Anyone who owns a business understands the cost of advertising. Just like product cost and other overhead expenses, advertising fees are a necessary expense… or at least they used to be. When I joined the family business a few years back, we were spending a good deal of money to promote our services. Whether we were sending out mailers, flyering parking lots, distributing door hangers or canvassing with posters, each cut into our bottom line.

While I was bothered by the amount of money were spending on these methods of advertisement, I was even more disturbed to see the unnecessary waste we were generating in the process. Not only did each method involve a paper product of some sort (non-post consumer recycled, I’m sure), the printing of our advertisement (non-soy based ink, no doubt) and the shipping of the material to our headquarters (and they didn’t arrive in a fleet of Hybrids). Also, I would argue that instead of being read and thus effective, many of our ads fell on blind eyes, or into the hands of the wrong demographic.

Enter MySpace. Given that I don’t have a conscious memory of what it is like not to have a computer, it only seems fitting that the youngest member of the family would be the one to usher the business into the MySpace world. When I first asked the bosses if our business had a MySpace page, they looked at me as though I was speaking another language and, in a sense, I was.

MySpace and other social networking websites are a great way to reduce, if not eliminate, the environmental impact of a business’ advertisements. For those not familiar with MySpace, it is a website that allows users to set up a profile and then find and add "friends." When a friend is added, they then have access to photos, updates and bulletins of all their other friends.

The business advantage of MySpace can be found when the availability of the target demographic is examined. As a restaurant and catering company, I was able to make friends with hundreds of people in my area who fit into my target demographic. The only thing this requires is a knack for keywords and a ton of patience. Once our business had a substantial friend base, we were able to send out promotions, updates and other tools of advertising… for free. Oh yeah, and did I mention, the whole process was totally paperless as well?

Not only did I have more control over to whom we were advertising, if our ads ended up reaching people out of our target demographic, it was no harm- no foul. This meant that we were wasting less money, saving more trees and more effectively getting our message out. Ingenious, no?

Given that my family is in the service and entertainment industry, the MySpace approach worked very well for us. If you are in an industry that is less conducive to MySpace, I urge you to find another social networking site that better fits your business. LinkedIn is a good site for larger businesses, especially those wishing to advertise to the general business community. Bebo is a social networking site with a general user base that is, in general, a little older than that of MySpace. In the end, it doesn’t matter which site you chose, as long as you are decreasing your advertising costs while, at the same time decreasing the environmental impact of your advertising methods.

Image credit: www.myspace.com

In nearly every post I describe the reasons business should go green. I tell you about social responsibility, about the fact that potential employees find sustainability attractive and the assurance that you may save some money in the long run. What if I told you that going green could give you a significant edge over other businesses in the same sector? Well, its true. Recently, the Carbon Beta Equity Performance Study came to the conclusion that there exists a "strong, positive, and growing correlation between industrial companies’ sustainability in general, and climate change in particular, and their competitiveness and financial performance." Basically, this means that companies who practice environmental sustainability have a competitive edge in their industry.

Innovest, an investment research firm, launched the study in order to better understand the effect of sustainability upon potential business investment. What they found was a much more substantial difference than most had predicted. In fact, the report found that, "In the longer term, the out-performance potential will become even greater as the capital markets become more fully sensitized to the financial and competitive consequences of environmental and climate change considerations”.

While this may be great news for some, it does not mean happy days for all. The report noted that the ’strong and postive’ correlation between a business’s performance and its sustainability was not necessarily true for every sector of business.

Further, the report found that potential investors are having difficulties figuring out which companies are truly sustainable. Because of inadequate reporting methods, investors have to do a substantial amount of leg work to figure out which companies have a comprehensive sustainability program in place, and this may be a deterrent in future investing. As the report notes, disclosure information is notoriously unreliable, inconsistently reported across companies and over time, and generally not validated by independent third parties… Emissions data alone provides less than 25 percent of the information a sophisticated investor requires."

