home Business Ideas on an environmental theme. Eco-business in Russian: how to earn millions from the desire to eat right

Ideas on an environmental theme. Eco-business in Russian: how to earn millions from the desire to eat right

In the famous work of Mikhail Bulgakov there is a wonderful phrase: “To manage, you need to have a plan for a thousand years.” But how long does a person who wants to manage live? On average, 60-70 years old. At the same time, a person spends half of his life on something completely different: study, family, illness... What does this mean for each of us? That individually we essentially control nothing except [...]

This is a continuation of the article “Living within your means.” In it we will look at different projections of the material world from the point of view of economics. 1. FAMILY ECONOMY. Most often it is based on the fact that everyone should earn money. At the same time, people usually forget that there are more important tasks. For example: children need to walk every day, at least for 2 hours. When […]

Planting trees is not just a way to improve the environment, but also an example of a creative person. Such an example is of great importance in a world where laurels usually go to the consumer. What result does planting one tree give?.. It will grow for many years, making the air fresh and the soil around it fertile. Thus, the trees will grow and show which way is true and which […]

Residents of large cities often face a lack of parking spaces and excessive air pollution. At the same time, huge funds are allocated for the construction of waste processing plants, construction and repairs highways... All this is very ineffective both in terms of ecology and economics, because... every year the city needs everything more money. Do you want to see an example, like a regular [...]

Infrastructure is often taken for granted because it supports the stability of our Everyday life. You drive on the road, you drink water, you use electricity. If any of this stops working, it becomes immediately noticeable. But we must not forget that during the operation of the infrastructure, waste remains, which is processed, removed or left to rot. Many countries are struggling with the results […]

Everyone knows that garbage dumps are a big problem in Russia. Yes, Russia has enormous natural resources, vast territories, and therefore there is still room for garbage dumps. And the big Kremlin giraffe is so generous that it even accepts waste from foreign nuclear reactors… What we can do? How can we protect our grandchildren and great-grandchildren from […]

When people lived in nature and ate only natural products, they rarely got sick, and at the age of 30-40 they did not observe such phenomena as gray hair and wrinkles. What is the cause of premature aging of bodies? modern people?.. Most often - in unnatural nutrition. After all, if the diet is dominated by what you grew yourself, without the use of chemicals, and […]

Ecovillages are a fashionable topic these days. Criticism of this direction of social development can be heard from completely different people. The reason here is most likely that the idea of eco-villages is incompatible with the usual and convenient consumer approach to life. Despite all the difficulties, the tribal settlements continue to live and develop. The birth rate there is significantly higher than the national average. IN […]

Here is an interview with Glenn Croston, biologist and author of the book “75 Green Businesses You Can Start to Make Money and Make a Difference...”.

In his book, Glen discusses solutions environmental problems through the prism of business activities. Remember, I wrote something similar in the post “Environmental problem as a path to success”?

Glen, you are a scientist. How did you decide to write this book and talk about similar business opportunities?

As a biologist, I often come across information about environmental issues and I am very concerned about the impact of business activities on natural environment. And as a father, I have a strong motivation to try to change things.

I researched various environmental problems, and instead of just focusing on studying them, I tried to find opportunities for entrepreneurs to provide solutions to them. In fact, this is exactly how the entire book is structured.

We have significant needs for clean water and water conservation in various parts of the world. Therefore, the book has a separate section dedicated to opportunities for improving water supply...

Another section is dedicated ecological construction. If we have problems with the energy efficiency of our homes, then at the same time we have the opportunity to offer a solution. The same can be said for providing energy efficient lighting...

In fact, there are enough opportunities around every problem to build your business.

Would you say that the business ideas in your book are new business ideas that arose while considering ways to solve environmental problems? Or are these just traditional business lines that have simply acquired an environmental aspect?

I would say both. Some of the things described in the book are very innovative, businesses are just beginning to implement them... Others are more environmentally friendly options for traditional business...

Can any business be green?

I think yes. It is difficult to say what is an environmental business and what is not... I think that we cannot clearly distinguish between environmental business and non-green business.

