I’m an eco-entrepreneur, the publisher and editor of this fine site, founder of Green Options and Renewable Choice Energy, and I eat meat. I also drive a big van (made by GM at that) and I love jetskis and four wheelers. I’m an Eco Hypocrite.
So are you. So are most of the people I work with. There are very few people living a modern American life who are truly environmentally benign. I’m talking about an actual eco-even-steven life- eating only local organic fair trade small scale in season food, powering 100% of your energy needs (both electrical and transportation) with renewable, local fair trade energy, wearing and consuming things that are local, fair trade organic socially responsible LEED certified. Living in a house you made yourself using materials you extract yourself from the earth, building around the trees. Not breathing much.
I could have told you that for $50. People are lazy and it’s kind of hard to go green. It took us 25 years to get recycling in peoples heads, now we’re throwing CFLs and hybrids and fair trade and organic and carbon neutral on top of lowering the thermostat and putting on a sweater.
It’s a damn wonder Green is getting any traction at all. Its getting way better of course. The past few years has seen an explosion of Green awareness and media attention. Al Gore has been at the top pushing his very simple message of hopeful action on Climate Change. Companies like Green Options are coming on the scene with the goal of making Green easy for the average person. And of course, the recent acquisition of Treehugger by the Discovery Channel for a cool $10-15M validates the green blog/news space which shows there is an audience for green info.
Right now we’re in an exciting place for green business and media. I read the poll as an outright opportunity for smart eco-entrepreneurs to make a lot of money and help change the world for the greener. There’s a whole lot of people who want to go green, but don’t. That’s a huge opportunity.
It’s good to be green.
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Noelle dEstries
Noelle d'Estries, an early GO employee who took on the varied roles of Community Manager, green celebrity blogger, and more. She currently runs worstcookever.com GO entered Noelle's life in February 2007 while she was burning tires in her backyard. A phone call from the green gods at GO, burnt out the fires. Now, Noelle happily wears her GO sweatshirt while eating organic veggies and asking for paper, not plastic. A regular at the local farmer's market, Noelle shuns raking leaves and lawn maintenance, while making gourmet foods constantly. When not staring at her computer screen, she spends time with her equally attractive dog, Tessa, cat, Tim and lover Paul. She currently holds all three point records at RIT and could eat avocados and drink wine for the rest of her life.
3 Responses to Eco Hypocrits, Green Business, and how to make a bazillion dollars
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Have to agree with you on alot of it Shea. More people seem to be more concerned with what they say they do, then actually doing it. I asked various people that I work with to sign the C3 pledge and not a single one was willing to take it. It is a shame when so many say something has to be done but only a very few actually even try. After reading your article Shea I no longer feel bad about not giving up my 3 meat meals a week.
[...] We can all do more to to help save our planet and ourselves. ~TonyEco Hypocrits, Green Business, and how to make a bazillion dollars [...]
This cracks me up. As I had finished my blog for Tuesday, in it I speak about my Troy-Bilt Pony 17.5 HP Lawn Mower. At least you are being honest Shea, that is great. Going Green is journey, and more power to those who can negotiate making a living by doing that.
AJG