MICRO BUSINESSES GO GREEN
By Laurel Shackelford

Can a very small business go green without going under?

Recognizing the odds that are stacked against small businesses, many entrepreneurs focus on making money and plan on attending to the earth's survival later. But some Women's Initiative graduates aren't listening. Instead, from Day One they place a priority on conserving natural resources, minimizing waste and recycling.

"Going green" and "eco-friendly" are general terms that refer to efforts to promote the longevity of systems upon which human life depends, including agriculture, industry, development and natural resources. In short, owners of "green" businesses make choices and adapt their practices to sustain renewable resources.

A recent Women's Initiative survey indicates that a majority of the organization's graduates say they use some environmentally friendly practices in their business. For most that means taking basic steps, such as using low-wattage light bulbs, recycling paper and saving fossil fuels by buying supplies from local vendors.

Other Women's Initiative graduates are doing much more. These profiles of 10 businesses started by Women's Initiative graduates show that some are making a significant effort to be environmentally friendly. Two businesses have been certified green by a government agency. Three use practices aimed at sustaining the earth's resources to ensure their availability for future generations. Five engage in creative recycling.

Keep in mind all ten businesses are exceedingly small. The U.S. government defines a small business as having fewer than 100 employees. Each of these businesses has, at most, a handful of employees.

Down to Earth Landscape
Jesy Goldhammer, owner and landscape contractor

Description: Provides landscape construction and design, irrigation repair and installation and organic maintenance to residential and commercial clients in the Bay Area. Services include designing and building gardens, patios, paths, walls and fences. "We see landscaping as an art; integrating color, textures and natural materials."

Down to Earth Landscape was certified green by StopWaste.Org, the Alameda County Waste Management Authority and the Alameda County Source Reduction and Recycling Board. Certification means that Jesy Goldhammer participated in a comprehensive training program and received instruction regarding how to work with nature to reduce waste, conserve valuable resources, prevent pollution and choose plants appropriate to the environment.

Jesy Goldhammer takes an ecologically based, holistic approach to the management of urban landscapes by: conserving water, energy and topsoil; finding ways to reduce waste; recycling materials and using recycled containers and other goods; nurturing healthy soils while reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers; using integrated pest management to minimize chemical use and reducing storm run-off and creating wildlife habitat.

Specific techniques that Jesy Goldhammer uses to achieve these goals include:
• Protecting air quality by regularly buying new trucks and motorized equipment to reduce harmful emissions
• Buying lumber from local dealers that get wood from California forests
• Reducing landfill waste by encouraging clients not to plant hedges and other plants requiring regular trimming with gas tools, creating more waste in landfills
• Conserving water use through smart irrigation and landscape design and using Mediterranean plants appropriate to the area
• Collaborating with nurseries to reuse hard plastic plant containers
• Using organic fertilizer made from bone and blood meal instead of commercial fertilizers that typically contain chemicals that leach back into the groundwater and harm habitat and soil.

Highlights from the Women's Initiative program: "I appreciate the attention Women's Initiative is giving to green businesses and hope that before long its training program will include information on how to run an eco-friendly business. I'll gladly be a consultant!"

Personal profile
• BA from University of California, Berkeley. Majored in biology and anthropology
• Studied landscape horticulture at Merritt College
• Studied aesthetic pruning in Kyoto, Japan
• Apprenticed with several landscape companies before starting her business. Believes strongly in paid apprenticeships for people who cannot afford time in school as a way of preparing them for the job
• Bilingual in Spanish
• Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras

Business profile
• Started in 1998
• Areas served: Oakland, Berkeley, Piedmont, Moraga, San Leandro and Albany

Contact information
Telephone: 510-332-3084
Email: jesy@downtoearthland.com
Web site: www.downtoearthland.com

JAK Designs
Jennifer Armstrong and Tanya Alsberg, owners

Description: A small, artisan knitwear company whose owners make high quality scarves, hats, wraps, sweaters and jackets on knitting looms.

