Sheep as Lawn Mowers? Discover Ecopreneurship in Action!
Would you hire sheep as your lawn maintenance crew? Well, now you can.
Lamb Mowers, a company from Virginia, uses an age-old technology, repurposed for a modern consumer. For a starting price of $195, their adorable Babydoll Southdown flock will munch your lawn into tip-top shape, all under a shepherd’s watchful eye.
These animals are not only lovely to watch, but they’re also the ultimate eco-friendly mowers. Sheep obviously don’t use any fossil fuels to operate, and their mostly odorless manure improves soil fertility, captures carbon, and nourishes your plants. Bee-autiful!
While Lamb Mowers provide a perfectly useful service, their appeal goes beyond purely intrinsic value. They offer an experience that’s romantically different, and, crucially, sustainable. This type of business aspiration is today aptly referred to as ecopreneurship.
Ecopreneurship, in a nutshell
Ecopreneurship combines environmental consciousness with business aspiration, proving profitability and environmental responsibility are not mutually exclusive.
The case for ecopreneurship rests on the evolving expectations of consumers, who are increasingly prioritizing the sustainability dimension of their purchasing decisions. The 2021 PwC survey highlights this shift: half of respondents now consider the environmental aspect of their buying choices, a significant increase from 15% just two years earlier.
People have clearly become more sensitive to the environmental impact of their spending habits — and the business world is responding. Indeed, the number of startups that seek to create economic value while genuinely trying to contribute to a meaningful change is growing by the day. Here are just a few examples that caught my attention:
A Finnish startup RePack has developed a deposit scheme for online retailers to help cut back on the packaging waste caused by the boom in online shopping.
PlanetCare from Slovenia developed a washing machine filter that captures synthetic microfibers, preventing them from polluting waterways and eventually oceans and soil. The company reuses 95% of the filters for future use and recycles the rest.
New Belgium Brewing, an employee-owned business, is known for its Fat Tire ale — the first American beer certified as carbon-neutral. The company is among the biggest and fastest-growing craft breweries in the US. Sign us up for a pint, please!
Meanwhile, this boom in ecopreneurial activity has created a demand for specialized know-how. Stanford University, for example, now offers tailored ecopreneurship programs designed to teach students ecopreneurial skills, help them discover relevant business opportunities, and accelerate the development of their sustainability-focused companies.
Business education is something we wholeheartedly advocate for, so this brings us to our next question.
How is ecopreneurship relevant to designers?
Adopting an ecopreneurial approach can transform how we perceive and integrate sustainability in design. It prompts us to consider the entire lifecycle of products and fosters a deeper connection of our services with local communities.
This evolving domain of design is many-sided, but there are three key areas that stand out prominently:
Lifecycle product design: Embracing lifecycle design means considering the entire lifespan of a product — from raw material sourcing to manufacturing, use, and eventual disposal or recycling. This holistic view encourages us to design products that are durable, repairable, and recyclable.
Local sourcing and production: As designers, we can advocate for and incorporate locally sourced materials and craftsmanship into our products. This not only brings a unique authenticity to our designs but also fosters a sense of community and sustainability.
Sustainability of digital products: Assessing websites and apps through a sustainability lens includes streamlining navigation, optimizing file sizes, and removing unnecessary features. These adjustments not only decrease bandwidth usage but can also improve user interaction and satisfaction.
The emergence of ecopreneurship is a call for all of us to innovate and create with an eco-conscious mindset. It's about designing not just for today, but for a future that's sustainable and responsible.
That’s a cause we can easily get behind, wouldn’t you agree?