I think it's all relative and depends on where your business is today compared to where it was yesterday, as well as where the rest of the industry is. If you demonstrate significant improvements and can demonstrate the data to prove it, proving the environmental benefits you have, then that is a positive step. This must be recognized.

No business is perfect. Even companies that have spent many years working hard to reduce their impact on the environment are not completely green. Nobody is. It's important to be on a path of continuous improvement and to be able to show people how those improvements are being implemented.

Glen, what challenges and challenges do you think environmental business owners face more often?

I think there are quite a lot of them. People still have many misconceptions. Many people still believe that environmental business is difficult and hinders development, a luxury they cannot afford. Indeed, many people still cannot believe that you can make beautiful things and still make money. But this happens every day. More and more entrepreneurs around the world are developing their businesses while preserving nature...

What advice can you give to entrepreneurs regarding marketing their products and services?

One approach that is being talked about is backing the words with facts and figures that can explain the environmental benefits that entrepreneurs create and develop by running green businesses. What differentiates you is not by claiming that your business is environmentally friendly. Show it and back it up with measurable results.

In addition, I think it is also useful to work with your clients and end consumers. Conduct educational work so that information about what you do reaches the community.

Another way is not to stand still, to continue to improve your products and services, to make them even more environmentally friendly. Take Toyota for example. Yes, they released the Prius, but they can't keep releasing the same Prius now. They should work further on the next generation - hybrid cars...

What does environmental business mean to you?

… This is something personal for me. I am the father of two daughters. So, maibune, what will happen in 2030 or 2050 is not something abstract for me. This is something that really concerns me deeply, and concerns, I think, a lot of people.

There are a lot of people in the world who really want to change something.

The environmental problem is one of the most important in the world: polluted air and water, radiation, radiation pose a threat to every inhabitant of the planet. In such a situation, your own home cannot protect you from everything. A person who buys a new home thinks not only about the price, appearance and its location, but also about suitability for normal life activities.

In such cases, companies conducting environmental assessments come to the aid of people. There are still few companies in this specialization, but at the same time, the need for their services is increasing every year.

A business based on environmental impact assessment can bring quite a high income, due to the large number of potential clients: these are the owners of houses, apartments, offices, etc. The list of services provided also includes many items:

Organizing such a company is not easy due to the specifics of the services provided. There are many nuances and requirements that need to be taken into account.

Documentation

When opening a company, you will need to spend a fair amount of time on business registration. To license your activities you need to collect following documents:

application in the prescribed form;
notarized copies of the Charter and certificate of state registration applicant as legal entity;
a notarized copy of the certificate of state registration of the applicant as individual entrepreneur;
a notarized copy of the certificate of registration of the applicant with tax authority;
document confirming payment to the budget of the license fee for the right to practice certain types activities;
a notarized copy of the diploma, which indicates compliance with the qualification requirements in this field (diploma of the owner or his employees);
notarized copy work book;
a document confirming the presence of a specialized laboratory, or a notarized copy of the agreement on the performance of analytical work (services) by organizations that have the specified laboratories;
document confirming the presence of electronic equipment, software, necessary for the preparation and execution of reporting materials, regulatory legal acts, technical and methodological documentation, scientific reference literature on the requested types of work, signed by the applicant;
information about the availability of practical experience with an indication of the list of completed projects over the past three years and copies of positive conclusions of the state environmental assessment on them (except for environmental audits);
notarized copies of employee licenses;
a notarized copy of the qualification certificate of an environmental auditor - for an applicant wishing to engage in environmental audit activities.

To obtain a license supplement within the scope of the type of activity for which there is a license, the following documents are required:

statement;
a notarized copy of the license;
information and documents in accordance with qualification requirements(to subtype of activity).

Some companies operate without certification of their services, but their conclusions do not have legal force, but are for informational purposes only. And, of course, their services are in less demand.

In addition to completing the basic documents, you should familiarize yourself with the laws of the Russian Federation regulating the procedure for conducting environmental impact assessments. IN federal law from 1995 provides information on the principles of state and public examination; studying them will also be useful.

