Buy Nothing Days every day. Except for maybe a bike.
A recent survey by Accenture interviewed 6,000 consumers in Europe, Asia and North America about their purchasing habits. Over 80% of respondents felt it was important that companies produce environmentally conscious products. In another survey by Nielsen, over half of all participants said that they’d pay more for eco-friendly products and services.
Now is a better time than ever to make your first business venture one with the environment’s best interests in mind. What’s more is that you aren’t constrained to starting a recycling company or becoming a solar panel installer. There are many great opportunities out there that are likely to be in line with your passions and skills.
To help inspire you, here are some low carbon footprint self-employment ideas to consider.
Ink Cartridge Refill Services
It’s no secret that ink cartridges are extremely overpriced, not to mention the waste associated with the packaging. This is why ink refilling services are in demand by both consumers and businesses looking to save money. In addition to being environmentally friendly, all you really need to get started is some ink supplies and filling equipment.
Online Trading
If you have a keen eye for numbers, then perhaps it’s worth considering a career in online trading. With enough experience, trading currencies or other assets like commodity or even cryptocurrency prices can turn into anything from a lucrative side income, to a full-time career. You won’t need much capital to start trading, which can be conducted entirely via an energy efficient laptop or mobile.
Selling Second-hand Books
Despite advancements in e-reading technology, many people still prefer the feeling that comes with paging through a traditional book. These days, you don’t even need to purchase premises, as you can sell your books online through fulfilment services. In doing so, you’ll be preventing countless amounts of paper from going to waste. If you are an eco hero consider classics like Spaceship Earth, Silent Spring, or Cradle to Cradle.
Cleaning Company
There’s money to be made in the cleaning service industry, especially if you can stand out from the competition by offering something unique. One such solution would be to use sustainable products, instead of wasteful and harmful chemicals. This is another business venture that requires relatively little capital to start and is always in demand.
Handmade/Organic Products
Do you see a potential demand for certain products that are otherwise only available in forms that contain harmful chemicals? This may be a great opportunity to start selling a natural, organic version of said product.
As awareness around the toxins contained in many household products today grows, demand for more health-conscious alternatives is soaring. You can run this type of business online and sell through a website, thus reducing start-up costs.
Tree Nursery
While it may seem more labour-intensive than other options on the list, business owners looking to open a tree nursery can start small. Provided you have some land to use, all you’ll need is the necessary seeds and some knowledge on suitable growing methods. You can even start a website and be paid to grow trees on behalf of your customers.
There are many more low carbon footprint business ventures out there to discover. Consider what you’d be most interested in and go for it before someone else does.
