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Green Entrepreneurship: A Method for Managing Natural Resources?

John C. Allena; Stephanie Malina a Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Anthropology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA

To cite this Article Allen, John C. and Malin, Stephanie(2008) 'Green Entrepreneurship: A Method for Managing Natural

Resources?', Society & Natural Resources, 21: 9, 828 844 To link to this Article: DOI: 10.1080/08941920701612917 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08941920701612917

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Society and Natural Resources, 21:828844 Copyright # 2008 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 0894-1920 print/1521-0723 online DOI: 10.1080/08941920701612917

Green Entrepreneurship: A Method for Managing Natural Resources?

JOHN C. ALLEN
Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Anthropology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA

STEPHANIE MALIN
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Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Anthropology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah
Globalization has often pushed aside the notion that business owners can use their businesses to create household income, influence community behaviors and values, and impact natural resource management. Here, we identify patterns of social awareness described by green entrepreneurs and how they may be drawn into the natural resource management process. We draw upon case studies of small green and green-green businesses to learn how they incorporate their businesses into environmental and social justice causes. A few themes emerged from in-depth interviews with a sample of green entrepreneurs, including: low levels of interest in economic success; high degrees of awareness about the businesss environmental impact; and high levels of concern for social justice. In addition, several constructs emerged, which included personal motivation and mission, locality, and a forward-thinking orientation about sustainability. The findings reveal innovative models for incorporating green business into environmental causes and natural resource management. Keywords constructs, ecopreneurship, environmental entrepreneurship, green business, natural resources

Say the word entrepreneur and frequently the image of an enthusiastic, industrious individual comes to mind: a person ready to tackle challenges and create innovations most would find daunting. Along with these images come the associations of high-pollution industry and adherence to the bottom line. However, as a new line of academic inquiry and social activism indicates, these latter associations are not always warranted. A new breed of entrepreneur is creeping up the business ranks, fusing environmentalism with entrepreneurial spirit, potentially moving toward a reorganized ecological society, as Michael Bell has suggested (Bell 2004). The new environmental entrepreneur comes not a moment too soon (Hardin 1968). As the case for environmental sustainability strengthens each year, societies
Received 30 August 2006; accepted 14 May 2007. Address correspondence to John C. Allen, PhD, Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Anthropology, Utah State University, 0730 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-0730, USA. E-mail: john.allen@usu.edu

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feel the need for environmentally concerned entrepreneurs. As Volery (2002) explains, the typical model of high-pollution, profit-driven businesses fails us now, as the globalizing population faces the finite nature of resources and their rampant degradation, the rapid growth of the world population, and the loss of biodiversity. Much of society finds itself awakened and receptive to the necessity of a different sort of business model: one that calls for sustainability and incorporates environmental concerns into its considerations of the bottom line. In the realm of natural resources, further inquiry into green entrepreneurship could one day help us understand how natural resource-dependent communities, which often deal with persistent poverty (Humphrey et al. 1993; Peluso et al. 1994; Carroll 1995), can harness the initiative of local entrepreneurs to create sustainable, lucrative businesses. With a stronger economy (Petrzelka et al. 2006), these businesses could help bring about greater awareness of natural resource consumption while also encouraging more sustainable economic growth in tourism and recreation. Finally, initiatives such as those surrounding open space policies (Kline 2006) may be better received in communities with visible examples of green thinking, introduced by green entrepreneurs. While currently the task is to supplement the scant literature and learn about the complexities of small green entrepreneurs, learning these details will someday allow the problems of poverty and natural resource dependency to be more thoroughly and intelligently approached.