Equipment and personnel

The amount you spend on equipment depends on the services you offer. Here is a list of the main equipment:

radiometer-dosimeter, used to measure radiation levels - 50-100 thousand rubles.
electric and magnetic field meter – 20-80 thousand rubles.
laboratory kit "Pchelka-R" is used for express analysis of air, water and soil pollution - 30-50 thousand rubles.
electronic psychrometer, device for measuring air humidity - 5 thousand rubles.
luxmeter - a device for measuring illumination - 2-12 thousand rubles.
vibrometer - the simplest - 10-15 thousand, with a full set of functions - 100-400 thousand.
sound level meter - 5-17 thousand rubles.
dust meter - about 80 thousand rubles.

To carry out and analyze measurements, you will need to hire an ecologist (with a salary of 25 thousand rubles), a sanitary expert (25-40 thousand rubles), laboratory assistants (15 thousand) and drivers (about 20 thousand). You will also need an accountant and a lawyer who will advise on the preparation of contracts and certificates with test results.

Room

Carrying out an environmental assessment requires not only special equipment, but also a laboratory. A novice businessman will be able to purchase equipment for measurements, rent office space and enter into a lease agreement with a laboratory in order to register the business. But in any case, in the end, you will need to find a room in which you will place both an office and a laboratory where the analysis of the data obtained will take place. The cost of renting premises for a laboratory will be 20-30 thousand rubles. per month.

Some companies make mobile laboratories “on wheels”, in which all the necessary instruments for measurements are located; they cost about 2-4 million rubles, rent - 20-40 thousand rubles/month. You will need a car in any case, since you will need to somehow get to the customer’s location. Therefore, a mobile laboratory will not be superfluous.

Examination technology

In general, environmental assessment does not require great effort, the above-mentioned devices are used for them, which can immediately provide approximate information (radiometers, sound level meters, etc.). The greatest difficulty is different kinds analyzes of water, air and soil, since to issue a conclusion one cannot limit oneself to collecting samples and some data. This requires a laboratory equipped for such purposes with various reagents.

If there are qualified personnel, the research will not be difficult, but will simply take more time. Some start-up companies submit their measurements to the SES, where they carry out the necessary analyzes. You can go this way, but it will also lead to unnecessary costs(about 3000 per analysis), which will increase the cost of your services. Therefore, it is better to pay attention to the specialization of the hired personnel.

When providing services, you enter into an agreement with the customer, which lists the types of measurements, their cost, the date of data collection and issuance of the conclusion. At the appointed time, the staff arrives and carries out the necessary operations, within 3-7 days the results are processed and provided to the customer in the form of a certificate. Payment is made, at your discretion, either before the documents are issued, or after the fact.

Investments and cost of services

Taking into account the cost of renting a laboratory and a car, equipment, personnel costs, registration, reagents and side expenses, the initial investment required to open a business in environmental assessments will be about 1-1.5 million rubles.

The cost of individual services is:

water analysis: general - 4.5 thousand rubles, radiological - 5 thousand, microbiological - 1.5 thousand;
air analysis: chemical – 5 thousand, microbiological – 1.5-3 thousand;
soil analysis: agrochemical – 6-11 thousand, toxicological – 3-9 thousand, radionuclide – 4 thousand, microbiological – 3-5 thousand;
radiation measurement – 3 thousand;
measurement of electromagnetic radiation – 3-10 thousand;
noise measurement - 6-9 thousand;
vibration measurement – 6-9 thousand;
illumination measurement - 1.5 thousand.

Typically, random or complex analyzes are performed.

Attracting clients

When developing a marketing campaign, it is important to consider psychological factor. Tell the client what the consequences of radiation, electromagnetic radiation, and air pollution are. Also use positive motivation: provide advice on improving the situation and eliminating identified problems. Give a discount for customers comprehensive analysis. Open a website that will provide not only information about the company, services and prices, but also articles about the environment, healthy way life.

Cherukhina Kristina
- portal of business plans and manuals

Today, consumers are increasingly turning to products, goods, and services that are made from environmentally friendly materials or help them be environmentally responsible and join the global conservation movement. environment. Therefore, running an environmentally friendly business today is not only responsible, but also profitable.