The folks at Innovest think that the method of disclosure is a pretty big obstacle for investors looking for a truly green company. As founder Matthew Kieman puts it, "It is increasingly critical that performance-driven investors move beyond simply pressing for greater company disclosure," he said. "We are now seeing them begin to demand the sorts of investment tools, research and products they need to turn mere information into superior investment decisions and performance." Superior investment decisions, indeed! As business owners and conscious citizens, we really need to take measure that would ensure that investors looking to put money into a green company had the resources to make informed decisions. Not only will it be good for green minded investors, it will bonly serve to increase the green business edge.

I, like many other people in the United States, am not fortunate enough to live close enough to work that I can walk or bike. When possible, my co-workers and I attempt to car pool but with differing schedules, this is not possible 100% of the time.

One day at lunch I was looking around my office at the many, many people eating and talking, and it dawned on me: most (if not all) of these people rely on individual transportation to get to work. "What a shame!" I thought to myself. "If there was only a way to reduce the amount that people had to drive to get to work!" With a mass rail or transit system out of the question, because we do not live in a very densely populated place, I began racking my brain for ways to decrease the amount of carbon produce by my office in our collect daily commute.

Inspired by a comment from my mom ("If you are so unhappy with the situation, why don’t you just quit!"), I decided to attempt to not go into work. No, I didn’t quit. What I did do was sit down with my boss and analyze the work I do on a day-to-day basis, and which things I do that could be done from home.

While it was not an easy subject to approach, nor the most comfortable conversation I have ever had, I came out with a totally new work schedule. It was important to stress that I would not be doing less work, nor would the quality of my work decrease. Also, we agreed that if either scenario happened, that I would immediately return to my normal work schedule. Now, instead of driving to work five days a week, arrive at 9 am and leaving around 5pm, I have flexibility in my "office hours."

This is beneficial in two ways: First, I do not have to drive to and from the office nearly as much, as I have days in my week that do not require any "office hours" at all. Secondly, when I am required to be in the office, I do not necessarily have to drive in peak rush hour anymore. This is a significant improvement to my old routine, as I was wasting a lot of gas, and emitting a ton of extra carbon sitting on the highway in traffic.

Now, a friend of mine alerted me to the fact that I might be using more carbon to heat my house in the winter than I would be using to drive to work. This may be true in some cases, but if you take the extra steps necessary to winterize your home, the point should be pretty much null and void.

According to the International Telework Association and Council (ITAC), I am apparently not the first person to love the idea of working from home. If fact, ITAC claims that by 2010, the number of people working from home will increase from the current 26 million to an incredible 100 million. That means there may be 74 million less people driving to work everyday!

While working from home may not be an option for everyone, it is an avenue that I strongly suggest checking out. Before my uncomfortable discussion with my boss, I would never have though it possible that I could work from home.

photo credit- workingathomeopportunity.com

So you are a busy businessperson, I get it. You barely have time to do the thing that MUST be done, let alone the things that should. Often times, it is this reality that leads to environmental sustainability taking a back seat in the work place. No matter how busy you may be, there are a few simple things you can do to reduce your workplace’s negative environmental impact.

Pull the Plug — Is your microwave being used 24/7? No? Then why is it plugged in? While idle appliances don’t take up a ton of energy, think about all the small lights that shine, blink or flash throughout your office. Each of those displays requires energy to light up. Further, even appliances without lights or displays can consume energy when they are not turned on. Stand-by appliances can add a constant 50-watt drain to your power supply.

Your computer is a big contributor to the problem of wasted energy. Did you know that when your computer is completely idle, even if your monitor is off, it still is probably pulling about 100 watts from the wall.

Stop the Leak — You may not think it considerable, but the amount of water wasted from leaky faucets and other sources really adds up. If you notice a faucet dripping, or a spigot outside that doesn’t quite close, fix it! One drop wasted per second wastes 2,642 gallons per year. Now, that is not only bad for the environment; it is bad for you bottom line!

Make it a Double — While many of us may not think to take the time to change out printer setting, printing on both sides of the paper reduces your paper usage by … 50%! Halving you paper consumption is a great way to make a huge difference in your workplace’s environmental impact. 50% is a significant decrease and the only you have to do is flip the pages!