Review of the Literature

As the literaturemuch of which originates in Europe and Australiareports, entrepreneurs may act as catalysts for change and advancement, in both an economic and environmental sense (Volery 2002; Anderson 1998; Isaak 1998; Krueger 1998; Pastakia 1998). Though the entrepreneur can be defined as a person who envisions new business opportunities and creates enterprises from scratchoften with limited resources and an abundance of risks(Schaper 2002a) it seems counterintuitive to think of an entrepreneur whose visions of new opportunity include concern for responsible resource use, sustainability, or social responsibility. However, even decades ago, it was asserted that entrepreneurs could bring about creative destruction by completely transforming the accepted modes of business operation (Schumpeter 1934). The belief that entrepreneurs cannot be environmentally aware, or do not care to be, is quickly becoming outdated (Porter and van der Linde 1995; Anderson 1998). A new kind of entrepreneuralternately referred to as a green entrepreneur or ecopreneuris fusing an enthusiastic business sense with a cognizance of sustainability and other tenets of the environmental movement. Ecopreneurs can be characterized or defined in a multitude of ways (Schaper 2005). For our purposes, ecopreneurs are individual innovators who see their business as embracing environmental values as a core component of their identity and as aiding in their competitive advantage in the marketplace (Gerlach 2002). Ecopreneurs act as agents for societal change (Anderson 1998; Azzone and Noci 1998; Pastakia 1998), due in large part to their unique and enthusiastic vision and=or their feelings of obligation to budding societal norms (Keogh and Polonsky 1998). Anderson argues that at their cores, entrepreneurs and environmentalists are not as different as they appear to be on the surface. He asserts that in their basic essence, entrepreneurs create and extract value from a given situation and that environmentalists also find themselves deeply embedded in social ideas of value (Anderson 1998,

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135). With their uncommon confluence of environmental concern and business savvy, ecopreneurs are in the unique position to do what most other businesses cannotincorporate and consolidate the value perceptions of the individual into the inner workings of an eco-friendly business (Anderson 1998, 139). While this is the case especially for small and medium business enterprises, much of the earlier literature focuses on the role of green entrepreneurship within corporations or large firms (Keogh and Polonsky 1998; Krueger 1998; Lober 1998). As Porter and van der Linde explained in an early piece, sometimes the corporate form of ecopreneurship stems mostly from concern about government regulations (1995). However, progressive environmental thinking can make corporations uniquely competitive in what is an ever-globalizing world market (Isaak 1997). Research indicates that simple adherence to regulations and reaction to the demands of an emerging environmental awareness can leave companies behind (Azzone and Noci 1998; Krueger 1998; Lober 1998). Others have turned their view to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (Schaper 2002b; Hillary 2000; Keogh and Polonsky 1998; Hillary 1997; Tanner et al. 1996; Murphy et al. 1995). Unfortunately, there has been relatively little work done on SMEs and their role in the environmental movement. In fact, as Schaper asserts, the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises is usually overlooked (2002b). However, with SMEs typically representing 95% of all private sector firms in most nations (Schaper 2002b), their cumulative impact is quite large. The limited literature points to a few central concerns involving the reality of SME owners. Though the research shows that SME owners tend to agree with generic environmental protection (Schaper 2002b), it is reported that they are generally more reactive in their adoption of green methods, due to their limited resources in comparison to corporations. However, these ideas can be negated when one considers that often the owner=manager of the small enterprise can see the forest as well as the trees because s=he has a hand in nearly every facet of the enterprise (Keogh and Polonsky 1998). Schaper suggests many future research foci for academics (2002b). He encourages researchers to delve into the nature of ecopreneurs in the context of SMEs: namely, how ecopreneurs may differ from conventional entrepreneurs and what profiles of such activists might look like (2002b). As a result, recent scholarship has produced a flurry of typology literature that broadly categorizes ecopreneurs (Taylor and Walley 2004; Isaak 2002; Schaltegger 2002; Kyro 2001). Taylor and Walley emphasize that differing internal motivations and external structural forces influence ecopreneurs. They created the following four categories of green entrepreneurs: innovative entrepreneurs, ad hoc enviropreneurs, ethical mavericks, and the visionary champions. Their motivations range from business concerns to a desire to change the capitalist system. The last, the visionary champion, is the most transformative, seen as an arbiter between two cultures (2004, 3941). In line with this last type of ecopreneur, Isaak differentiates between types of green businesseseither green or green-green (2002). Green businesses did not start out with environmental concerns, but make innovations along the way for either marketing advantages or because of ethical concerns. On the other hand, the ideal type of ecopreneur will create green-green businesses, which are thoroughly green from their inception. Importantly, the ecopreneur with this vision introduces the business in order to transform the sector of the market in

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which it participatesthe industrial sector, tourism and recreation, retail, or any other (2002, 2). Isaak presents several retail case studies of the green-green business model (1998), including Ben and Jerrys and Anita Roddicks The Body Shop. Despite such contributions, there remains a void in the literature on a few levels. First, there is a need to supplement the Australian and European literature with more American voices and experiences. With the United States being one of the most consumer-driven and resource-consumptive societies, it is necessary to understand ecopreneurship within that context. Furthermore, relatively little attention has been paid to SMEs and even less attention, it seems, has been paid to very small, locally owned businesses in the less urbanized pockets of the United States. Case studies of a few such operations in the United States can help fill this void.