True, in many countries, including ours, this type of entrepreneurship faces many obstacles. As a rule, this is legislation that does not allow this type of business or even goes against the environmentally friendly ideas of today. The most striking example of this is the separate collection of garbage, which will not become part of our lives as a necessary norm, but is generally perceived as an eccentricity.

However, waste collection and recycling is far from the only business of this kind that can be built in the vastness of our country.

Types of eco-friendly projects and business ideas

So what is business ecology? An environmentally friendly business aims not only to generate income from the production of environmentally friendly products, as is the case, for example, in the case of eco-farms. Another component of it is the preservation of the environment and natural resources, improving the environment in the territory of one’s production or the planet as a whole. Therefore, there are many different directions in which environmentally friendly business is developing.

The following main directions of its development can be identified:

eco-education aimed at conveying information to end consumers about the possible environmentally friendly use of products;
creation of landscapes, construction, landscaping in order to maintain natural balance;
searching for alternative energy sources in order to preserve natural resources;
production of environmentally friendly products, equipment, goods, Vehicle and other things.

It is believed that the most profitable green business is in the field of obtaining energy from alternative sources: sunlight, wind, organic sources, garbage and others.

Eco-business activities

demographic regulation;
environmental education;
recreation;
human reproduction;
ecological reproduction, planning;
use of secondary resources;
resource-saving technologies, equipment;
measuring and control equipment.

Electricity generation

The very first sources of alternative energy that everyone remembers are solar and wind energy. True, today it is difficult to build a highly profitable business on them, since the infrastructure for their use has not yet been established. Most often, solar power plants and plants for converting wind energy into electricity are used for local needs. The main problem is to find a suitable place to install batteries or mills. In Japan, for example, they began to use abandoned golf courses for this purpose. They are very convenient in their landscape, are blown by the wind as much as possible and are heated by the sun all year round.

Eco-products

A business on eco-products can be built in several options - production and sales. Production involves opening an eco-farm where products will be produced without the use of chemicals, growth hormones and other dangerous additives. It can be conducted in the following directions:

livestock farming;
poultry farming;
growing various crops.

At the same time, it is important that the farm is located in an ecologically clean area; the land on which crops will be grown or animals will graze is also free of mineral fertilizers. Please note that some of them take decades to decay.

Another direction is the creation of a store selling organic products. With such a business, your task is to sell what the above farms produce. As an option, you can establish the production of food products from environmentally friendly raw materials: dairy products, sausages, baking and more.

Clean rest

One of the popular trends today is ecotruism. Its main goal is to provide everyone (usually residents of megacities) with outdoor recreation. Moreover, the territory on which recreation is offered must preserve its original appearance as much as possible. Tourists get acquainted not only with wildlife, but also with local residents, their culture, and the peculiarities of their way of life. Participation in Aboriginal daily life is often encouraged. At the same time, the main principle of such recreation is non-interference with the environment and preservation of its original appearance. Most often, such trips are organized in protected areas and forest parks. But recently, visiting small settlements for a day or more has become increasingly popular so that tourists can experience the local socio-cultural environment firsthand.

Eco-friendly tableware

The desire to save time on washing dishes and make them easier to use has led to the emergence of disposable plastic cutlery, glasses and plates. They do not need to be washed, which saves water, energy and time, and they are easy to carry. But this option turned out to be extremely dangerous for the environment - the issue of recycling such household items became acute.

The Americans have found an alternative that solves the environmental issue without compromising the comfort of use. disposable tableware. They make it from fallen leaves! The technology involves softening them with water, followed by pressing using heat and steam. No other components are used in manufacturing.

In addition to being as lightweight and durable as plastic, these cookware can be used in the refrigerator, oven and microwave. But the most important thing is that even after being used for its intended purpose, it can be used.

Firstly, it can be used as a food additive for hamsters, parrots, rabbits, even cats and dogs. Secondly, it can be used as compost for house plants. True, such dishes in America cost a dollar per plate. But, given the versatility and waste-free nature of the product, it’s worth it.

Dishes, packaging, etc.

