list. That cuts out a lot of the world (and US) population. Wow. Seems like a very narrow slice of reality!
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solar greg Posted 8:57 am
19 Sep 2007
Small List
Of course it's a small list! I think it's good to take a look at what others are doing. Maybe its not who has reduced more CO2 in the atmosfere or provided more BTU'S of clean heat in homes, but it might even give some people ideas and maybe get their "act" in gear instead of just criticizing.
We are one HUMAN Race. I don't think they were picked by color. Make your own list! I think this one was interesting.
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capucine17 Posted 9:42 am
19 Sep 2007
Frogfile - green office supplies
yep, you got all the obvious folks, as well as a few interesting smaller people/operations. and yes, middle-aged white men still run the playground.
you're missing Gil Yaron of Frogfile, which sells environmentally responsible office supplies here in Canada. he's a good egg, and left a career in law behind to do what he does for all the right reasons.
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barbara santoro Posted 11:55 pm
19 Sep 2007
Elimination of Ozone Alert Days for Lawn Cutters
Un-noticed so far, brilliant green entrepeneur: Dave Calver at EnviroGard, Monroe,NC..... Municipalities from NY to FL, TX to Chicago are buying this lawn mower, as a recent WGN channel 9 News spot showed. The EPA & CARB certified, US patented propane powered (vapors, not liquid)that reduces emissions of ozone precursors by 1/3, boosts fuel economy by 14%, makes oil, oil filters, spark plugs, carburetors and engines powered by propane last up to 3 times longer than gas equivilants AND, in today's economy, saves nearly 40% in fuel costs. That means it will help to clean the environment for the human race while reducing sick days for children and adults suffering from respiratory and cardiovascular problems as seen in a SELC (PDF) report May, 2007. Check it out!!
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zacaroni Posted 12:06 am
20 Sep 2007
This list sucks
This list, like all of the other lists that have come up so far, sucks. It reads like an advertisement for products you find in Whole Foods. Even Whole Foods is listed!
STOP GIVING IN TO THE GREEN HYPE!
Why not give credit to the up-and-coming businesses? Why not give credit to businesses that are actually running EFFECTIVE green businesses, instead of plugging those that are flashy and well-known already? (I will give you credit for Ray Anderson, though, who deserves to be on this list.)
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CJofKC Posted 1:39 am
20 Sep 2007
Green Entrepreneurs
Great list - let's keep adding to it!! A couple of fabulous companies in the eco-fashion, eco-clothing area that were left off the list in my opinion are Indigenous and Green Babies. These two companies have been around since before green was IN and they've been able to keep going in a big way - and make a huge impact on the environment- because they make fabulous clothes, maintain high quality and are fair trade.
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barbara santoro Posted 2:29 am
20 Sep 2007
Only US Patented Low Polluting Lawn Mower
Unrecognized local inventor/entrepreneur is here; he's created an EPA & CARB certified, US patented propane powered (vapors, not liquid)lawn mower that reduces emissions of ozone precursors by 1/3, boosts fuel economy by 14% makes oil, oil filter, spark plugs, carburetors & engines powered by propane that will last up to 3 times longer than gas equivalents and saves, in today's economy, +/-40% fuel costs. This translates into saved health issues ie. respiratory and cardiovascular suffering per SELC (PDF) May, 2007 report. We want clean air and cut green grass. We want the solution to pollution and it's here!
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sarasal Posted 11:48 pm
20 Sep 2007
Shaklee Corporation
It's not a new company. In fact, it just celebrated its 50th anniversary, but the Shaklee Corporation went green before many others even knew there were such serious issues. Not only does it make nutrition supplements that help keep people healthy -- this is no dig on doctors, but prevention is always better than cure -- but it built its foundation on nonpolluting, biodegradable cleaning products. In 2000 it was named the first company in the world to be completely climate neutral. It is working with several African countries to help them develop using solar power, and its business model is based on individuals working together to prosper. I suspect there are many other companies out there that may not be making huge splashes but nonetheless deserve to be emulated and honored for doing well by doing good. You can read more at www.11thhouraction.com/shakleeinterview
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Miscetal Posted 9:06 am
21 Sep 2007
Adding to the List
We're talking about people who have made the businesses they run greener: have we now got to prove that their products are harmless and politically correct before we acknowledge them for making it less destructive?