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Methods
This study draws upon qualitative data collection and analysis. We see this study as not only descriptive but explanatory: descriptive in the sense that we are attempting to describe the phenomena of green entrepreneurs, and explanatory in that we are attempting to explain the relationship between the values, motivations, and beliefs of green entrepreneurs as they relate to starting and maintaining these enterprises (Bailey 1982). In our study, we utilize Kirk and Millers definition of qualitative research, which states that qualitative research involves sustained interaction with the people being studied in their own language, and on their own turf (Kirk and Miller 1986, 12). Therefore, to conduct these case studies we first developed an open-ended interview guide with questions pertaining to the motivations of the green entrepreneurs, their values and belief systems, the role of community and peers, and their visions for the future of their business. The sampling frame for this study used a purposive sample technique (Salant and Dillman 1994). We identified a publication listing sustainable businesses and identified a cross section of businesses that represented retail businesses. We also wanted businesses that had been operating for different lengths of time and that produced different types of products. See Table 1 for a detailed description of the business types. This study was undertaken in 2006 in the Rocky Mountain region of the western United States. We used 10 case studies of small retail businesses that have been identified as supporting sustainable concepts by regional directories of sustainable businesses. The case study method was chosen for several reasons, but primarily because we were interested in discovering our subjects motivations. We wanted to capture the personas of our subjects, with case studies serving to investigate a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, and because we deliberately wanted to cover contextual conditions, the case study method was ideal (Yin and Campbell 2003, 13). Case studies have gained greater credibility in the past years, especially for this vein of research (Schaper 2005), and are touted by institutions such as Harvard Business School for the possibility that sets of case studies can overcome previous issues with generalizability (Hoaglin et al. 1982). We interviewed the owners at their place of business and spent time touring the businesses with them. Two interviewers were present at all interviews and debriefing took place following the interviews.

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Table 1. Small and medium enterprise information summary

Swimming Hole Sporting Goods 1 SP 2 SP

Name 1 3 2

City Wood Rescue Local Farms Scientific Chemical Staff of Life

Fair Trade Beverage Company

Green Beans Natural Foods Organic Goat Soap

Sunny Cycles

World Handcrafts 1 Non-profit

SP

3 1 shareholders Corporation Corporation SP

832
200 1974 Utah Industrial production 30 2005 Utah Utah Cosmetic Food production retail and retail 2001 2001

27

Limited Simple Liability partnership Corporation 2 3 1 2004

5 2004

23 1981

All volunteer 2003

Number of 1 owners Legal Sole structure proprietorship (SP) No. of 0 employees Year Late 1960s founded Location Utah Type of Craft=trade business

1974

Utah Utah Coffee retail Food retail and wholesale

Utah Utah Outdoor Food production retail and retail

Utah Utah Fair trade Bicycle sales and craft retail repair

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Data analysis in this article relies upon the reconstruction of the social situations, groups, and cultural worlds in which the data were collected (Fielding 1986). We use a constructionist model of analysis, taking from our interviews the constructs that explain the phenomena of green entrepreneurship.

