With Earth Day less than one week away, now is the perfect time to start thinking about green initiatives you can take in order to help the planet. Even if you can’t make the huge — and often expensive — transition to solar or wind power, there are many smaller ways in which you can make a difference at home. Even investing in some sustainable industries can help sway the market toward sustainable living.
Here are some of the most eco-friendly products and companies expected to take the world by storm in 2019.
Sip on stainless steel straws
Amidst the turmoil surrounding sea turtles and plastic drinking straws, many companies have ditched the product altogether. In fact, Starbucks is set to banish all plastic drinking straws from their stores by 2020. If you still love the act of slurping your beverage through a tiny tube, however, stainless steel drinking straws are your saving grace.
That isn’t to say that all plastic products are bad. After all, there aren’t 16,000 plastic manufacturing facilities stationed throughout the U.S. for no reason. The real point of contention revolves around single-use plastic products that take far too long to photodegrade in landfills.
It’s estimated that only 9% of all discarded plastics are actually recycled. Luckily, reusable straws and biodegradable straws have begun to pick up speed to combat this large plastic issue. Instead of hurting those harmless sea turtles, you can invest in one of these biodegradable or reusable straw options.
Change your shoes
More and more consumers have begun to take an interest in the materials from which their clothing is made. So far, footwear has become one of the most popular eco-friendly industries. This includes recycled plastic soles, recycled fabric uppers, and more.
Popular shoe brand Rothys has reportedly made shoes from over 27 million repurposed plastic bottles that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill. But they’re not the only brand that has developed sustainable manufacturing processes.
United By Blue has partnered with Canadian company Sole to develop a shoe made from bison fiber and algae foam. Among the 25 billion shoes manufactured each year, the majority are made from synthetic fibers. These materials don’t break down in landfills, leading to further environmental damage. By relying on alternative materials like algae foam, these products will naturally decay over time in a landfill. Talk about innovative.
If you’re looking to invest in new companies this year, shoe manufacturers should be on the top of your to-do list.
Invest in plant-based health products
Health and beauty products are one of those timeless industries that will always find a market. Between young people trying to lead a healthier lifestyle and older folks looking to stop the signs of aging, new products are developed every minute.
But more producers are beginning to build their health and beauty products with environmental consciousness in mind. So far, there are more than 10,000 products utilizing bamboo components across the globe and this is only expected to rise.
Bamboo has become a staple in the cosmetic industry. Between makeup brushes, fibers, and textiles, it has infiltrated some of the top brands within the industry. Even bamboo toothbrushes have begun to replace the plastic options we’re used to brushing with twice per day.
The health and beauty industry is a great investment opportunity when popular brands begin to implement more eco-friendly alternatives and products.
Digital marketing
Marketing is another one of those industries that will always be pertinent in a capitalist society. After all, people need help choosing the best products and businesses around; it’s estimated Google receives more than 63,000 searches per second, making this a lucrative business.
But few people know that digital marketing is also an eco-friendly business opportunity. All you need is electricity to form some of the most successful strategies in the world of digital marketing today. Should a company get its energy from commercial solar energy opportunities or natural gas companies, this looks even better. In fact, it’s estimated that U.S. businesses and homes are able to achieve 92% energy efficiency when using natural gas. It’s no wonder that digital marketing has practically put an end to cutting down trees for print marketing altogether.
When you’re looking for great investment opportunities, don’t hesitate to take advantage of some of these eco-friendly initiatives in 2019.
