Derek Markham, Author at Ecopreneurist

Derek Markham

lives in southwestern New Mexico and digs bicycles, simple living, organic gardening, sustainable lifestyle design, slacklining, bouldering, and permaculture. He loves good food, with fresh roasted chiles at the top of his list of favorites. Catch up with Derek on Twitter, RebelMouse, Google+, or at his natural parenting site, Natural Papa!

This Nonprofit Provides Free Energy Audits for Small Businesses

February 13, 2015

by Derek Markham

One way for small businesses to green up their operations can be through choosing a renewable energy source, whether it’s a rooftop solar installation or the purchase of clean energy through their local utility. However, a much lower hanging fruit for small business sustainability initiatives, and one that can have a big positive effect on the bottom line as well, is reducing the energy demand of the business. Of course, improved energy efficiency doesn’t sound nearly as exciting as getting…

The Benefits & Challenges of Sustainable Business

February 4, 2015

by Derek Markham

In this webinar recording from publisher Berrett-Koehler, Tom Szaky, founder of Terracycle, discusses the benefits and challenges of building and running a sustainable business with journalist Brad Edmondson. The hour-long recording covers a variety of topics of interest to green business and sustainable business owners, including how to stay true to your business values in the face of growth, how to avoid greenwashing in your messaging, and the opportunities and risks of partnering with other companies.

Wave Energy Prize Challenge Seeks to Halve the Cost

February 3, 2015

by Derek Markham

Compared to some of the other renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind, wave energy is still in its infancy (OK, maybe its early adolescence), and so far, wave energy advances haven’t yet come close to producing a cost-effective solution for electricity production. And yet because some 50% of the US population lives within 50 miles of the coast, if it were more feasible, both in terms of efficiency and cost, wave energy could eventually prove to be a…

Green Business Idea: Composting Food Scraps & Yard Waste

February 2, 2015

by Derek Markham

They say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and that’s certainly the case when it comes to organic waste such as food scraps and yard trimmings, at least if you are an enterprising composter. Taking a reliable waste stream, such as food waste from restaurants, grocery stores, and homes, and turning it into a valuable soil-building amendment is the basis of this green business idea, which Stephen Hanley, of our sister site Sustainablog gives us an introduction to:…

Disrupt Agriculture: A Startup Accelerator for Food System Entrepreneurs

February 2, 2015

by Derek Markham

This spring, four entrepreneurs with promising early-stage startups working in food and agriculture will get a chance to bring their dreams closer to reality through a unique startup accelerator program near Omaha, Nebraska. Disrupt Agriculture, which is the second accelerator program from Year of the Startup, will house four entrepreneurs in a farmhouse on an organic family farm, where they can take advantage of not only mentorship and startup resources, but also acreage and outbuildings to grow or make or…

How Sustainability Creates Value for a Business

January 29, 2015

by Derek Markham

This short video, from Sustainability Illustrated, explores how businesses can create value from their sustainability efforts. All too often, sustainability initiatives can be seen as something extra that has to be done, or something that takes away from the bottom line, instead of seeing sustainability as an integral part of a great business, which adds to the triple bottom line. Direct link to video

Eliminating Waste Could Save $2.9 Trillion Every Year

January 29, 2015

by Derek Markham

Originally published on Planetsave. By Piotr Jędrzejuk Did you know that McKinsey & Co. has estimated that the world could save $2.9 trillion annually just by eliminating wasted energy? The following video explains how… and so much more! In the video, Jonathan T. Scott, who has helped hundreds of companies in over a dozen countries save millions of dollars in costs, explains how and why businesses can reduce unnecessary expenses and increase profits by understanding the basic building blocks of…

Greening the Food Supply Chain (Infographic)

January 28, 2015

by Derek Markham

To build a more efficient, and more sustainable, future, it’s going to take a big effort across all industries, and while there’s been an emerging renewable energy evolution taking place (especially in solar PV, as the cost of solar continues to drop), and an increasing focus on water conservation and efficiency, there’s another huge area for improvement, and that’s in our food supply chain. The opportunities for greening the food supply chain can come from a variety of tactics, ranging…

Dell Honored as Circular Economy Pioneer at Davos

January 27, 2015

by Derek Markham

Dell, the IT company that aims to leave “a legacy of good”, has been leading the way toward more sustainable packaging in the tech industry, starting with its own, and partnering with organizations such as Goodwill for its e-waste collection program, but a recent award focuses on Dell’s contribution to the circular economy. At the recent Circular Economy Awards in Davos, Switzerland (an annual event that recognizes those individuals and enterprises making notable contributions in driving forward the circular economy…