Cut the Chlorine — When buying paper products, most companies go for the cheapest stuff their suppliers have to offer. I mean, they are just napkins, right? Wrong! Paper products processed with chlorine are more harmful to the environment than those that are not. In fact, chlorine-free paper production uses 20-25 times less water. Moreover, the chlorine used in paper production can create dioxins that are poisonous to fish and can pollute water sources.

If your company is not ready to take the plunge into absolute greenness, you can do these five, simple things, and will be making big steps in the right direction! Hopefully, the energy, water and waste you conserve will help motivate you to do even more to become a sustainable business!

It may seem that anything available can be found in the green variety: there are green builders, natural cleaning products and eco-friendly clothing lines … but sustainable event planners? Yep! Seven-Star Inc provides a one-stop shop for all your green events needs. From planning to production, Seven-Star has incorporated their eco-conscious business model into every aspect of their services.

Now, you may be thinking, "green event planning?" Apparently there is an awful lot of environmental degradation happening at the hands of big events. As Seven-Star explains,

As planners, producers and consultants, our job is to provide easy, economical and practical solutions to reduce your event’s impact on the environment and society. Every event has associated negative impacts: Carbon emissions result from shipping, exhibitors and attendees use fuel for travel, waste is generated, electricity is used, the list goes on. Our goal is to reduce and mitigate these negatives, then transform them into more profit for you and positive PR for your event.

Seven-Star has incorporated their sustainable philosophy, known as eR/sR, into their day-to-day operations. eR/sR is an acronym for environmentally responsible and socially respectful. As the company notes, "We coined the term eR/sR to precisely describe the high standard we believe in: true environmental responsibility and social respect. It’s simple, it’s user-friendly, and in the world we live in today, eR/sR is synonymous with a powerful alternative."

Seven Star works to make every event, from street fairs to private parties, as green as possible. They work with their clients to reduce waste, ensure efficient energy technology is utilized, organize event recycling, and even facilitate the use of green decorations. According to Seven-Star,

[We take] a comprehensive approach to transforming an event, one step at a time. We begin by reviewing an events’ ecological footprint, taking energy use, waste stream and the quality of products into account. We then develop and implement an operational and product usage plan outlining steps to green the event on a specified timeline. We identify opportunities for material re-use, carbon emissions neutralizing and product conversion to eco-friendly alternatives.

The list of clients taking advantage of Seven-Star’s services is reads like a list of environmental "Who’s Who." From the Green Fest in Chicago, to the Global Exchange in San Francisco, Seven-Star is working on projects all over the continental United States.

Seven-Star’s committment to sustainability extends into the workplace itself: As the company states on their website,

At Seven-Star, we internalize our commitment and express it in practical ways. Our employees are served all-organic breakfast and lunch each day, and all of our employees are enrolled in a health care plan that emphasizes prevention. Meanwhile, our office participates in recycling and composting.

Needless to say, Seven-Star is a great example of a fully integrated green business plan!

It seems as though Seven-Star has taken the idea of sustainability and effectively woven it throughout nearly every aspect of their business. It takes a lot of planning and dedication to make a business as sustainable, both in principal and practice, as Seven-Star. In the end, Seven-Star not only provides quality event planning services, they also serve as a model for other businesses striving for environmental sustainability.

All quotes in this article can be found on Seven’ Star’s website.

As a small business owner, I am aware of the difficulty in making an existing business sustainable. Whether it is the lack of access to greener products, or just the lack of knowledge, there are many obstacles to overcome when trying to green a company. An interesting thing that I found when greening my own business was that the difficulties I was facing were also being faced by other small businesses in my area. So, instead of suffering individually, a few of the local businesses and I got together and formed green business group. Much to my surprise, the group has greatly reduced my struggles to go green. It is for this reason that I would like to share with you the benefits of forming a green business group.

