Recently I've been extremely buried in my work. Searching and reading, thinking and writing, trying to better define some things about my role as an environmentalist and a marketer. Lets just say it isn't always easy to follow your passions. It takes a lot of work to find yourself, realize where you would like yourself to be, and position yourself in that niche. This week in particular, I've been looking into my community for examples of the work I'd like to do or even something comparable and, while I didn't find my area of fascinations, I did come across a few others I would like to write about this week. These small companies are all entrepreneurs doing green business in the Athens area. They each have a particular niche that they fill and I find it inspiring that they seem to have placed themselves right where they want to be.
Annie's Sweatshop
With such a quirky and almost alarming brand name, it's honestly a wonder this DIY pet accessory business hasn't gotten a little more publicity. Annie's work is based on her passion for animals, the environment, and art. She produces handmade dog products that range from beds to leashes and even scarfs all made out of up-cycled and sustainable materials. The owner of two adorable miniature dachshunds, Annie would like to influence tho whole world to be lovers of both pets and the environment. After all, there's no reason your pet can't play its own role in helping the planet.
A Small Green Footprint
I'm fairly certain I could hear in my head the simultaneous "awwwwwww" of future mothers out there when I opened up the homepage for this online shop (yes, one might have been mine too). A Small Green Footprint sells a collection of heavily researched and sought after green products for babies and small children that are all sustainable and safe for children. The site is run from their home in Athens and while they don't have a brick and mortar store, they openly offer that you can come by and look at the products they have in stock if you need to. I'm very impressed with this business idea on two levels. Firstly, as a future dad, it excites me to know that my child can grow up knowing their dirty diaper isn't floating in the ocean somewhere. Maybe that's a little crude, but it's an honest bother of mine as an environmentalist. On the level, what a great way to create value out of something that is already out there but, as Sandy writes in their "Our Philosophy," is often very difficult to find. She establishes credibility as a mother who herself uses these products and as a business woman who has put time into the research of the products. To me, the ability to both keep my child's environmental footprint down and not search the country over for the tools to do it is priceless.
The Cornerstone Floor Group
Have you ever wondered what happens to all the beautiful pieces of a house when it becomes run down and uninhabitable? Well hopefully somebody like the people at Cornerstone Floor Group find it. Cornerstone is a supplier of rare antique materials which they re-purpose for use in new architecture. Personally, I don't think it can be described any better than they did themselves on their "about us" page:
"Rather than view these treasures as immutable relics of the past, we envision a convergence of the traditional and the innovative, a historically and artistically informed bridge, which brings elegance to our modern lives." Cornerstone operates a full mill and coordinates with contractors who are looking to use re-purposed materials in their spaces. This helps to keep pieces out of landfills and reduce the overall waste that a house leaves behind. Even wood that was floated down the Mississippi as early as the 1800's have been reclaimed from their underwater isolation, where they sank too years ago. This team of artists and wood working professionals have a true passion for the rarities they handle.
I hope that you'll experience a few of these local businesses that are truly trying to do environmental business right and finding their place in eco-commerce. While it does seem to get difficult to find your own way to positively impact the planet, sometimes the best place to start is just by positively impacting those who already have.
Stay Green,
Joshua Lyon