Findings
The analysis of our interviews and on-site tours of the businesses is presented in two forms. The first is descriptive. We describe the businesses and how owners perceive their relationship with the community, their environmental impact, and their values and motivations. These insights are detailed next and in Table 1. Our second section presents the themes that emerged from the interviews and presents constructs representing potential theoretical relationships among the themes generated.
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Case Studies1 Staff of Life has been open for just over two years. It is a production bakery focusing on high-quality, artisan breads. Its building is a striking structure, made from locally purchased peeled logs. Customers frequently sit outside at round, wooden tables on the patio. The building runs on a geothermal heating and cooling system and passive solar. The philosophy of the owner is keep it local, simple, and true when it comes to the business. She believes that by focusing on quality bread and a smaller market, she can make people think about what can be when it comes to locally oriented, natural products. Her motivation for starting the business was linked to a value system that focuses on family, the environment, and community. She buys local and sees herself as part of a larger social movement focused on healthy food and environment. She said that through education I hope that people will begin seeing the value of working toward a long-term sustainable system where business can generate livable wages for employees, owners, and make a difference in the long term. City Wood Rescue and Heirlooms is a sole proprietorship that draws upon environmental waste and creates high-quality wood heirlooms, mainly jewelry boxes. The owner does his handiwork within a large, wood-filled warehouse. The smell of sawdust fills the rooms, and work projects spill over in every corner. The owner has been working with wood since the 1960s and started his own business about a decade ago. His mantra is why bury a resource? as he explains that 20 to 30% of landfill space in the United States is taken up by tree waste. He says Im an environmentalistnot by choice, but by activity. The owners goals are to make a living, reduce greenhouse gases, increase landfill productivity, and produce quality heirlooms. Although nearing retirement age, the owner sees the Internet as a great opportunity to sell his product globally. He sees globalization as both a negative because of competition and as a positive because the new technologies allow small businesses to reach supportive customers. Green Beans Natural Food Market is a limited liability corporation (LLC) that the owner describes as a natural food store. Located along a main street in the downtown area, it provides customers with the ambience of two large, wood-floored rooms lined with organic produce, bulk nuts and granolas, and many other goods. The owner started the business because of local demand and believed there was a niche to be filled in the community where the health-minded locals could congregate. Environmental concerns were a foundation of his business values and he sees himself

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as part of a larger social movement. He believes strongly in childrens health and sustainable practices in food production and consumption. He says everyone is sick with something now and believes that through sustainable thinking everyone can access healthy food and practices. He refuses to support global food systems and wants to avoid selling out, wanting to make a difference in the local community through business and activism. Fair Trade Beverage Company is a partnership between a husband and wife started in 1974. The business is filled with the aroma of coffee, has plenty of art and unique decorations, and is filled with sunshine. One owner describes their business as a thirty-year-old, award-winning green business, focused on custom organic beverages brewed with Fair Trade coffees and teas from around the world. The owners were interested in environmental and social justice issues from the start of their business. They view their business as an extension of their values, having been very active in community change for over 30 years. They see their business as economically viable, but instrumental in alleviating poverty and providing alternative products. Their motto is take the long view toward social change. While the owners see their business tied to a global market, they are serious about acting locally. Their hope is that in the future their type of business will become representative of the mainstream. World Handcrafts provides fairly traded goods from around the world. The enterprise is located in a historic house, with colorful exterior paint and wood floors and high ceilings within. Masks, woven baskets, tea sets, and elaborate jewelry brighten up the inside. The owner, who depends on volunteers, is currently seeking nonprofit status. He views his business, begun in 2003, as one that supports our friends from around the globe, by helping maintain cultural traditions and alleviate poverty. Through education on sweatshops and Fair Trade, he hopes local residents will see that when they buy something they are voting on peoples quality of life. The owner sees himself as an environmentalist, as part of a larger social movement, and as someone interested in social justice issues, and his business as an opportunity to educate others about the trends of globalization that hurt those in developing countries. Organic Goat Soap is a sole proprietorship that has been in business for about four years. The business is located in the owners basement and their spacious home is filled with the scents of flowers and herbs. The owners use the business to express their creative sides and to allow the wife to be a stay-at-home mom while still being active in the community. The owners were motivated by health and a desire to have a business that incorporated their belief in organic, natural food and products. They saw a niche that they believed could allow them to give back to the community while providing high-quality soaps and other cosmetics. Even their children make soaps and give the proceeds to a local childrens justice fund. While the majority of their market is national, they are very active locally and see themselves as part of a larger social movement focusing on natural products, community, and the environment. Scientific Chemical is a corporation started in 1974. Though operated by one man now, at that time it was a partnership among three brothers. The business is located near the industrial segment of the community, and manufactures electronic data acquisition and data communication equipment. A large warehouse contains the comfortable, clean, and well-lit space. The companys founders were motivated by a strong desire to control our circumstances. The founders of Scientific