That attitude with really encourage a lot of buy-in....
What are we? The Pan-Global Environmental Church? We could assign a period of penance and, if they become VERY good, prounounce them sainted???
I like the attitude of the band Guster. They've worked to green up their tours, don't use individually bottled water, use a bus that runs on wastebio-diesel, and proclaim the cause at every concert. Rock On!
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factorten Posted 2:51 pm
24 Sep 2007
A little off the mark
This is great to show what is, and can, be done to turn consumer product markets around.
As usual the focus is on some kind of aesthetic quality -- appealing to the philosophical tradition of deep ecology, rather than the fundamental scientific tradition of how to get there. What is eating Stonyfield yogurt, reconstituted oats and soybeans, or organic pizza (heated to 400 degrees?) really going to do to clean: the air in Los Angeles, the beaches of Africa, and the mouths of Iranian presidents?
Ease off the swag, Grist editors!
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nweyrick Posted 12:40 am
25 Sep 2007
Are you fully reading?
In the begining of the article they asked us to add our favorite green company. So stop complaining about who they have on the list and add yours. I am new to this green world and found it insightful. my only question is, are there a lot more i should know of?
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mjgsngh Posted 11:08 am
25 Sep 2007
Green Interior designer
Cheryl Terrace, sole propitiator of Vital Design Ltd. has been designing luxury spaces for almost 20 years with the environment in mind. She uses sustainable, non-toxic, organic and local materials that are beautiful and one with nature.
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annemq Posted 5:00 am
28 Sep 2007
Clean Air Lawn Care
I work for an awesome green business, Clean Air Lawn Care (I am the Marketing Goddess). Clean Air Lawn Care is a lawn mowing company that uses
quiet electric mowers that are powered through renewable energy (wind/solar). The trucks are equipped with solar panels to recharge
the mowers throughout the workday. Our goal is to 'change the way America mows the lawn'. We have gone from one market in 2006 to 9 in 2007 and now Clean Air Lawn Care is franchising in 2008!
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barbara santoro Posted 4:54 am
23 Oct 2007
Going Green with our innovative US patented mower.
We are a GREEN ENTREPENEURIAL company and have contacts with many green organizations, parks & recs, public officials and celebrities. Chicago Park District has purchased our mowers as have ABM Landscape and we are gaining notice. We look forward to your consideration of this, the ONLY propane (vapors, not liquid) powered lawn mower in the country. Considering it is EPA & CARB certified, has 10% better fuel economy, has longer run times, less maintenance, longer engine & component life, reduces toxins 80%,and particulate emmisions 60%,saves +/-30% over gas or diesel, you'd think we'd be like Edison's invention of the lightbulb! So why not investigate and help us promote this unique, environmentally necessary tool?
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pethabitats Posted 2:31 am
05 Nov 2007
Pet Waste Cleanup
We are a pet products company that is developing a line of pet products that will revolutionize pet cleanup. We have a few products on our website that takes pet waste out of the garbage and puts it into the sanitary sewer system where it belongs.
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kirsten1967 Posted 10:31 pm
05 Nov 2007
Green business founders
Check out The Furbish Company in Baltimore, Maryland. The gentlemen who started the company, Michael Furbish, describes himself as a recovering real estate developer. I saw a presentation he made about several of his company's products, such as vegetated walls, green roofs, and biofiltering walls. The "green" things he's doing are very cool and his business is exploding. Maybe there's hope for us yet!