JAK Designs was certified green by San Francisco Bay Area Green Business Program that developed in collaboration with the United States Environment Protection Agency, California Environmental Protection Agency Department of Toxic Substances Control and the business community. The program recognizes businesses that comply with all environmental regulations and take steps to conserve natural resources, prevent pollution and reduce waste.

To achieve those goals Jennifer Armstrong and Tanya Alsberg:
• Reduce reliance upon fossil fuels by using compact fluorescent light bulbs and manual knitting machines with hand tools
• Developed two lines of knitwear that use natural, sustainable and organic yarns
• Reuse boxes for shipping orders to stores
• Donate all yarn scraps and cardboard cones to public school art programs
• Recycle remnants

Jennifer shared her thoughts on what it means to be a green business: "I am inspired daily to create beautiful, functional work that stands the test of time without leaving a mark on our environment or our community.”

Business venues: JAK Designs Knitwear is sold in boutiques throughout the country. The owners exhibit their work at many high-end juried shows and selected wholesale shows. See the Web site for a complete list of stores and events. Phone orders are accepted.

Highlights from the Women's Initiative program: "I owned the business at the time I went through the program, and it definitely pushed me forward," said Jennifer Armstrong. "It helped me get very organized and focused as a business person."

Personal profile, Jennifer Armstrong
• Degree in fashion design and merchandising from Kent State University
• Favorite JAK Design garment in her closet: Her Athena wrap, it's an organiJAK wrap in the color of Green Tea. "I wear it all the time"
• Age she started sewing her own clothes: 11
• Age when she started knitting: 22

Business profile
• Located in Warren, Ohio, near Jennifer's hometown
• Started in 1997 in a tiny, rooftop studio in San Francisco's Mission District
• Helped costume designers for ballet companies, including the Julliard School of Dance, turn their initial ideas into workable knitted costumes

Contact information
Telephone: 877-525-5648 (877-JAK-KNITS)
Email: info@jakdesigns.com
Web site: www.jakdesigns.com

Businesses that use sustainable practices

Cultured
Alex Hozven, owner

Description: Prepares and distributes organic raw sauerkraut and other pickled foods

Sustainable components: Nearly all ingredients are organic. Most ingredients are purchased locally. Fermentation and food processing equipment used to make the sauerkraut and condiments is energy efficient. Virtually all waste is composted or recycled. For example, Alex Hozven gives leftover vegetable matter to Bay Worms where it's turned into organic fertilizer.

Cultured has fulfilled all the requirements for certification by Alameda County's Green Business Program and is awaiting certification, according to Hozven. The program recognizes businesses that comply with all environmental regulations and take steps to conserve natural resources, prevent pollution and reduce waste.

Highlights from the Women's Initiative program: In addition to providing training that increased Hozven's understanding of the financial and legal aspects of running a business, Women's Initiative provided two loans totaling $35,000. The money helped Alex Hozven expand her business by buying new fermentation and processing equipment and allowed her to improve her product labels, making them more educational.

Where to buy Cultured products: All Northern California Whole Foods stores, Rainbow Foods, Berkeley Bowl and other independent natural food stores in the Bay Area and the Saturday Berkeley Farmers' Market.

Contact information
Address: 800 Bancroft Way Suite 105, Berkeley, CA 94710
Telephone: 510-540-5185

Paws & Claws
Ruth Villasenor and Diane Pfile, owners

Description: A natural pet food store and bath house

Sustainable components: Buys from local vendors whenever possible. Paws & Claws sells many products that promote sustainable living and animal care including:
• Organic pet foods produced without the use of herbicides, pesticides or artificial fertilizers
• Canned meats made without antibiotics or hormones
• Kibble for cats, dogs and rabbits that does not contain pesticides
• Natural health products, including nutritional supplements and homeopathic flower remedies for behavior modification
• Eco-friendly kitty litters, that are biodegradable and don't contain clay or chemicals, such as silica dust
• Biodegradable poop bags
• Pet toys made of recycled material
• Eco-friendly shampoos
• Organic treats

How Paws & Claws started: Angel, Ruth Villasenor's beloved Lab mix, was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer and the veterinarian said chemotherapy was the only hope. "I didn't want to use chemicals or steroids on my dog." Angel was treated at home with alternative therapies, including herbs and acupuncture, and she lived five years. Coupled with Ruth's lifelong interest in sustainable living, that experience prompted her to open Paws & Claws.

