Fifteen Green Business Ideas

Green business ideas are big business. Many people want to do all they can to protect their families and the environment. They want to use eco-friendly products and do business with green companies. If you are looking for home business opportunities to work online or offline this list of Green Business Ideas can trigger your imagination. Think about starting your business offline or creating a niche website about one of these ideas.

1. Trash to Cash Products: Resourceful individuals are creating an endless variety of new consumer products from recycled materials Women’s purses from used license plates, park benches from disregarded egg cartons, biodegradable dinnerware from leaves, and many more unique items. Most successful innovators have developed their recycled products within the areas and industries with which they are familiar.

2. Gardening Green Consultant: More garden hobbyists and small organic specialty growers and farmers are looking for ways to raise their flowers and vegetables using less chemicals and toxic pesticides while conserving our disappearing water reserves. You could specialize in everything from xerioscaping (using drought-resistant plants); to planning children’s or butterfly gardens.

3. ECO-Cleaning: Most home and residential units, office buildings, and vehicles require routine cleaning; and the demand for this service from people with busy schedules is still one of the most lucrative home business opportunities. Advertising that you use non-toxic solutions and methods in your work will help differentiate you from competitors.

4. Green Building Consultant: It is estimated that $60 billion dollars will be spent on green building products and services by 2010, creating a demand for architects, interior designer, engineers, building contractors, and other professionals who specialize in sustainable and eco-friendly building practices. If you are an expert in any of these areas or if it interests you, get the work experience, training, and licensing to qualify to be hired as the green expert for your clients’ building, remodeling or energy assessment project.

5. Alternative Energy Consultant: With fluctuating prices and supplies of fossil fuels, consumers, business owners, nonprofits and governmental agencies are looking for affordable alternative energy sources like solar, wind, hydro, and others. With an engineering degree and expertise, you can evaluate facilities’ energy usage and make recommendation for more efficient techniques or optional energy sources. Potential clients include small utility companies, educational institutions, business and property owners, local government and contractors.

6. Green Transportation Service: You can start a green transportation service using bio-fuel or hybrid cars, trucks, van, even limousines to transport people to special events, seniors to their appointments, and children to after-school program activities. In tourist destinations, you can rent bikes, scooters, or invest in Pedi-cabs to transport visitors. Related green business ideas include transporting pets and light hauling for local businesses.

7. ECO-Travel Agency: Recent statistics reveal worldwide, green travel is growing three times as fast as the entire industry. ECO-tourism often combines people’s hobbies and recreational pursuits with tours for birders, bicyclists, hikers, divers, gardeners, campers and other enthusiast.

(A Green Travel web site? Could this be a niche?)

8. Organic Food Specialist: Consumers' concerns with outbreaks of food-borne illnesses and with the use of toxic chemicals and fertilizers in farming have spurred a new interest in eating organic foods. Lucrative markets are rapidly expanding for organic caterers, chefs, natural and vegetarian foods consultants, and small produce growers.

9. Green E-Commerce: Whether you are selling your own green product or service or, those of other eco-entrepreneurs and companies, generally the most cost-effective way to sell these items, is through the Internet with a web-dedicated site, or on other “Netpreneur’s” site with services and product that compliment yours. Conduct a thorough market research to see what green product or service niches are unfilled. (Build a website maybe.)

10. Recycling Consultant: Recycling consultants are increasing in demand, because business owners are realizing it is both economical and profitable to recycle and re-use their wastes; and that more people are looking to buy from green companies. Recycling consultants specialize in areas where they have had previous experience such as construction, manufacturing, and other industries and know the laws, and guidelines of getting rid of that trade’s waste.

11. Errand Service: Errand service operators save clients valuable time and gas money by completing their everyday tasks like shopping, mailing packages, returning library book, and transporting pets. You can tap into one of these home business opportunities by looking for niche errand services that are not being offered by competitors.

12. Raising Beneficial Insects & Earthworms: Garden hobbyists and professional growers who prefer to raise their own flowers and vegetables naturally look to use alternative pest-control methods. With a science background or experience, you could raise and sell beneficial predator insects; as well as earthworms for soil improvement; butterfly larvae for educational groups; mealworms for pet stores or birders; bees for honey; and other related insect-education products.

13. Pet Waste Removal: Over $2.9 billion dollars was spent on pet products in 2007 (www.AmericanPetProducts.org). This includes pet waste removal services as well as the cleaning of dog and cat runs and the yards of larger animals such as pet pigs, pygmy goats, and other animals. Similar services can be offered to horse and live stock forms. If course you would have to check with local authorities about the proper disposal of collected waste.

14. Green Business Referrals: Many business owners are joining the green movement, because they care about the global environment and wish to patronize eco-friendly enterprises and entrepreneurs. You could offer clients a choice of prescreened contractors and companies who pay you referral fees. (Do you see a niche green business referral website coming to mind?)

15. Environmental Information Specialist: Here one of the greatest green business ideas. Based on your specific environmental knowledge, you can write and sell books, e-books, local green business directories, and/or a subscription to your monthly paper or e-zine. Provide tips, new product reviews, and a listing of green sites and local establishments and other resources to help your readers save money while living and working greener. This would be a great niche website.