Green Businesses Are Innovators
Green businesses are being led by some of the most daring and innovative minds in the business world. These businesses are reinventing whole industries and creating new ones along the way. These innovators range from those that simply build a better mousetrap to mad scientist types leading the charge into tomorrow.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk has proven to be one of the most innovative leaders of the sustainability movement. Musk head up Tesla Motors, which brought us luxury electric cars and developed new energy storage technology. He also founded SolarCity, a solar energy company. He has long been a champion of clean energy and continues to use his resources to push the boundaries of invention for a better tomorrow. In yet another bold move to spur innovation, Tesla Motors allows anyone to use its patented technology. Musk is sometimes referred to as a real-life Tony Stark (of Iron Man fame), as noted by Stephen Colbert on The Late Show. During the interview Musk stated that the “most important thing we need to solve this century is sustainable energy.”
AutoDesk
Autodesk provides innovative software solutions that are helping the whole world design more sustainably, and they walk the talk, embracing sustainable business practices within their own walls. Autodesk has implemented systems to reduce power usage at their data centers, and has committed to a goal of 100% clean energy usage. 32% of their offices are LEED certified, with more certifications on the horizon. Autodesk encourages sustainability with solutions such as AutoCASE, a triple bottom line analysis, and the company has a “design-led revolution manifesto” that seeks to change the world through sustainable design.
Pure Water Industries
Pure Water Industries (formerly Pool Services Technologies) is a small business that is big on innovation. This company looked at the problem of people needing to drain their pools every two years, wasting tons of water. The company found an innovative solution by creating mobile trailers equipped with a cutting-edge reverse osmosis filter system. This system allows the company to clean the existing pool water, rather than drain it away, saving 85% or more of the water in the pool. They even found uses for their mobile water purification services beyond pool maintenance, including disaster relief.