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Chemical did not intend to benefit the environment until their primary customers demanded more environmentally sound products. In response to that, the company began using powder coat paint2 about 10 years ago, in addition to cleaning electronics with fluorinated solvents. Though they waited to introduce the changes until the processes looked viable, expensive upgrades were made because the owners felt they had an ethical and moral obligation, not just financial concerns. Though the owners do not want a public reputation as environmental pioneers, Scientific Chemical supports environmental initiatives that come from its employees, such as their current bike park. Though the business is located within the area, they do millions of dollars in business outside of the community. The owner expressed little concern with globalization, except to mention that certain developing nations are unable to hold to some environmental ideals. Local Farms began 5 years ago as a labor of love. The partnership between two siblings and a brother-in-law was motivated by a passion for good food, for gardening, and for teaching people how to grow their own food. Local Farms is a smallscale family operation that grows shallots, eggplant, Swiss chard, and other produce. All produce grows in their long, xeriscaped backyard, creating a wonderland of edible plants. They believe in guerilla gardening and say anyone with a piece of ground can grow food and that it can be a beautiful, green endeavor. The primary outlet for their produce is the community Growers Market, a large Saturdaymorning festival with local vendors. The main operator in the trio also sits on the Growers Market board. Through this position, the owners can express their strong support for homegrown, homemade, and handmade goods. Eschewing the temptation to export their produce, the trio believes that staying local is key to starting a food revolutiona phrase mentioned more than once. Swimming Hole Sporting Goods began as an Internet company and has been a modest storefront for nearly 8 months. Located in a downtown shopping district, it is simple in its design and layout. This sole proprietorship sells outdoor sporting goods such as tents, hydration packs, and maps, as well as offering guides to and expertise about local trails. The owner wanted to start this business before I had to start working for somebody else. With her love for the outdoors, she figured this type of business would suit her well. Though she has a great love for the outdoors, and supports local open-space initiatives and other land access concerns, earning money and growing the business are her primary concerns. She does not want to have a direct influence on local values and believes that a retail business is not the appropriate place for environmental activism. She worries that such visible activism would claim her little spare time, as well as alienate her from certain potential customers. She recognizes that most of her goods are manufactured with little concern for the environment in factories abroad, but seems resigned to her inability to change the system. Finally, Sunny Cycles is a bike shop located in the historical district downtown, in a Victorian home with custom bikes and colorful decorations spread across the lawn. Inside, there is a wide variety of bicycles, helmets, tire pumps, and other cycling-related merchandise. The owner began the business back in 1981 and uses the store to provide a living, as well as an example to the community of how its members can be more ecologically responsible, especially regarding local air quality. However, the owner is always looking for ways to make his business even greener than it is. He reports that he would love to go solar and has brilliant ideas about packaging innovations. The owner expresses great concern for the need to keep

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things local, keep manufacturing decentralized, and reduce waste at every stage of production and consumption. When he attends trade shows he tells vendors about his concerns for environmental equity and workers rights. He believes that bicycles can help wean people off cars and overconsumption, and that the most important vote consumers have is their dollar. He wants to change the mentality and awareness of the local consumer. The creative energy inspiring his bike business drives his inventive pursuits, from new ideas about packaging bicycle tire tubes to hangers made from bike tire rims, complete with packaging that can be reused as magazine racks or storage containers. Emergent Themes Several themes relevant to social justice, the role of community, and natural resource management emerged from the case studies. These themes include: low levels of interest in economic success; high degrees of awareness about the business environmental impact; and high levels of concern for social justice. One of the most intriguing themes uncovered during interviews was the unique way in which these entrepreneurs view capitalism. Many business owners in this study fit under Taylor and Walleys visionary champion type of green entrepreneur. Not only did they show a genuine concern for social and environmental justice and sustainability, but very few of the subjects expressed a driving interest in making a personal fortune from their enterprise. Almost all of our respondents initially commented that they did not see their business as having any large economic impact on the community, despite employing local people and buying goods from local suppliers. When discussing this, the owner of City Wood said that his business had not made a profit in 10 years, but that my business is not about the money. Staff of Lifes owner informed us that in her business the bottom line is not to make a dollar at all costs. The owner of Organic Goat Soap told us that she has avoided compromising the quality and organic status of her product. When she was approached by a large hotel chain with a lucrative request for her soaps, she rejected their offer because she refused to make her soaps with different, less pure ingredients. This sentiment recurred in almost every interview, with the potential for large economic benefits low on the list of priorities for local green entrepreneurs. As the owner of Staff of Life commented, I have no expectations of getting rich doing this. I want to pay for this building, for quality ingredients, and for a living wage for myself and my staff. Instead of financial concerns, nearly every owner saw environmental responsibility as a vital component of the businesss identity. Fair Trade Beverage Company recycles everything it uses, even the used coffee grounds, which are given to local farmers. Their building was made from reused and nonhazardous materials, and the owners are working on developing more sustainable packaging materials. City Woods owner believes that his business keeps wood from clogging the landfills, which also prevents air pollution caused by burning wood. The owner of World Handcrafts delighted in showing us environmentally friendly Fair Trade products, including coaster sets made from tightly rolled newspapers, earrings fashioned from pop cans, and wind chimes constructed from old television antennas. Additionally, each of these owners expressed a desire to affect local consciousness and bring greater awareness to social justice issues. The businesses with a global supplier base, such as Fair Trade Beverages and World Handcrafts, believe their