Resources — Just as two heads are better than one, the collective knowledge of several business owners can be extremely valuable. While I may not have known how to install a greywater system in my building, the café owner down the street sure did! By getting together to troubleshoot, you can save a lot of wasted energy searching for answers that your group members may already have. Having trouble finding the right green products for your company? More than likely, other group members will have helpful tips about the green products they use. Also, by combining areas of expertise, business can use each other as sounding boards for new ideas.

Publicity — If what is good for the goose is good for the gander, then to see other local business succeed in going green should do nothing but help your own sustainability efforts. By joining green businesses together, you can use your collective greenness to your advantage. If every small business on your block or in your section of town is taking positive steps towards sustainability, than you can honestly advertise that you operate in a "green friendly zone."

Further, if you and your neighbors join together in a green business group, you can send out a joint press release touting the green-friendly nature of your businesses. Press releases are a great way to let the public know about all the great things your group is doing in the name of sustainable business. Whats more, by forming a green business group, you can create many opportunities for cross-marketing. Does the coffee shop down the street roast their own Fair Trade coffee? Why not use it in your restaurant? By seeing members of your green business group as allies in your struggle for sustainability, you can form a bond that can benefit all business involved.

Group Work — I don’t know about you, but my city’s recycling program leaves much to be desired. Not only do they refuse to pick up the large loads of recycling that my business produces, the times and days they offer pick-up service do not jibe well with my business’ schedule. Because of this, members of my local green business group came up with a recycling program of our own. With our combined efforts, we are able to recycle our waste on our own time, at the recycling station of our choice. The man who owns the business next to mine has a large truck, and every week each business takes a turn picking up everyone’s recyclables and taking them to the recycle station. This is not only time efficient, but it also encourages other businesses in the area to jump on board.

See, peer pressure can be a good thing from time to time- when the other businesses in our area saw the effort we were putting into our recycling program, they were encouraged to hop on the bandwagon! Plus, we are able to hold small, informal meetings to explain to newcomers exactly what can be recycled and in what condition it will be accepted. Talk about a grassroots approach!

Another neat way we all work together is through public education. As a group of business owners, we are able to hold small, fun events to educate the public on the topic of sustainable business. Whether it is a community round-table discussion or a found-objects arts and crafts day for local children, events are much easier to plan and execute when there are a number of forces working towards the same goal. Not only is this a good chance for the public to brush up on their sustainability knowledge, but it is also a great way for us to get the names of our businesses out there.

The first step in forming a green business group is to identify potential members. You can either send out a mass email through your local chamber of commerce, or simply rely on plain old fashioned word of mouth. Either way, the main goal is to attract other green-minded business owners to the group.

Next, you need to come up with goals for your group- do you want to keep your group’s purpose internal and really just act as a resource for each other in your attempts to go green, or do you want to focus on publicity and public education? While a green business group can easily achieve both of those goals, it is good to start off with one or the other. As business owners, we have enough on our plate and, if the group gets too complicated or time-consuming, it will be harder to retain membership.

Lastly, try to avoid stark hierarchies in the group. Because this should be seen as a collaborative effort, there is no immediate need for a president, vice-president and secretary. Often business groups do not succeed because of autonomy issues. To ensure effective teamwork, avoid making certain members seem more important than others.

If you belong to a green business group and have other tips for success, please feel free to share them below. Much of what I have learned in this process has been through trial and error, so any additional knowledge is welcomed and encouraged!

In business, even the most effective environmental program can be held back by employees who "don’t buy into it," or who refuse to put forth the effort required to participate. While educating current employees about the measures they will have to take to help implement the program exists as step one to making the greening of a business successful, step two is just as important. When looking for new employees, it is important that businesses today find people whose eco-values align with that of the company. It is for this reason that I want to outline a few ways to attract and recognize employees who exude the eco-potential necessary to make the greening of a business as beneficial as possible.

Advertise It: Employers usually have no problem identifying the characteristics of the people they are looking to employee. Ads will usually tout attributes like "self-motivated," "independent worker," and "reliable" … so why not "eco-conscious," "green-minded," and "earth-friendly?" If your company is looking to attract people with sustainability on the brain, go straight to the source: the job posting! Not only will a unique and honest post attract the right crowd, but it will also make your business stand out in a sea of potential employers.