Highlights from the Women's Initiative program: "[Women's Initiative] gave me confidence in my ideas and helped me formalize them," says Ruth Villasenor

Location: 2023 Macarthur Blvd, Oakland, CA 94602

Contact information
Telephone: 510-336-0105
Email: paws_claws@earthlink.net
Web site: www.pawsnclawsoakland.com

Mirabai Chocolates
Andrea Doffing, owner

Description: Hand made chocolates including some that are infused with a variety herbs and spices

Sustainable components: Andrea Doffing buys organic fair trade chocolate and uses locally grown herbs for flavoring. She buys an array of herbs from Jacobs Farm in Pescadero. Her lavender comes from Capay Organic in Capay, CA. She keeps packaging to minimum.

Target customer: Large corporations and businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area that want something special for big events

Where to buy: Place phone orders through the number below

Highlights from the Women's Initiative program: "[Women's Initiative] taught me how to start my business and they continue to support me as my business grows."

Contact information
Email: andrea@mirabaichocolates.com
Telephone: 415-608--0247
Web site: www.mirabaichocolates.com

Businesses engaged in creative recycling

Amy K Faust
Amy K. Faust, owner

Description: Fine jewelry made from old glass. Amy Faust also designs and fabricates jewelry settings from sterling and fine silver and sometimes high karat gold using texture and a matte finish. Many of her design are inspired by ancient Greek and Roman jewelry, which often features glass gems.

Recycles: Old glass including automobile tail lights, red traffic lamps, patterned glass tumblers, stained glass and some pottery. Amy Faust also recycles glass she finds at Glass Beach near Fort Bragg, CA, where years of pounding wave action has etched and disguised wine bottles and other ordinary containers giving it a frosty sheen. "I don't like to use ‘precious’ stones because they have to be mined from the ground or dug up, often by a child."

Business history: Amy Faust launched her business in 1989. Her big break came when the Nature Company placed a large order. She soon had enough work for five employees. Eventually heavy production demands resulted in burnout and a decision to downsize her business. "Now it's just me and one helper."

Highlights from the Women's Initiative program: "[Women's Initiative] helped me to focus on my business, to be amongst other women starting their businesses and to help me carve a starting path. It was my first real business lesson and gave me hope that I could really do it."

Business venues: Amy Faust's jewelry is sold primarily through high-end boutiques throughout the country and at juried art festivals. See the web site for a complete list of vendors and upcoming exhibits. To place a custom order or inquire about wholesale opportunities, call or send an email.

Contact information
Telephone: 415-452-9070
Web site: www.amyfaust.com

Craft Gym
Jackie Ortega, owner

Description: Provides space, materials, private instruction and workshops for beginning or experienced craft makers. Jackie’s business is the crafters' equivalent of a gym. Her mission is to foster craft making and support crafters by making it possible to try various crafts without making a substantial investment in time or money. Classes, events and private instruction are offered in a numerous areas including, sewing, quilting, jewelry, knitting, metalwork, paper and book arts.

Recycles by: Teaching crafters how to turn cast-offs into something new and useful. For example, Craft Gym instructors teach people how to turn broken glass and pottery into pendants; repair damaged books, convert old tees into trendy tops and turn old Tupperware tumblers into lamps.

Craft Gym reuses every bit of fabric purchased for its workshops by using them for increasingly smaller projects. Eventually scraps the size of postage stamps are encased in glass and become charms.

Jackie offered this vision for Craft Gym: "Our goal is to support craft-making. It's about sampling—trying a technique before committing a large amount of time or money to expensive materials and equipment. And being armed with more in your palette from which you can express your creativity."

Highlights from the Women's Initiative program: Describing herself as "generally cautious by nature," Ortega says she enrolled in the Women's Initiative program chiefly to position herself to qualify for a business loan if her business ever needs one to expand. The program also "helped me think more deeply about the business, the challenges and goals."

