Are you looking to start a business that is both environmentally friendly and profitable? Many business owners have found it hard to get the right balance in the past, although with times changing and more customers looking to purchase from green businesses rather than support less sustainable businesses, it is more important than ever for aspiring startups to build their business with sustainability in the mind from the start.

Why Should You Start an Environmentally-friendly Business?

The average business uses between 15,000 and 25,000 kWh of energy a year, with larger businesses often using much more. This not only costs business owners a lot of money but also means they are contributing to a global climate change crisis that needs to be tackled urgently.

There are lots of ways existing businesses can become more sustainable, including using renewable energy sources, recycling as much as possible and providing employees with incentives to travel to work using public transport. Implementing these changes can go a long way to helping tackle climate change, although starting a business with sustainability in mind from the start makes it a lot easier to achieve a good balance between sustainability and profitability.

In this blog, we discuss 5 business startup ideas that are both environmentally friendly and have the potential to be profitable.

1) Organic Beauty Products

Consumers are becoming more conscious of the products they are buying, with many preferring to go with more eco-friendly brands even if that means a higher price. This means it is a great time for aspiring entrepreneurs to start a business in the beauty industry, selling all-organic and environmentally-friendly products. This could be a range of items from shampoo and shower gel to skincare and make-up. Not only are these products healthier to use as they don’t contain harmful chemicals or synthetic fragrances, but can actually be made more sustainable when they use ethically-sourced organic ingredients and recyclable packaging.

2) Open a Second-hand Store

There are three main options when it comes to opening a second-hand store. One is to sell items at a physical location, another is to only sell online and the last is to sell both online and at a physical store. The main benefits to selling online include not having to pay fees for a physical location and being able to start a bit smaller with less risk. The downside is it may be harder for you to find customers and you will have to implement a marketing plan to promote the website. You still need to implement a marketing plan for a physical shop although more people will walk past and enter if they like what they see through the shop window.

3) Start a Recycling or Waste Management Business

If you want to help a range of businesses become more sustainable, then starting a waste management business could be your best bet. There is a range of options when it comes to recycling businesses. One option is a commercial recycling company that helps businesses recycle bulk waste such as paper, cardboard and plastic. Another is a Skip Hire company, like Bailey’s Skip Hire, which delivers skips to businesses and households to put their waste in before collecting, sorting and recycling the waste. This offers an easy way for people and businesses to store and manage their waste for recycling so as little waste as possible ends up in landfills.

4) Open a Sustainable Restaurant or Café

Organic and eco-friendly restaurants and cafes have become a very popular trend in recent times. You can make your restaurant sustainable by using locally sourced organic food or by even growing your own food wherever possible. Many restaurants are vegetarian or vegan and will use reusable and recyclable packaging and sustainable cleaning and cooking products. Many will also reduce food waste by donating what they can and composting the rest. This not only makes restaurants increasingly good for the environment but using all organic, locally-sourced ingredients can also make the food taste amazing!

5) Plant Delivery Service

If you’re passionate about plants, then starting a plant delivery service may be the business idea for you. You can help decorate a wide range of commercial spaces including offices, schools, and public places with a range of plant displays. A great example of a company that does this is Simply Plants, who offer plant hire services to workplaces all over the UK. The main environmental benefit that comes from this business idea is that plants help to improve air quality by breathing in carbon and breathing out oxygen. Plants also have a huge number of other benefits including increased morale, productivity and mood-boosting qualities.

6) Start an Environmental Consultancy Business

If you are knowledgeable about environmental management and want to make a difference for businesses and organizations, then becoming an environmental consultant could be the career for you. Environmental consultancies advise organizations on sustainability, including their energy usage, impact on climate change, and waste management. It is the consultants’ responsibility to make a business more sustainable and therefore, with every business that you work with you would be making a difference and helping mitigate the climate change crisis.

Where To Start

Now that you have some inspiration for green business ideas you could implement for a new venture, it is time to start planning. The first step is to research and gain insight into your chosen industry. What companies are doing well? What promotion techniques are working? Are there any relevant trends you need to be aware of? You need to know everything you can about your competitors and the market to know what is currently working and why and what areas provide the best opportunities for your startup.

Once you know the industry inside out, the next step is to start writing a business plan for your idea. This should include how your business will operate, what resources you will need including employees and materials and what marketing tactics you will use to spread the word of your new business. You can then use this plan to launch your business and help with raising the investment and funds needed to start operating.

Jack Cousins is a Marketing Specialist from the UK who works with a range of clients, including many from the sustainability sector. Feel free to connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackc-cousins/.