Ask the Right Questions: Once a potential hire has made it to the interview process, the employer usually has a pretty good idea about the applicant’s basics: their background, education and similar qualities. It is at this point where it becomes very important to make sure you are asking applicants the questions that tell you the most about who they really are. While, "Where do you see yourself in five years?’" is a pretty straightforward question, it may not tell you enough about their eco-potential. A good way to get a feel for the greenness of a person is to ask questions about their personal life such as, "Do you recycle at home?" Another good question to ask is, "What do you do in your life outside the work place to contribute to environmental sustainability?" The depth of their answer will give you good insight into whether or not the applicant would be a positive addition to the greening of your business.

Make Your Standards Known: Instead of interviewing and training a potential employee only to find that their value set does not match well with that of the company, make your expectations known from the get-go. Although I have yet to see it, there might come a time when you find a candidate for a position who is resistant to the idea of working for a green company or, even worse, is reluctant to participate in the greening process. In place of hiring them with the hopes of changing their paradigm, it is beneficial to both parties involved that the discrepancy in mind-set be known early in the process, as to avoid anyone wasting time or energy. Further, make sure that potential candidates are clear about what is expected of them in terms of the sustainability program. If a potential hire is uncomfortable drinking water from a fountain, as opposed to drinking bottled water, then there might be a company where they would be a better fit.

Finally, hiring green-minded employees should really be every company’s dream. Not only can they be valuable resources when it comes to the development and implementation of sustainability programs, but they can also act as catalysts for enthusiasm about the project. Just as a stubborn employee can sink any good sustainability program, an eco-conscious employee can make it that much better.

Are you an Eco-Minded Employee looking for a job? Here a some good places to find work:

Eco-Employ- a site with a searchable database of green jobs, resume-tips and career advice. Bonus- it is updated frequently!

Green Jobs- a great resource for people looking to work in the alternative energy sector.

Sustainable Business- In the "Green Dream Job" section of the site, you can find a database of green jobs that is searchable by catagory, skill level and region — very comprehensive!

Whether it is Portland, Burlington or San Francisco, some cities just seem to give out that green vibe. So, what exactly makes a city green? Is it the number of farmers markets? Is it the quality of public transportation? Does it have something to do with the number of residents and businesses who recycle? Sometimes it is difficult to tell weather or not a city is truly green, or just gives out that crunchy, eco-friendly feeling.

Well, thanks to the United Nations, cities worldwide have a guide on how to become more authentically sustainable places. Drafted in 2005 and endorsed by the UN, the Urban Environmental Accords serve as a set of 21 principals by which to make an urban center more eco-friendly. Originally promoted by a group of mayors at the 2005 World Environment Day, the Accords have now been enacted in over 100 cities worldwide.

Acting as a manual for urban sustainability, The Accords outline a 21-point program that guides cities on both small and large things they can do to green their spaces. The 21 points are broken down into seven categories: Water, Transportation, Waste Reduction, Urban Design, Environmental Health, Energy and Urban Nature. An example of an action under the category of "Urban Nature" is "Ensure that there is an accessible public park or recreational open space within half-a-kilometer of every city resident by 2015." Further, cities earn stars for the number of actions, or points, they achieve, and the actual sustainability of a city can be judged based on how many stars they have received.

Unlike most other programs of its type, The Urban Environmental Accords are an effort that spans continents. By identifying urban residents with a movement much larger than most, The Accords foster a broad sense of involvement in and commitment to the worldwide community.
Aside from authentically accepting some responsibility for the environmental conditions of a city, The Urban Environmental Accords can actually help cities make some money. As Mark Weiner, a staff writer for The Post-Standard in New York puts it in his article, "City Saves $1M,"

A new effort to turn Syracuse into a green city is starting to pay big dividends, saving the city almost $1 million per year through environmentally friendly practices, city officials say. Those savings are expected to grow as Syracuse moves forward with a seven-year program spelled out in an international accord Mayor Matt Driscoll signed in November.