Location: 1452 Bush St (between Van Ness and Polk) in San Francisco

Contact information
Email: info@craftgym.com
Telephone: 415-441-6223
Address: P.O. Box 460681, San Francisco, CA 94146-0681
Web site: www.craftgym.com

Demetra Gayle Designs
Demetra Gayle Fountaine, owner

Description: Creates beaded jewelry, sacred objects and personal adornments - beads, rings, handbags, hats and clothing—from vintage beads, handbags, leather goods and clothing.

Recycles a wide range of objects that usually get cast aside, including jewelry, threadbare evening bags and Oriental rugs, silk from the ends of loomed saris, coins and dress shoes. Demetra Gayle Fountaine specializes in filling custom orders that involve transforming clients' precious personal objects into contemporary adornments.

Demetra believes in a holistic approach to sustainability: "There is the well-being of the earth and there is the well-being of us. And they totally overlap. I am primarily focused on the well-being of us. My way of being eco-friendly is to bring it down to the person."

Most creative use of recycled materials: Transforming her old gold dental crown into a clasp for a string of Vintage saltwater pearls from Italy.

Highlights from the Women's Initiative program: "I value the connections I've made with other women. There is certain camaraderie among those who have graduated. It's like being a part of a club. Women who want to have their own business are a special group and it's interesting to be able to connect with them, to talk with each other and bounce ideas off them."

Where to purchase: Through her web site and various juried exhibitions

Contact information
Telephone: 510-923-0649
Email: demetragayle@sbcglobal.net
Web site: www.healthyarts.com/demetra

Chic Moderne
Patti Tang, owner

Description: Eco-friendly unique and chic accessories imported from Europe.

Target customer: Thoughtful small businesses and discerning corporations searching for unique and affordable Eco-friendly products for clients and employees. Patti promotes recycling by importing and distributing accessories and home decor items made from recycled Italian leather. Items include briefcases, wallets, desk calendars, and business card cases. Other specialty items include all-natural, jewel-toned candles made from natural palm oil.

Business history: Patti Tang always wanted to start her own business and she believed the key was to find a great product and provide great service. "I started researching recycled leather and found a product I really loved. It smells like leather, looks like leather and feels like leather. It’s guilt-free leather."

Highlights from the Women's Initiative program: "If it wasn't for Women's Initiative I wouldn't have started the business. Women's Initiative gave me a comprehensive overview of all the necessary steps to start a business. They provide continued guidance and contacts to market my business."

Contact information
Telephone: 415-533-7483
Web site: www.chicmoderne.com

L'Armoire Consignments
Noreen Colt, owner

Description: Women's apparel and accessories and image enhancement consultation

Recycles by creating a pathway for turning one woman's gently worn garments into another woman's new clothing. Clothing that isn't sold or reclaimed is donated to thrift shops operated by nonprofit organizations that support women's social and health services and animal welfare services. Some unsold silk pieces are cut up and donated to schools for art projects or used to embellish hats.

Noreen gives the scoop on her business: "I wanted to create a place where women would be comfortable about their bodies and age. All women should be embraced including women over 50. L'Armoire specializes in serving women between the age of 35 and 70.

Business history: Noreen Colt worked at Charles Schwab for 12 years. "Getting laid off was the best thing that ever happened to me as it allowed the fulfillment of a dream of one day opening a resale clothing boutique," she said. "Finding treasures for the boutique is fun and paying a fraction of retail costs is the reward. Customers and consignors love paying a fraction of retail prices. And they keep coming back!"

Highlights from the Women's Initiative program: "[Women's Initiative] provided the necessary tools to open the business that I dreamed of. I was able to define my target market, find a location, define customer service policies, store ambiance, and, most importantly, learn through confidence-building exercises. I'm grateful to Women's Initiative for their dedication and support to all women in realizing their dreams."

Location: 1487 Solano Ave., Albany, CA 94706

Contact information
Telephone: 510-527-8026
Email: reeni45@gmail.com
Web site: www.Larmoireconsignments.com

Women's Initiative is proud of the steps are clients are taking to tread gently on the Earth and the ways they are building sustainability into their business models.


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