- This topic has 0 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 9 years, 9 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Making some green by being green
On Earth Day, here’s a look at some small companies that are not only making a difference, but making a profit.
NEW
YORK – A small but growing number of entrepreneurs are managing to do
good while still doing well – making the environment a priority every
day of the year and posting healthy profits.
“As more and more
people are conscience of the environment, (starting an eco-friendly
business) has become more popular,” according to Steve Rosen, soon to
become interim CEO of FranNet, a franchise consulting organization.
And
these business are increasingly popular with customers too, Rosen says,
“because it is something that agrees with people’s social objectives.”
Fried
chicken and the environment don’t seem to have much in common. But
FiltaFry developed a micro-filtration process that significantly
extends the life cooking oil, which means much less waste is generated.
FiltaFry will come to a restaurant, hospital or hotel and clean the
cooking oil on location. The cost of an average cleaning, which takes
about an hour, is $46.70.
Julian Yates, who owns several FiltaFry
mobile units in the San Francisco area, says he is recycling about
10,000 pounds of oil a week – or about 520,000 pounds of oil a year.
And not only does the oil last longer, but it’s also cleaner, which
means the food is healthier too.
“I wasn’t looking for an
eco-friendly business in particular,” Yates admits, but when he
realized he could help the environment and make money, it was “an added
benefit.”
Packing peanuts and ink refills
PostNet, a packing and
shipping company with 500 franchises is the U.S., also makes reducing
waste a part of daily business. The company will gladly take your old
packing peanuts and reuse them in packing for other customers. In some
cases, they will even come pick up peanuts from retail stores and
locations. “That there is so much waste in today’s world is a focus for
us,” said Brian Spindel, executive vice president of the company. And,
the company made $232 million last year.
Rapid Refill inked it’s own
method for reducing waste. Since 2002, the company has found success
refilling and remanufacturing inkjet and laser toner cartridges for
printers, copiers and fax machines. Drop boxes in video stores,
supermarkets, bookstores and dry cleaners make it easy for people to
drop off their empty cartridges, instead of just throwing them away.
Customers can then buy remanufactured toner cartridges at Rapid
Refill’s retail locations for 40 to 70 percent less than the price of a
new one.
Dan White, president of Rapid Refill and a biologist by
education, estimates that the average Rapid Refill store remanufactures
5,000 inkjet cartridges a month, which would otherwise get shipped out
of the country and burnt as waste.
But they don’t stop there. “We
also decided you can’t be in the recycling business if you don’t walk
the walk,” White says. In each store, “the countertops are made out of
sunflower seeds, the carpeting is made from post consumer content… we
even use floor tile that was partially reclaimed building materials.”
Those
that walk the walk may also want to dress the part. Martinizing Dry
Cleaning has been around for nearly 50 years, but when traditional
solvent came under fire for environmental reasons several years ago,
the company jumped to adopt a non-toxic solvent called Green Earth,
which is less harmful to the environment. “It is costlier but we think
it’s worth it,” says Toney Strike, CEO & president.
An added
bonus: Strike discovered that some customers even go out of there way
to go to a place that’s environmentally friendly. Systemwide the
company grosses about $200 million, Strike estimates.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.