More specifically, Syracuse made an immediate move on some of the actions in order to compensate in the budget for the cost of others. Basically, the city temporarily robbed Peter to pay Paul, but there were no economic causalities. Put simply, while the initial investment cost that goes into enacting the Urban Environmental Accords can be considerably high, certain aspects of the program have quick turn-arounds and even quicker pay-offs. As Weiner explains,

At least $537,000 of the project costs have already been returned to the city through a state energy-saving program. Syracuse recently finished installing energy-saving equipment and new insulated windows in City Hall. The city now buys all of the energy for the historic building from alternative sources such as hydro and wind power.

Needless to say, sometime you have to go green to make green.

In the end, The Urban Environmental Accords are a concrete set of guidelines that really advocate the eco-principals that can make city truly sustainable. So next time you are wondering, "How sustainable is my city?" check and see how it stacks up with the points of The Accords.

Also, for more information on The Urban Environmental Accords, check out:

San Francisco Mayor Proclaims Urban Environmental Movement (CityMayors.com)

The Urban Environmental Accords — Environmental Justice for Some (Joel Makower: Two Steps Forward)

The Urban Environmental Accords

Note: The full text of Mark Weiner’s article, "City Saves $1M" is only available through the Post-Standard’s paid archive. Anyone interested in the full-text content can contact me, and I will be happy to dig through my archieves and send out a copy!

For those of you who do not live in Michigan, or keep up on its politics, it may come as a surprise to find out that our economy is pretty much in the gutter. Our unemployment rate is the highest it has been in nearly six months, and it seems the bad news keeps rolling in. With large cuts in the automotive industry, coupled with the dissapearence of jobs from such powerhouses as Pfizer and Visteon, the future for Michigan looks bleak at best… or does it?

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has some progressive ideas about how to get Michigan economy back on track. Recently returning from a brief stint in Sweden and other Scandinavian contries, Granholm reiterated her commitment to making Michigan a green state. Going above and beyond the usual ecopolitical jargon about how Michigan should be harnessing wind and hydroelectric power, Granholm went straight for the gold and put things into a perspective that matters most to the people of Michigan right now: economics.

Citing the creation of a new economy for Michigan, Granholm discussed her plans to compensate for the lagging automotive industry by strengthening Michigan’s alternative energy sector. She also made sure to note that she was working very hard to attract outside investments to increase the rate at which the sector can feasibly grow.

A good example of her commitment seemingly coming to fruition is the Memorandum of Understanding that was recently signed by a Swedish company, Chemrec AB, and NewPage Corporation, an Ohio-based business with mills and factories in Michigan. The memorandum outlines each company’s commitment to working together to develop plants in Michigan that would produce renewable biomass-based fuels in Escanaba, Michigan. According to Governor Granholm,

This partnership between Chemrec and NewPage is a great opportunity for us as we work to make Michigan the North American hub for alternative energy production…With its potential for biomass-based fuel production, this plant in Escanaba could put Michigan at the forefront of renewable next-generation fuels, helping to end our dependence on foreign oil while bringing jobs and investments to the community.

But not everyone in Michigan sees Governor Granholm’s vision as positively as she does. As Leah Burcat, writer for the Michigan Land Use Institute states, "Governor Jennifer M. Granholm’s efforts to make Michigan the ‘alternative energy epicenter of America’ is yielding some progress, but not nearly enough to keep Michigan competitive with other states, according to energy experts, academics, and government officials in and out of Michigan." In her article "Michigan’s ‘Energy Epicenter’ Turing Black, Not Green," Burcat discusses what many in Michigan believe to be Granholm’s biggest hurdle: the coal industry. Burcat goes on to explain that,

Many of [these] same experts and officials interviewed by the Great Lakes Bulletin News Service also pointed out that the two-term Democratic governor chooses not to talk about a very different, more potent trend taking shape in the state’s energy markets: The proliferation of new proposals to build coal-burning power plants, the dirtiest way to manufacture electricity… Citizens are already battling proposals for multi-billion dollar coal plants in Rogers City and Midland because such facilities cause acid rain, smog, mercury pollution, and contribute heavily to global warming.

