Paul Smith, Author at Ecopreneurist

Paul Smith

Paul Smith is a sustainable business innovator, the founder of GreenSmith Consulting, and has an MBA in Sustainable Management from Presidio School of Management in San Francisco. He creates interest in, conversations around, and business for green (and greening) companies, via social media. Who he has and wants to work with includes consumer, media, clean tech, NGOs, social ventures, and museums.

Recycled Paper is a Good Start, But This is Even Better

April 2, 2009

by Paul Smith

These days it seems everybody has some sort of recycled/eco friendly paper offering. So what’s the big deal about a Swedish offering making it’s US debut on Earth Day this year?

White Lines factory reuses their carbon emissions in a closed loop, making for zero CO2 emissions, for one. Then they offset what they can’t reuse (transportation, etc) via planting trees in Africa, as coordinated by environmental consultancy U&W (interestingly pronounced “You & We” in Swedish) The wood used for the paper comes from locally sourced, sustainably managed forests, and woodchip waste from sawmills. And every package tells you the precise carbon footprint, the materials traced back to the source.

And then it gets interesting.

Traveling Down a Different Route: Exquisite Safaris Philanthropic Travel

March 19, 2009

by Paul Smith

In our highly connected world, travel can happen from any number of means, catering to just about any human desire out there. So why should you bother with Exquisite Safaris Philanthropic Travel? For many reasons, the top of which being that when you travel with them, $250 goes directly to organizations and communities where you visited. No opaque claims of a percentage of proceeds or other such vagueness. You get emailed a copy of the Wells Fargo bank transfer, showing exactly who it went to.

Not something your run of the mill backpacker “eco adventure” travel agency would do. But then, Exquisite Safaris Philanthropic Travel’s main focus as a business is to raise funds for high impact non profits around the world, through the vehicle of memorable, powerful travel experiences, spending substantial time with local people in the regions you visit. Real, meaningful interactions, rather then pre packaged tourist shows. And at the same time you get a superbly accommodated trip.

How to be a Truly Sustainable Business

March 12, 2009

by Paul Smith

In these turbulent economic times, there’s two major approaches that can happen: tighten everything down and hope you survive, or create new opportunities, within your business or in a whole new one.

For those that choose the second option, there are several interesting paths to follow, and many places to find ideas to inspire which one you choose. Springwise is my favorite, with thousands of trend spotters around the world, writing brief, engaging pieces on companies expanding what’s possible. For quick scanning, they’re categorized by type, as in Eco & Sustainability, Style & Design, Non-profit & Social Cause, and Life Hacks.

This piece on Scout Books, sustainably made custom designed journals created for what Springwise calls “minipreneurs” is one example. Though this article was focused on how Pinball Publishing enables ecologically minded artists and innovative swag seekers to create high quality journals to their specifications in a relatively small run, suitable for selling on Etsy stores and the like, it was when I looked further at Pinball itself that I saw a dynamic business model well suited for these times.

Making Home Energy Efficiency Human, Doable, and (Gasp!) Fun

February 26, 2009

by Paul Smith

Ah, the magic of Twitter. I’ve been on there for the past year and during that time have become a green business hub of sorts. Every day, 10-20 new people “follow” me (choose to have what I say be tracked by them) One particularly interesting one was EnergyCircle.

In a miraculously concise statement of purpose, they say, “Our singular goal as a company is to take the complexity out of home energy.”

How do they do that?

Through telling their own stories. Exploring what’s going on out there. Teaching you how to best do it yourself. And know when it’s time to bring in a professional.

Would You Consider This Sustainable Clothing?

February 19, 2009

by Paul Smith

Writing for three green business blogs, I come across and write about my fair share of ideas. My greenwash filter is quick, swift, and merciless. And then you come across something like Wild Wool, and everything gets confused. The front page has pleasing images of piles of soft, fuzzy fabric and clothing, made from what it describes as, “…a 100% natural fiber product made from 60% merino wool and 40% paihamu spun together to make a premium cashmere-like fabric that…

Howie’s Shows How to Make Truly Sustainable Clothing

February 6, 2009

by Paul Smith

With all the talk of green clothing these days, one thing seems to be missing from the conversations: Sustainability. The old fashioned kind. As in how long it lasts. Yes, you can make clothing last by repurposing it into something else, but what if you’re just not that crafty, or don’t want to spend the time doing it?

How to Find Green Businesses with Your Phone

January 22, 2009

by Paul Smith

GPS enabled phones such as the iPhone, Android, and Blackberry have made getting around so much easier, and in the case of geocaching, more fun. But what if you’re a green minded individual, in a city you’ve never been to before, or even in your own town, and want to know what businesses have got what you want?

When Bicyclists and Opportunity Collide: A Green Marketing Innovation

January 15, 2009

by Paul Smith

What do you get when you’re in a town where bike riders rack up 8 times the US national average for bike commuting? An opportunity. Ads On Bikes is a Portland, Oregon based company that may have hit on a phenomenal way to make companies, bikers, and the environment all happy.

A New Resource On How to Start a Green Business

January 8, 2009

by Paul Smith

Here at Ecopreneurist, we believe in the power of sharing and building upon our resources and knowledge, so that everybody has a chance to accelerate the expansion of the launching of green businesses, and the effective, useful greening of what’s already here.

So it was a pleasure to learn about startingupgreen.com.