"Green" Opportunities

**SSpiro** · 04-30-2008 08:47 AM

With the whole new obsession with going "green", are any of you entrepreneurs or investors seeing opportunities in this "new" market?

**jasaunders** · 04-30-2008 08:52 AM

Sure am. I'm involved in a $100MM project in this realm right now.

**RLorenzen** · 04-30-2008 08:56 AM

Green is becoming a huge trend. Consumers will favor your product over others if they feel they are helping the enviroment in some way.

The eco-friendly industry is hot right now. If you have the opportunity to enter it I would say do it.

**SSpiro** · 04-30-2008 09:25 AM

Hmm. Interesting. I haven't come across any, but I haven't been proactive in my search either. Perhaps I should be.

I just wonder what the shelf life is on this.. if its a fad or if its a long term market..

**jasaunders** · 04-30-2008 09:26 AM

The problem you will run into, which we have been dealing with, is developing any type of IRR or NPV. In a sense, the demand drivers are imaginery. Companies are taking up green efforts as a marketing ploy with no real bottom line benefit to the firm. Sure, consumers are buying more 'green' products and care more about services from green companies, but not on the level its hyped. In a sense, there is significant saturation in many of the green markets, whether it be for products, buildings, GHG emissions, or other areas. There have been many failed or nearly failed green efforts to date and there are many more to come. If you just look at a high level internationally, there are dozens of failed green mark programs that have gone no where.

**RLorenzen** · 04-30-2008 09:38 AM

Originally Posted by SSpiro

I just wonder what the shelf life is on this.. if its a fad or if its a long term market..

That depends. I think that if we don't see any negative effects from global warming within the next two years or so people will start to deem the theory incredible and the green theme will quickly die off. On the other hand, if scientists find more evidence that conditions are actually worsening, then this trend will stick around for a while.

**SSpiro** · 04-30-2008 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by jasaunders

The problem you will run into, which we have been dealing with, is developing any type of IRR or NPV. In a sense, the demand drivers are imaginery. Companies are taking up green efforts as a marketing ploy with no real bottom line benefit to the firm. Sure, consumers are buying more 'green' products and care more about services from green companies, but not on the level its hyped. In a sense, there is significant saturation in many of the green markets, whether it be for products, buildings, GHG emissions, or other areas. There have been many failed or nearly failed green efforts to date and there are many more to come. If you just look at a high level internationally, there are dozens of failed green mark programs that have gone no where.

So what do you see succeeding?

I think you're right.. I think companies are using this as a ploy to grow business.

**jasaunders** · 04-30-2008 10:51 AM

I don't have any predictions on what will succeed. The only advice I could give is research, research, research. There is so much information out there in this field. You won't be able to digest it all yourself. You will need to find strategic partners and utilize information from other resources, whether it be nonprofits, EPA, government, consultants, industry associations, standard associations, etc...
I think a key to being successful is taking advantage of key channel partners that won't threaten the business's existence or independence.

**rogercbryan** · 04-30-2008 12:36 PM

I'm still trying to find a non-profit in this market segment to work with. The hard part is finding one with a national footprint that can utilize my fund raising tactics properly.

**jasaunders** · 04-30-2008 12:54 PM

I know of a dozen nonprofits in this industry, from ones that lobby the government to organizations that help with environmental standards. What specifically are you looking for?

**SSpiro** · 04-30-2008 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by rogercbryan

I'm still trying to find a non-profit in this market segment to work with. The hard part is finding one with a national footprint that can utilize my fund raising tactics properly.

To invest in?

**PhilFreecash** · 04-30-2008 02:15 PM

Green is very much so the future to our world. It may seem like a fad right now because its a fairly new "trend" but technology is allowing us to create energy efficient items/designs at low costs which is very beneficiary. If someone can build a "green" home and use energy efficient appliances that run off energy produced by the home itself (ie. solar/wind) for the same cost, then why not. Man kinds effects on the world will be huge if we don't start considering "green" ways. That is my opinion and I am not a tree hugger.

**rogercbryan** · 04-30-2008 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by jasaunders

I know of a dozen nonprofits in this industry, from ones that lobby the government to organizations that help with environmental standards. What specifically are you looking for?

I'm looking for an organization that would be interested in doing either vehicle or clothing recycling. There are a lot of ways to brand this so that it would fit the charter of the actual non-profit. These are basically fund raising ventures that at the same time have an environmental appeal. 'Recycling' of cars is big business right now yet I have yet to see a 'Green Organization' take advantage of this. If you have any ideas I'd love to talk more about this.