Today in a number of countries there are special benefits for those entrepreneurs who use environmentally friendly products in their production and produce environmentally friendly goods. There is hope that soon we will have the same attitude towards entrepreneurs from the law. Therefore, when starting your business now, it is better to initially build it on the principles of environmental friendliness. In particular, try to use safe materials.

Such a material is polylactide, which in European countries is known by the abbreviation PLA. He gained popularity for high degree degradability. In the soil it decomposes within a very short time short term– from two to 24 months. It is produced from constantly renewable resources in nature: sugar cane and corn. But you can make a lot of useful things from it:

personal hygiene products;
packaging;
disposable tableware;
containers, including for medicines.

Wrapping paper

Who among us has not been concerned about the problem of perishable food! Many food manufacturers use preservatives and other dangerous additives to increase their shelf life. It turns out that you can achieve what you want in a safer way, using natural antiseptics - spices and herbs. An American woman, Kavita Shukla, came up with the idea of soaking a napkin with a solution of such components, and then wrapping food in it. It turned out that they actually last longer this way. By and large, you can create your own solution composition and use it to produce such antiseptic packaging.

Photocatalytic clothing

Perhaps, when such clothing becomes popular among city residents, they will come up with a simpler definition for it. But today this brainchild of two American professors, a chemist and a fashion designer, is just making itself known to the world.

The idea behind the garment is that it is made from two layers. The top one represents the clothing itself, and the bottom one represents the lining of photocatalysts. The latter are activated when sunlight hits them. By reacting with air molecules, they break down into radicals, which break down complex chemicals into simple and harmless ones, purifying the air around them. Caring for such clothes is also easy - just take them to the laundry.

Clothes made from milk

The idea of making clothing fabric from milk came to the mind of a German designer. The production technology involves the use of sour milk, from which protein powder is extracted. The raw materials are then diluted with water, boiled and pressed, forming ropes. According to its characteristics, the fabric made from these strands resembles silk and does not have any odors characteristic of sour milk. You can care for clothes made from it in the same way as clothes made from cotton, linen or other materials.

The environmental friendliness of the fabric lies in the fact that its production requires several times less water than when producing material from the same linen or cotton. For example, to prepare a kilogram of cotton yarn, 20 thousand liters of water are needed, and for dairy yarn - only two. Per kilogram of milk tissue will require 30 liters of milk.

How to warm yourself

The idea of reducing energy costs for heating was implemented by a Swedish company that oversees the national railway network. Company specialists estimate that less than 200 thousand people visit Stockholm's central railway station every day. Each of them is a unique heat source that can be used to heat a building.

To do this, special heat exchangers were built into the station's ventilation system, which use the heat of the heated air to heat the water of the heating system. Thus, the resources for hot water for the heating system save 25%.

Ecological dry toilet

Dry toilets that operate autonomously without connection to the sewerage system are already a breakthrough in the market of environmental goods and services. But human thought has gone further, and now such a toilet is a small plant for the production of biological fertilizers.

Inside the new generation dry closet there is a special electronic system, in which almost everything is automated: water pressure, drainage, sanitation, problem monitoring. The operation of such a toilet is monitored remotely by an operator, so the fertilizers formed during operation are promptly removed from the cabin, and a fresh tray is placed in its place.

The system receives electricity not from the mains, but from solar panels installed right there on the cabin. This allowed the price per toilet visit to be set at five cents.

Solar energy from under your feet

Dutch scientists have created and implemented a road surface capable of accumulating solar energy and converting it into electricity. They called this miracle Solaroad - sunny road. Pedestrian and bicycle paths are now equipped with new technology. The roads are built using concrete blocks, which are then covered with a special thin layer of crystalline silicone cells. It is this centimeter layer of silicone that accumulates solar energy. It is protected on top by a special coating of durable glass. From one square meter of solar coverage, approximately 50 kW can be collected per year. This is quite enough to ensure the operation of the roadside lighting system, including road signs.

Biofuel on beer

It is believed that the idea of using leftover brewer's yeast after beer production first came to the Japanese. Today it is readily used by breweries around the world.