So, the question many Michiganders have for Governor Granholm is, "Has your pledge to ‘go anywhere and do anything’ for jobs led us down a contrarian’s path? Are we preaching one thing, and doing the opposite behind the closed doors of big business?" As Burcat puts it, "The question… is whether that pledge should include using 19th-century boiler technology and an 18th-century fuel source to power a 21st century economy-and whether that will do nearly as much for Michigan as conserving energy and developing cleaner sources of electricity?"

With all potential hypocrisy aside, let just say for a minute that the alternative energy sector really was on the verge of taking off. Who would be qualified to work for these companies? See, the job diversity in Michigan is not what it is in other states- we have a very heavy concentration of workers, especially those over the age of 40, whose professional specialization lies somewhere within the production of cars or trucks. Therefore, to "boost the alternative energy sector" will mean much more than attracting new alternative energy companies; it will entail the retraining of nearly an entire section of our workforce, and that just covers the short-term.

In the long run, Michigan will need to adapt all aspects of its economy that funnel people into working for the automotive industry. Maybe this will mean modifying high school shop programs to include lessons on maintaining a wind turbine, or maybe it will require the creation of trade schools whose entire focus is various careers in the alternative energy sector.

Either way, training programs and specialty schools will both help to create a pertinently educated workforce and, in doing so, create a strong base for the expansion of the alternative energy sector. Yet, that leads us to the question of whether we run the possibility of educating these people just to have them leave for more desirable state economies. I don’t think so. I think that an educated workforce, along with an honest commitment to the alternative energy sector will give Michigan the help in needs to overcome the economic slump that is currently keeping us from being the economic powerhouse we once were.

This week the world mourns the loss of an inspired activist and entrepreneur: Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop. Sadly, Roddick passed away Monday at the age of 64. Known for her passion for the environment and her commitment to fighting social injustice, the passing of Anita Roddick reminds each of us of how far she was willing to go for what she believed.

Beginning in the world of business with absolutely no training, Roddick opened the first Body Shop in England in 1976. At the start of her business, Roddick made all the products herself, using only natural ingredients. After opening her first shop, she opened her second shop just six months later. Fifteen years down the road, the Body Shop had 700 branches and Roddick was awarded the 1991 World Vision Award for Development Initiative Award.

Needless to say, the immediate success was just as much a surprise to her as it was to the rest of the international business community. In 1993, in an interview with Third Way Magazine, Roddick explained,

The original Body Shop was a series of brilliant accidents. It had a great smell, it had a funky name. It was positioned between two funeral parlours - that always caused controversy. It was incredibly sensuous. It was 1976, the year of the heatwave, so there was a lot of flesh around. We knew about storytelling then, so all the products had stories. We recycled everything, not because we were environmentally friendly but because we didn’t have enough bottles. It was a good idea. What was unique about it, with no intent at all, no marketing nous, was that it translated across cultures, across geographical barriers and social structures. It wasn’t a sophisticated plan, it just happened like that.

During her long career as both a businesswomen and an activist, Roddick stayed true to her roots, playing a hands-on role in operating the business. In her conviction, Roddick was unwavering. In fact, her business was one of the very first to ban the use of ingredients tested on animals and to promote fair trade with Third World countries.

Aside from activism within her business life, Anita Roddick also went out of her way to champion of the causes that were dear to her. In 1990, Roddick founded Children On The Edge, an organization that works to help disadvantaged children affected by natural disaster, AIDS/HIV, war and disabilities. It is here that I am reminded of the famous words of Mrs. Roddick: "Pray for the dead, but fight like hell for the living."

Only confirming her commitment to benevolence, it has been reported that Roddick gave away her $104 million dollar fortune in 2005.

In the wake of the death of an amazing leader in business, philanthropy and activism, we can all be reminded of the impact one small business owner can have on the world. Let us all take this loss as a call for action, a call for greatness. If every business owner could act with half the conviction of Anita Roddick, imagine what massive social change could be actualized.

photo courtesy of AnitaRoddick.com