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enterprises spread knowledge of other cultures. At the same time, they take comfort in knowing that their fair trade practices are improving the lives and communities of their suppliers. For those with local focus, social justice concerns were often expressed through donation to local childrens justice funds. Most owners repeatedly cited spreading awareness throughout the community as one of their most important functions. Most owners expressed the belief that it was vital to work for environmental and social progress at the local level, and that a ripple effect of growing awareness would eventually spread out of the local context. With these themes emerging, it became apparent that few of the ecopreneurs were attempting to fill an economic niche or make a fortune. In other words, the interviews being conducted were leading to a surprising discoveryregardless of the wide variations in age, trade, and product among our ecopreneurs, most shared a fundamental belief in the importance of environmental and social awareness above strict economic success. Interestingly, this helps to fill the void in the literature, especially in regards to SMEs (Schaper 2002b) and their relationships with their host communities. From these interviews, we find that SME owners are not as concerned with profits and filling green market niches as large corporations (Porter and van der Linde 1995). In addition, we are finding that the green-green business owners we have interviewed are deeply concerned with their interactions with their local communities, and feel their companies may help contribute to social and environmental movements locally and beyond. This is not a traditionally capitalist venture for most owners, but a chance to move their local communities toward a healthier relationship with the environment and a more progressive social hierarchy within their towns. As could be expected, exceptions to these themes exist, most strikingly in Scientific Chemical and Swimming Hole Sporting Goods. Though the former sees a need for environmental concern, its CEO expressed a reluctance to be active in the environmental movement. The owner of Swimming Hole expressed a similar hesitation, while focusing primarily on the economic viability of the company. These two companies remind us of the variations among green businesses and the fine line between economic success and environmental responsibility walked by these entrepreneurs every day.

Emergent Constructs Here we draw upon the interview data to formulate preliminary sociological constructs. These sociological constructs are formulated to add breadth and depth to our understanding of green entrepreneurs (Heise and Durig 2006; Balzer 1990). These constructs may mediate between society and the individual. As we analyzed the data, the sociological constructs that emerged included: personal motivation and mission (passion and humility); locality (community); and a forward-thinking orientation about sustainability (taking the long view). These constructs are visually summarized below in Table 2. What makes these ecopreneurs so exceptional in the business world is the uncommonly strong connection between their business and their own personal passions and values. Through our interviews, we discovered that it was not a passion for business, but for their craftbe it woodworking or artisan breadthat inspired them to start their enterprises. Combined with their environmental passions, this makes for some

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Table 2. Emergent sociological constructs in green entrepreneurship Examples Green Beans Natural Foods Staff of Life Local Farms What do they say and do?

Emergent constructs

1) Locality (community) Concerned with strengthening local ties within community

2) Personal motivation and mission (passion and humility) Started business to serve a personal passion for a craft and the environment City Wood Rescue and Heirlooms

Fair Trade Beverage Company and World Handcrafts Staff of Life

838 Organic Goat Soap Sunny Cycles Fair Trade Beverage Company

3) Forward-thinking orientation Want to influence values over the long term rather than make money in the short term

Buys local organic produce Buys local organic flour and wheat from regional farmers Believes that Growers Market and businesses like his can create a ripple effect which strengthens community Encourage fair trade to strengthen communities in developing nations The quality of my bread and environmental responsibility are one and the same. I am not an environmentalist by choiceIm an environmentalist by activity. Started business to do something about her sons allergies Inventive approach to packaging while spreading the belief that centralization of manufacturing leads to inertia against green businesses. To stay inspired about ability to affect change we take the long view.

