Natural Order

Natural capitalism has fostered the growth of organizations dedicated to environmental strategies that don't sacrifice profit:

• Business for Social Responsibility is an organization of companies wishing to sustain success while retaining respect for people, the environment and ethical values.

• Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economics is a coalition of investors interested in companies promoting sound environmental management.

• Co-Op America is a coalition of consumers and small companies with social and environmental missions. The site has hands-on tools and resources.

• Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) was started by entrepreneur Bob Epstein for business owners who are concerned about the environment but don't know how to focus their energies. Hundreds of entrepreneurs have made the $1,000 donation to the Natural Resource Defense Council required to join E2. Periodically, Epstein asks them to write letters or to call influential individuals about environmental issues.

• Greenpages.com is an online listing of companies selling environmentally friendly products and services.

• Sustainablebusiness.com gives entrepreneurs information about companies it calls "Early Movers"-those businesses that are involved in eco-efficient practices.

• The EPA has a special site for small businesses: www.epa.gov/smallbusiness/geninfo.htm. It provides documents and guidelines to environmental regulations as well as opportunities to participate in EPA programs. At www.epa.gov/opptintr/acctg, the EPA helps small businesses determine their environmental costs through the Environmental Accounting Project.

Joseph Conlin is a Fairfield, Connecticut, writer who specializes in marketing, management and the business side of the Web for several publications.

Contact Sources

• Commercial Interior Contractors Corp.
  (305) 636-3700, ciceloise@aol.com

• Political Economy Research Center
  don@perc.org, www.perc.org

• Rainbow Play Systems Inc.
  (210) 764-1375, www.rainbowplay.com

This article was originally published in the November 2001 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Natural Order.