that GREEN blog

Eating Green, Living Green
Coaching for socially and ecologically conscious people


The Green Movement: Business Ideas for the Future

The buzz word is green. And you can turn that buzz word into a business. Here I have outlined a few businesses you can consider that will bring in some money and help the environment all at the same time.

Selling Green Cars
No not the color green, but cars that meet the criteria of being environmentally friendly. Are they hybrids? Can they run off of alternative fuels? What is the fuel source that it uses? These are types of green cars. More and more people are demanding better fuel efficiency from their vehicles and just as important they do not want them to run off of gasoline. Capital to start this type of business could be anywhere from ten thousand to a million depending on how large you want to get. But if you want to make a difference this is a good way to do it.

Organic Food
You see the stories on the news about health issues with food. From salmonella to ecoli bacteria outbreaks, how safe is our food when thousands of people are handling it? Organic food offers a safer and more natural way to putting good food on the table. It has taken root so strong that now there is even a certification to let consumers know that certain foods have been inspected to be 100% Organic. This business idea can go off in many directions, from growing the food, transporting it, to selling it at a store so capital here for this business is very broad.

Reusable Shopping Bags
This one has started to explode but overall really just in its infancy. Reusable shopping bags can be sold for any as low as one dollar up to thirty dollars depending on what is printed on them and the size. They replace the traditional paper or plastic question because with reusable shopping bags customers bring them with them everytime they shop. With more and more stores giving small discounts for every bag used this business will go nowhere but up. You can get in on this business for less than one thousand dollars if you find a grocery store to work with and even less if you can find food manufacturers to advertise in a coupon booklet that gets included in each bag when a customer buys one.

Green Financing
Last on our list is green financing. Last because this type of business will require some financing knowledge and course a lot of money to get going. This type of business lends money like a bank or private investor for the sole purpose of starting and running businesses that are green in nature. Capital could be significant for this business and it isn’t for the faint of heart. But if you have a mind for finance and could put together a team of investors this could be the way to go.

These green businesses range from the very easy to the very involved just like any other type of business. So do your homework before you begin, talk to some counselors at S.C.O.R.E, write up your business plan and make sure your dot your “I’s” and cross your “t’s” before you spend your hard earned money.

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The First Biodegradable Thermal Insulated Shipping Container!

I am proud to share this with you all! Scott Boboltz HBInnovations International, LLC 517-347-2224

LANSING, MICHIGAN – KTM Industries announces the launch of the world’s first biodegradable insulated shipping container for perishable products, the Green Cell FoamTM shipping cooler.The Green Cell Foam shipping cooler is the choice for discerning companies to protect perishable products during shipping and demonstrate environmental stewardship. This cornstarch-based shipping cooler provides a true ecological alternative to synthetic foams such as polystyrene without sacrificing performance.

“We are very excited about the market potential of this new product line”, says Tim Colonnese, President and CEO of KTM. “Millions of non-degradable foam insulated shippers are used one time to protect perishable products – especially for food and drug shipments – and discarded every year. We believe this is a terrible waste and unnecessary expense that can be avoided by using the Green Cell Foam shipping cooler.” Colonnese adds, “Traditional foams have been developed to last for hundreds – if not thousands – of years. They’re not biodegradable or sustainable. And there’s the mismatch: the material is used for a brief time – sometimes for only days – and then thrown away, where it will last for centuries. It doesn’t make any sense.”

KTM decided to do something about it and asked a local engineering firm, HBInnovations International, LLC (Okemos, Michigan) to help them design and develop a competitive and cost effective insulated shipping container to be used for single use shipping applications. “This is an amazing material” states Scott Boboltz, President of HBInnovations. “The physical properties of Green Cell are similar to that of expanded polystyrene, but with the important environmental benefits. The insulation values, cushioning properties, and ease of manufacturing make this material very competitive.It offers exceptional insulation for dry ice, gel ice, and wet ice perishable shipping.Upon disposal, rather than sending synthetic foam coolers to the landfill, Green Cell Foam coolers can be composted, where it fully biodegrades in less than 60 days. I would place Green Cell Foam at the top of the list when designing for sustainability.”

Colonnese believes the new product line will attract a wide industry segment, from gourmet foods to biotechnology. “That’s why we encourage companies to use, and consumers to ask for, Green Cell Foam, especially in single-use packaging applications. Green Cell Foam provides the necessary protection during shipping, and can be easily and safely discarded in a wide range of modes: composted, recycled with corrugate, dissolved and even burned. Short-term use and short-term life – that’s a match we can all live with.”

ABOUT KTM INDUSTRIES – KTM Industries is the exclusive producer of Green Cell Foam products in North America. Green Cell Foam is environmentally-friendly packaging foam, manufactured from US-grown, non-genetically modified cornstarch. It is 98% biobased and 100% recyclable as per ASTM D-6400 – a distinctly “green” alternative to more traditional packaging foams. To learn more about KTM and Green Cell Foam, please contact:

Tim Colonnes President and CEO
5597 West Grand River Ave. Lansing, MI 48906
Toll Free: 1-877-938-6738
Phone: 1-517-703-9140 Fax: 1-517-703-9150
Website: www.greencellfoam.com