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Sunny Cycles Green Beans Natural Foods

4) Sustainability Anticipating the effects of ones actions=business plan on future generations Staff of Life

The right thing to do is to soften your impact on the earth. Wants to use store as a public service statement for childrens nutrition Envisions his business eco-friendly building being around for generations

Promoting a durable lifestyle and business plan

The natural resources connection: Each construct reflects a concern for natural resources and how they are used. The focus on locality, especially buying locally, expresses an awareness of resources used in transport of goods. Personal motivations and missions of the ecopreneurs were guided largely by desire to conserve natural resources. A view toward the future and sustainability stems from a realization of the finite nature of the earths resources.

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unusual business owners. Such characteristics support the literatures contention that entrepreneurs can fuse environmentalism and business sense (Porter and van der Linde 1995; Anderson 1998) and that entrepreneurs can indeed be agents of creative destruction (Schumpeter 1934). More importantly, these case studies have shown something new; they have shown not capitalist contentions, but an uncommon mix of entrepreneurial spirit, passion and humility, and a sense of personal obligation to the environment and society. For most of the subjects, passion and a progressive view are deeply intertwined. As the owner of Staff of Life told us, The quality of my bread and environmental responsibility are one and the same. The owner of City Wood has a deep love of woodworking and his environmentalism has blossomed out of that initial passion, as has his business. When the owner of World Handcrafts first visited Guatemala and witnessed the negative impacts of free trade on indigenous women, he says that his life changed forever. For him, opening a store in which people could sell their handcrafts at fair trade wage made him feel at peace with his vocation. Organic Goat Soaps owners started their business after discovering that one of their children had very sensitive skin and would feel strong discomfort when using synthetic cosmetic or bath products. Though passion drives our subjects, it is tempered by their humility regarding their role in larger social movements. Even the economic impact they have on the town is minimized in their own view. Consistently, when asked what impacts they thought their business had, owners would stop and think, and then tell us in what little ways their businesses were helping the community. This was repeatedly the tone of the ownersalthough most own uncommon businesses, no one saw himor herself as being visionary. For example, when asked about her businesss positive environmental impacts, one of the owners of Organic Goat Soap did not think herself exceptional, though all her products are organic and either from her garden or bought locally. Though environmentally and socially progressive, she was far from marketing that image. Along similar lines, the owner of Staff of Life wants to bring awareness to the community, while avoid[ing] the elitist orientation of some environmental outfits. As such, this research has uncovered a new brand of ecopreneur. Not only do most subjects fit into one of the typologies offered in the literature, they go beyond that mold. In our case studies, we uncovered ecopreneurs with a passion for their craft, business initiative, and humility about their roles as social change agents; these are not your typical capitalists. As such, this research goes beyond typologies and adds depth and complexity to the existing categories. Locality and the importance of community were central for many of the business owners. On the one hand, a few of the food-oriented businesses insist upon selling locally grown produce, both to provide a quality product and to support local entrepreneurs like themselves. This concern often bridged their environmental and social concerns. Staff of Lifes owner buys all of her flour from a local mill, and wheat from farmers in the region. Wood from local municipal collectors and headed for the local dump is fodder for the proprietor of City Wood. The owner of Green Beans Natural Foods believes that buying local is one of the key environmental and civic contributions he makes. Local Farmss proprietors believe that focusing on locally grown goods will bring about a social revolution. Not only does buying shallots, eggs, honey, and rhubarb from local suppliers make for better produce, it also cuts down on fuel usage and other waste. Of equal importance were concerns