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Vermonter Posted 5:05 am
06 Nov 2007
Solar Marvel- groSolar
Jeff and Dori Wolfe started one of the nation's leading solar energy company's together in their living room. In five busy years, they have become solar leaders, expanding their company from Vermont across the country to California and Oregon, south to Texas and Florida, and north to Calgary. They have done it all by treating their employees as partners, striving for social responsibility in everything they do, at work and at home, and by working really hard to build the best company they can to fight global warming. Or as Jeff says: "We want to put as many solar systems on as many roofs as fast as we possibly can. There is no time to lose.'' It is so not about money at this company. Everything these people do is about fighting climate change.
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heapmaster Posted 2:31 pm
16 Nov 2007
What about AISO.Net
The first and only 100% solar powered web hosting company. They are helping to cut back on the power draw the internet takes up by using on-site solar panels to power the servers and offices of sites for live earth and google. You can check out their site at http://www.aiso.net
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interestedparty Posted 5:41 am
10 Dec 2007
Pizza Initiative
I am simply commenting about the decision to include Pizza Fusion on this list. I wonder about the sincerity of any company that looks to franchise 50 stores within the first few years of operation. Regardless, I believe that HotLips Pizza out in Oregon is one of the best stores when it comes to an environmentally friendly pizza group. Beyond just their store facade, they promote all around sustainability and communal participation.
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Ekirky Posted 11:51 pm
18 Dec 2007
ice cream...
Ben and Jerrys? Yes/no? I've heard good things about them.
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CrystalV Posted 2:25 am
06 Aug 2008
What about Charisse McAuliffe, GenGreen
Charisse started GenGreen in 2007 and under 1 year has built the online resource, GenGreenLife.com to successfully list over 30,000 businesses and organizations across the country, to help consumers live a sustainable life easier. Her passion for the green sector is inspiring and she should be added to this list!
To learn more about her and the company visit http://gengreenlife.com.
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mediamanoz Posted 3:50 pm
12 Aug 2008
1 Green Business Founder down under in Australia
His name is Colman Ridge, and you have likely never heard of him before. He is a remarkable catalyst for change, and one person at a time, he's creating a national and international movement. You know the story... one person had an idea, shared it with trusted friends and associates, a great group of people got together, got larger, next thing these green visionaries are heading for a world's first of a kind, and the news is spreading around Australia, and now internationally. Mums and dads, rock stars, media players, environmentalists, corporates, scientists, surfers, film makers, artists, whaledreamers... they are all coming together, and Colman Ridge has made this possible.
Here's an overview of Colman and his vision, now creation and reality, Greenfest... in Brisbane, Australia - 10th - 12th October 2008.
There is something fresh happening in Brisbane, Greenfest. Not a new name but new approach with the simple idea that bringing people together with new ideas, innovations, emerging talent in the arts, creative people from across the community into a critical mass of positive thinking will result in a culture shift. To keep it real it is free to the public, downtown and focused on emerging music, speakers, ideas, businesses, innovations.
It is marketed as Greenfest â€oea place for fresh energy†and the founder Colman Ridge said it was all about remembering the beginnings of life cycles and to bring that moment back to life in your hearts. Ridge also said that grassroots culture shift is possible instantly through this type of action and will be the fastest path to winning the race against climate change and habitat destruction. www.greenfest.com.au already Australiaâ€TMs largest free green festival before itâ€TMs first show with nearly 400 parts of the community involved, somethings going on.
Itâ€TMs about creating a critical mass of belief and agreement in a specific place and time of how we want to live. It is a purer and gentler force, like warm sun on your back, than anything imagined about the future before. Itâ€TMs not about fearing kaos, itâ€TMs about walking through the next level of sophistication between us and then getting on with enjoying those trusted collaborative relationships formed for new levels intellectual property creation and productivity to redesign our community beyond the 20th centuries wildest dreams.
I'm putting Greenfest founder, Colman Ridge, up for an award or two. In the meantime, I've got no hesitation in making the world aware of this great fellow from Brisbane, Australia. First Australia, then the world. A time and a place from Fresh Energy, if there ever was.
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