Start a business, save the planet Ready to start a business but worried about the impact it might have on the environment? If protecting Mother Nature is what you've got in mind, you're in luck: More and more consumers are turning to eco-friendly alternatives to their favorite products and services, and more and more businesses are going green as a result. Need some organic inspiration? Check out these eco-friendly business ideas perfect for nature-conscious entrepreneurs. Consumer rewards programs are popular among retailers, and e-commerce site EcoPlum is no exception. With every purchase, customers earn "EcoChipz," which are redeemable for either rewards or a donation to environmental causes. Each product sold also carries a third-party green certification or an equivalent eco label. In addition to selling sustainably sourced products, EcoPlum produces educational content, such as monthly columns by industry experts, local green business listings, recycling information, eco-tips, and book and video recommendations.

Another retailer selling eco-friendly items is Eco Carmel, a Carmel, California-based home and garden store that serves as a local hub for products, services and advice on green living. Owner Kristi Reimers sells eco-friendly home products ranging from nontoxic paint to cutting boards made from sustainably grown wood. Reimers also uses her knowledge of eco-friendly materials to help local businesses and homeowners find ways to incorporate renewable or recycled resources into their remodeling projects. You might not think of construction as being very sustainable, but some companies are now providing recycled materials for use in projects like infrastructure repair. Axion, for example, with its eco-friendly products, hopes to change the way companies think about rebuilding America's infrastructure. The company's railroad ties and pilings are made from recycled plastic from consumer and industrial uses, rather than non-sustainable materials like steel and concrete. Axion is currently working with major partners, like Long Island Rail Road, to improve infrastructure safely and sustainably in the United States.

Organic or recycled fashion Credit: Fabric image via Shutterstock Organic cotton, reused fabric scraps and even plastic bottles can all be starting points for a green fashion line. Used Book Stores Pueblo CoYou can create silk screen artwork on eco-friendly T-shirts, or design handbags and accessories made of recycled materials. Red Blue Plaid Baby BeddingMany distributors brand themselves as "organic," "fair trade" and "eco-friendly," so do your research on their practices to make sure you're sourcing your fabrics from reputable organizations.Sliding Door Handles Flush Pull Credit: Mobile app image via Shutterstock Credit: Landscaping image via Shutterstock Professional landscaping may make the front lawn look nice, but all that maintenance isn't necessarily great for the environment.

With some eco-friendly techniques, you can help homeowners make their yards literally and figuratively greener. SheKnows recommends synthetic turf, drought-resistant plants and strategically placed trees for a lawn that saves water, energy and money. Credit: Event planning image via Shutterstock Whether they're big or small, meetings and events can generate large amounts of waste and consume high levels of energy and water. Green event planners can use their green expertise and event-planning skills to find eco-friendly venues, materials, accommodations and other considerations to help curb the effects that meetings and events have on the environment. By taking the environmental footprint into consideration when planning events, sustainable event management benefits more than just the planet: According to the United Nations Environment Programme's Sustainable Event Guide, sustainable considerations also have financial advantages and create a positive image for event planners while raising awareness and inspiring change in the community.

Credit: Air duct cleaning image via Shutterstock Dust, debris and other particulates that collect in ventilation systems can make a home much less energy-efficient. Help homeowners save money, gas and electricity by cleaning out their air ducts. You may need to purchase some equipment to get started if you don't have a portable vacuum, and a strong working knowledge of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) is a must. Spring is a great time for this business: Seasonal allergy sufferers will be more than happy to pay you to remove allergens from their air ducts. Bicycle repair and refurbishing Credit: Bicycle image via Shutterstock Credit: Organic tag image via Shutterstock Soaps, cosmetics and cleaning products are just a few of the household products that can be made using common organic materials. Sure, anyone can find a recipe for a sugar scrub or vinegar-based cleaning solution and do it themselves, but if you package and sell them in sets, your customers can have those all-natural products at their fingertips without having to use their own time and resources.

Local markets and events are a good place to sell, or you could start an online store. Credit: Eco-friendly image via Shutterstock Are you an expert on green living? Help others make their lives more eco-friendly by starting an eco-consulting service. These consultants evaluate homes and offices, and offer solutions to make them more environmentally friendly. This could mean advising people on how to switch to energy-efficient appliances or simply implementing a recycling program. Become a certified eco-consultant to boost your credibility with potential clients. Credit: Broken keyboard image via Shutterstock Most homeowners have pickup bins for standard recyclables like paper, glass and plastic, but they often don't make the effort to properly recycle electronics and batteries, which can be extremely harmful to the environment when left in landfills. Offer to pick up all the e-waste that's been collecting in their garages — old televisions, broken laptops, defunct cellphones — and bring them to your local electronic recycling facility.

Charge per item, by weight or a flat fee plus travel to and from the location. Trash compacting is another type of business helping to take the waste out of the waste management industry. In the U.S. alone, garbage trucks consume roughly 1 billion gallons (3.7 billion liters) of diesel fuel every year, according to InformInc. Companies like Bigbelly Solar are working to change that by using solar-powered trash compactors that reduce the frequency of collections, thereby also reducing emissions and fuel consumption. Trash compactors also reduce litter overflow, a common problem among public trash receptacles. Credit: Farmer image via Shutterstock Thanks to the ongoing organic movement, those with a green thumb have a golden opportunity to make money by selling produce at their local farmers market. Having naturally grown fruits and vegetables will give you an advantage over competing growers that use conventional methods. You may have to go through an application process and/or get certified by your local board of health to begin selling.

Visit Wikihow for more information. Credit: House cleaning image via Shutterstock Credit: Soil image via Shutterstock Home gardeners in urban areas or with smaller properties don't often have the space to start their own compost pile. If you can spare a corner of your own yard, you can create and sell compost to local green thumbs. It's a messy business (you're dealing with food scraps, lawn trimmings and worms, after all), but there's high demand for this all-natural fertilizer among organic gardeners. Farmers markets and community supported agriculture (CSA) organizations will often purchase compost in bulk and distribute it, or you can sell directly to consumers. Visit Eartheasy for composting tips. Credit: Shelves image via Shutterstock Don't let your old, broken furniture end up in a landfill. With basic templates and access to power tools, you can break down and reassemble chairs, tables and dressers into new pieces that you can paint and sell. Shelving and storage units are easy to make from wood scraps, but depending on what you have, you might even be able to bring a piece back to life in its original form.