The essence of the idea is that from a unit mass of brewer's yeast, 95% of pure ethyl alcohol, which is also called bioethanol, can be isolated. True, a car will not run on pure bioethanol. As a rule, only 10% ethyl alcohol is poured into the tank, and the rest is topped up with gasoline. But this move solves the issue of recycling beer production waste and to some extent eases the burden on the environment.

Bioethanol can be produced not only from beer production waste, but also from other alcoholic beverages, as well as waste from animal husbandry (manure), logging industry (sawdust), agricultural production (sugar cane, corn, etc.)

Biofuel from waste

It is proposed to use a similar mixture in aviation for aircraft not intended for civil aviation, that is, for freight transport. In this case, 70% aviation fuel and 30% biological fuel are used. The latter is made from ordinary garbage. The technology has been used by American aviation for many years, which significantly saves natural resources. At least 180 million gallons of this biofuel are used annually.

Accessories from garbage

Another idea for using municipal solid waste is to make various accessories and designer items. The English company collects waste paper, old furniture upholstery, unusable passenger belts, canvas, coffee bags, fire hoses and more. After processing, they are used to make belts, bags, wallets and other accessories. Thus, the company annually saves the world from tons of solid waste.

Eco-friendly trash cans

Another eco-friendly idea for recycling waste right at the point of collection. BigBelly containers are equipped with electrical sensors and transmit data about their condition to the operator via Wi-Fi:

tank fullness;
activation of decay processes;
the appearance of unpleasant odors.

When the tank is filled with sorted waste, it immediately begins processing biological waste into compost. As a bonus, such tanks are equipped with an electronic panel, on which various important information. Moreover, such devices operate exclusively on solar batteries.

Living cup

This idea of creating special eco-friendly coffee cups combines several eco-friendly ideas. Firstly, they are made from recycled waste: rags, waste paper, etc. Secondly, their production uses biodegradable packaging technology. Thirdly, plant seeds are specially integrated into the paper when making cups. The idea behind these cups is that after use they need to be softened in water for five minutes and buried in the ground. The paper part of the cup softens, and the seeds inside it germinate. You can simply throw away the glass, but then the germination process will take about six months. This is how the environment becomes greener. Moreover, such a cup costs the same as a regular paper cup - two cents.

As practice shows, the germination of seeds from such containers lasts for two years. The only problem is that they cannot be exported. First, not all seeds from other parts of the world can germinate in unfamiliar conditions. Secondly, the sanitary and epidemiological inspection simply will not let them through at the border. In this way, various plant epidemics and natural disasters are prevented. But this does not mean that it is impossible to produce such cups within the country using local green manure - plants that help prepare the soil for planting useful crops.

Compost from spoiled vegetables

A huge scourge of today's supermarkets and vegetable depots is spoiled, completely spoiled vegetables and fruits that cannot be sold. Often they are simply thrown away. But there are people who buy them for processing into compost and fertilizers for gardeners and plant growers.

Most often this is done by small farms that grow rain, California worms or prospector worms. They are the ones who process fruit and vegetable waste into a sought-after product.

Eco-friendly building materials

The so-called recycling, that is, the use of waste for re-production, is also used in construction. For example, today waste from metallurgical production and thermal power plants, namely boiler slag and furnace ash, is used to make building blocks.

Most often this construction material used for:

covering landfills for various landfills;
covering parking areas, highways, embankments;
construction of dams and dams.

This slag is also used as an additional component in the manufacture of other building materials:

expanded clay and aerated concrete;
cement;
ash gravel;
finishing ceramic tiles;
clay and silicate bricks.

In addition, it is used when backfilling thermal insulation.

Scientists warn: if the consumption of natural resources remains at the current level, a crisis will begin in the world in 2030. The economic recession does not delay, but only brings this hour closer.