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that certain proprietors, such as those of the Fair Trade Beverage Company and World Handcrafts, had with supporting Fair Trade causes, which helped improve the communities of their suppliers. For example, the owner of Fair Trade Beverages paid a Fair Trade wage to women coffee growers in South America, allowing the villagers to move away from growing cocaine, to establish better infrastructure in the town, and even to offer women leadership training. Along these lines, 8 of 10 case study businesses desired to affect and improve the level of environmental and social awareness among fellow community members. Though none of these entrepreneurs portrayed themselves as particularly wise, all hoped that their business, their volunteers or employees, and their regular customers would help instigate greater local awareness. These findings also supplement the scant literature (Volery 2002; Anderson 1998; Isaak 1998; Krueger 1998; Pastakia 1998), in that they reveal the unique relationships between SMEs and their communities, as well as the possible role that SMEs could have in being active agents of social change. One final construct that was uncovered during interviews has two pieces to ita forward-thinking outlook, coupled with strong interest in sustainability. Most of our subjects expressed the hope that their impact would continue long into the future. According to the owner of Fair Trade Beveragesthe oldest company in our sampletaking the long view is warranted. She reports that since the companys beginning in 1974 the local area has incorporated many of the values espoused by Fair Trade Beverages. More green space has been incorporated into the town, a local Growers Market has been started and become quite successful, and awareness of Fair Trade has increased. This paradigm also encourages a concern for todays children and for future generations. The owner of Green Beans Natural Foods stated that one of his main reasons for starting his business was his desire to use his store as a sort of public service statement for child nutrition. The eco-friendly building that houses Staff of Life was quite an investment, but the owner built it not only for its energy conservation, but because its sturdy construction will help spread a green message after her lifetime. City Woodss owner makes high-quality jewelry boxes that he hopes will be passed down from one generation to the next. In addition, though he acknowledges that changing public awareness and opinion is a long process, the owner of World Handcrafts sees it as a necessary journey for his business. Furthermore, many of the owners provide local, organic goods to promote agricultural practices that are sustainable. For many of our subjects, concern for locality and the environment have been fused into an enduring concern for sustainability. Again, two of our case studies did not fit the emerging patterns. The owners of Scientific Chemical and Swimming Hole Sports expressed great concern with maintaining a mainstream business model. Locality and strengthening local community were not expressed as key interests. The chief executive officer (CEO) of Scientific Chemical would help his employees initiate certain green agendas, but was not interested in promoting ideals at the community level. Along those same lines, the owner of Swimming Hole Sports did not express concern with the local community and has little interest in influencing local values. In addition, consideration of future generations and the sustainability of their business practices were not main concerns for these two, and making an increasing profit was the purpose of each business. Overall, desire to be independent and grow a viable business were the main goals for these entrepreneurs. As we can see in Figure 1, the themes and constructs create one flowing picture of the motivations of our sample of green entrepreneurs.

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Figure 1. The relationship between personal motivation themes and community impacts.

These themes and constructs expand the available literature. Case studies such as these allow us to understand how businesses go about incorporating sustainability into their practices. More importantly, it tells us why they do it, what motivates them, how they maintain their visions, and how they have interacted with their communities.

Conclusions
At first glance these green business owners could be seen as moving toward the past, where community and locality were the primary economic and social regions and where quality craftsmanship was the key to economic survival (Allen and Dillman 1994). However, as we look deeper into the global information age, it may well be that the emergence of green businesses reflects a new social structure. In traditional agrarian society it was difficult to integrate family, community, personal values, and economy with larger social issues or movements. In mass, or industrial, society, workers generally separated their personal values and professional lives. In our analysis of these emerging business structures, we find that the business owners have clearly integrated personal values of environmental integrity, social justice, fair trade, living wages, and the development of high-quality products and services that are hoped to last generations. This new social and economic structure poses some interesting options for those interested in natural resource management and local economies. Integrating the voices from these business owners into long-term planning efforts could enhance the voice that argues for a sustainable approach to natural resource areas, social justice, and local economies. Researchers intrigued with this area of research could enhance the current limited research by asking questions about how these new SMEs evolve. Does size influence their ability to carry out a green agenda? Comparative analysis is another area of research that is important. The high level of social awareness of these sampled green businesses may be in direct contrast to traditional businesses. Research comparing business types would be of value. Natural resource scientists could focus on how green businesses interact with public lands via physical or psychosocial perceptions and behaviors.

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At this point, the emergence of small and medium green entrepreneurs who see themselves as activists and business owners provides alternatives to the us against them orientation between environmental activists and local community business support organizations such as chambers of commerce. As more businesses adopt green values, the opportunities for local economic viability, social justice, and environmental integrity seem not so removed from reality.

Notes
1. The names of the businesses have been modified as well as the names and genders of the owners to protect their identity. Slight modifications in the descriptions of the business have also been included for the same reasons. 2. This technique avoids overspray and keeps solvents from evaporating into the atmosphere. Fluorinated solvents reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
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