In this regard, the UN has developed an environmental protection program - UNEP. According to the latter, business should develop according to the principle: produce more, using fewer resources, minimizing the negative impact on nature. Ecological business is not only humane, but also profitable. And we will tell you about the most interesting projects in the field of eco-business:

1. Wrapping paper impregnated with herbs and spices, keeping food fresh for much longer

We are talking about eco-friendly packaging napkins such as Fenugreen Fresh Paper, designed to combat the problem of perishable products. Napkins prevent mold, fungi and the proliferation of bacteria - for this, napkin sheets are immersed in a solution of exclusively natural antiseptics: herbs and spices (domestic startups can experiment with developing the composition themselves). And the first who guessed to impregnate cellulose with a special composition of spices was twenty-seven-year-old American Kavita Shukla - at the age of seventeen, the girl became the owner of a patent that brought in millions in income (after all, suppliers of fruits and other food began to purchase this product en masse).

Such an invention not only helps save suppliers money by extending the “life” of products, but also, ideally, will completely replace the use of plastic bags, which will improve the world’s eco-system.

2. Charity project: production of toilet paper, half of the proceeds from which are spent on building modern toilets

Don’t rush to think that this is unprofitable. If we talk about profits, then in six months of existence, an Australian-African project of this type managed to earn over a million dollars in net profit - most buyers show special purchasing attention to this particular brand, knowing the noble goal of the project. And this leaves all competitors virtually “out of business.”

It must be said that the incidence of gastrointestinal and other infections directly depends on the unsanitary conditions of street and rural toilets - and therefore this idea leads to overall national savings on medicines, and indirectly to the extension of many lives.

3. Automatic water purification machines

The idea was implemented by the Indian brand Sarvajal. The initiative group invented its own system for high-quality and reliable purification of water from local reservoirs (and even sea water) and turning it into drinking water. The machine allows you to pour untreated water into it and after a few minutes you will receive it in a purified version.

It would be appropriate and profitable to install your own cleaning machine in many provincial cities, towns, and suburbs of megacities in Ukraine and Russia, where the delivery of clean water is not established. For example, in dacha cooperatives with well water containing excess lime and sand (ordinary home filters will quickly fail if there is serious suspended matter in the water).

Note that in India, many local entrepreneurs have installed machines in their stores and pay for the rental of H2O machines. We wish the same for you.

4. Recycling waste immediately after it appears

And again let's go back to... toilets. Graduates of the University of California have designed a dry toilet that is not connected to the sewer system, which, using solar energy, converts waste into hydrogen and fertilizer (immediately after it appears, which dramatically reduces odors and bacteria in the air). Fertilizers are collected in a separate tank, from which they can be conveniently removed and used for their intended purpose.

Domestic inventors can start by at least recycling this waste using a connected electrical energy, and then begin to generate the latter using solar and wind installations.

5. Shoes and bags in exchange for design

Interesting business story: Spanish firm El Naturalista set out to produce shoes and accessories for poor street artists, many of whom have no means of subsistence. Artists act as designers of shoes and accessories, using their talent and drawing techniques. Businessmen, in turn, give them ready-made shoes, made according to the sketch of the tramps. After the shoe line received good feedback among critics, street artists have become full-time employees companies. In addition, El Naturalista makes shoes and bags exclusively from natural materials: vegetable dyes, recycled and biodegradable fabrics. It must be said that the cost of designer sandals (for non-hobos) starts at 100 euros per pair, and they sell rapidly among Spanish and Latin American hipsters. A portion of the profits also goes to charity, helping children in Peru and Tanzania.

6. Packaging materials and containers for rent

What do you do with cardboard packaging, polystyrene foam, plastic film after using them? Throw it away. After observing this behavior of buyers, one of the US designers implemented a startup - a service that makes it possible to exchange used packaging materials. For example, you bought a TV and instead of throwing away the box, you place an ad on a service (which takes the packages away from you, without paying you anything: you should use it “for the idea”, out of environmental consciousness). If you need to transport things, you can contact the service and choose the appropriate packaging material, paying small “pennies” for it - much cheaper than the same boxes if you wanted to purchase them new. This service is indispensable during the renovation process, as well as when moving. Of course, it is convenient for those who own large warehouse volumes somewhere in a distant suburb of a metropolis.

Among the eco-projects that are gradually becoming more and more significant, one more can be noted. This Russian project“Save the Tree”: the initiative group collects waste paper from city offices (most often, printer printouts that have become unnecessary) and gives it for recycling. Now more than 150 Moscow companies are working in this project.