Green Industry in the US
The green industry's mission is for a more sustainable path for industries, to lessen the impact on the environment. Businesses in the U.S. are trying to make more meaningful improvements that not only help the environment but also help them save on energy and other expenses. Expanding green investments will only help to preserve the environment for years to come and boost economic growth and job stability.
Creating a pathway for cleaner air and water, sustainable economic growth, and decreasing the usage of natural resources is helping to steer the U.S. into a cleaner future. With renewable energy projects and global challenges to combat carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency, this generation is taking a leap to change the environmental impact on the U.S., and the world.
What is a Green Industry?
A green industry is one that helps to contain and reverse the harsh impact it has on the environment. There are many green industries in the U.S. from energy to manufacturing that are changing the ways they do business, to offer more efficiency and sustainability. At the end of the day, businesses that are in the green industry commit their time to find the best possible ways to do their job while having the least amount of environmental impact. Many of these industries use eco-friendly products, practice resource efficiency and conserve energy.
What Are The Biggest Green Industries in the U.S.?
Some of the biggest green industries continue to grow as they expand their green policies. A few of the largest green industries in our country include manufacturing, transport, construction, waste management, and more. These industries are pioneering the way our country sees waste as an opportunity to change things for a greener future.
Transport Industry
The transport industry is one that is playing a large role to reduce energy emissions. The green initiative is changing automobile technologies as well as reducing carbon emissions.
We are seeing more companies like Tesla making electric cars, along with many gas stations having charging stations. This gives the user the initiative to take climate change into their own hands, starting by changing their everyday method of transportation.
Transportation is a big issue for not only the environment but especially for people in big cities. Companies like Uber and Lyft are encouraging people to use public transportation more instead of relying on their own vehicles. They have options for carpool services, that make each ride cheaper and encourage more than one passenger in the car to reduce the number of cars on the road. The fewer people in cars, the smaller the problem of carbon emissions will be in the future.
Energy Industry
U.S. greenhouse gas emissions fell by 2.1% in 2019. This is largely due to the switch from our reliance on coal for energy to natural gas and other renewable energies over the past 10 years. Coal generated by the U.S. was cut in half over the past 10 years. Natural gas is more readily available as gas prices are more affordable.
We are also seeing many homeowners switch to solar panels for a roofing alternative that provides energy efficiency and saves money in the long run. This is a long-term investment that ends up paying for itself in annual energy savings. The U.S. Energy Information states, "Solar energy accounts for 1.6% of total U.S. electricity generation." This is a step in the right direction for a future of cleaner energy.
Construction Industry
Infrastructure and buildings are now being created with more of a responsible source of materials to ensure that the local environment is protected. Green buildings are becoming more popular by implementing both energy efficiency and reusing materials. Many urban areas are encouraging high-rise buildings to have “green roofs” which are essentially a layer of vegetation to help combat city pollution. This helps communities with a return on investment, with stormwater management, waste diversion, local job creation, and energy efficiency. It also helps to reduce the amount of energy needed to maintain the temperature of a building. Green roofs help to improve the aesthetics of buildings as well as being a great investment for the community. According to American Rivers, "A $10B investment could create 190,000 jobs by building 48.5 billion square feet of square roof, or one percent of the U.S.’ roof space in every community over 50,000 in population."
Manufacturing Industry
The manufacturing industry is actually one of the greener industries out there since it deals with a lot of organic materials like steel and iron. Manufacturers also always try to recycle and reuse materials to make other products. There are manufacturers that are trying to use biodegradable materials, like World Centric, a U.S. company that produces compostable packaging and cutlery and also biodegradable household or corporate items like biodegradable bags, food containers, dishes, and other household items. WorldCentric centers around the concept of compostable and zero-waste products, a concept many companies are looking to adopt. Other companies leading the change with zero-waste products are Unilever, Accenture, Google, and Texas Instruments.
Fashion Industry
There are many creative ways that companies can break into the Green Industry. The fashion industry has always been one of the industries to break from the norm regarding politics, trends, and materials, and even incorporate more environmental practices. Green fashion has become a big trend and seeks to source materials that are less harmful to the environment like organic materials and use less plastic. With the growing demand from consumers to have sustainable and eco-friendly fashion, the industry has been working endlessly to deliver by forming the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), which strives to not overproduce unnecessary environmental harm, with the help of over 250 employees to restructure the footwear, apparel, and textiles areas.
Waste Management Industry
One of the industries that have helped to make waves in sustainability is the waste management industry. They are able to efficiently sort through trash and recycling to make use of any material they can re-purpose. In order to transition the waste sector into a green industry, they focus on three aspects: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Any waste that can be diverted from going into landfills is either remanufactured and repurposed to make a new item, or is recycled in the correct facility. When waste is not properly disposed of, it can create environmental damage. This is why the waste management industry sorts through trash and recyclables and puts them in the correct facilities before it ends up in landfills.
How Sourgum Waste is Changing the Waste Management Industry
When you rent a dumpster from Sourgum Waste, you not only get great customer service and pricing, you make a positive impact on the world. For every dumpster rented, we make a donation to One Tree Planted, an organization that specializes in reforestation efforts. Every rental is equivalent to one tree planted in a reviving forest around the world.
Sourgum Waste actively focuses on diverting as much material away from landfills as possible. Construction and demolition debris are brought to specialty recycling facilities, wood and branches are turned into mulch, mattresses are brought to special centers and our efforts only continue to grow. Help us heal the planet one tree at a time and order your roll-off dumpster rental today!
Creative Ways Businesses are Entering the Green Industry
Businesses all over the country are finding smart and convenient ways to become more environmentally friendly. Regarding web hosting in the U.S., running all the servers in the U.S. is equal to powering five nuclear power plants. There is a way for businesses to become more environmentally friendly, by running their web hosting from renewable power sources, by using providers such as Green Web Hosting.
In the fashion industry, Dior’s Paris Spring/Summer 2020 Fashion show featured clothes that were fully recyclable and free of plastic. Models walked down a catwalk that was surrounded by an "inclusive garden", with bio-diverse plants often seen on the streets of Paris.
Another creative intro into the green industry was Coca-Cola introducing its first Plant Bottle. The bottles are marketed to contain up to 30% of renewable materials, which is a start to making packaging more eco-friendly. Even the food industry is attempting to become “green” with many meat substitutes now on the market made from plants, like Beyond Burger. For stylish ways to become eco-friendly, companies like Digoon are creating loose-leaf tea cups, for tea without disposable bags. This is just one of the simple changes that we can make each day to make a true impact on the environment, in our own homes.
How Do U.S. Green Industries Differ From Other Countries?
Other countries like Europe are way ahead of the U.S. when it comes to green initiatives. The U.S. is the 2nd biggest carbon dioxide polluter after China, according to the World Bank. Also, the U.S. is one of the world's top contributors to plastic pollution from data by UPI. 1 million metric tons of plastic waste exported from the U.S. pollutes environments abroad each year.
Some of the greenest countries in the world are in Europe. The world’s ten green, clean air, climate-conscious countries are all in Europe. The study is conducted every two years by scientists at Columbia and Yale, who learned recently that the top ten performing countries with sustainability were: Denmark, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the UK, France, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Germany. The U.S. is currently in the 24th spot on this list, with environmental pollution control lagging behind the top countries in Europe.
Easy Steps People Can Take to Become More Eco-Friendly
People need to try to be aware of how many resources they are using and practice trying to conserve those resources in any way possible. From water to energy to harmful materials like plastics, the less you use the better. Attempting to reduce, reuse and recycle is a great start. Sorting through trash and recyclables to make waste management more eco-friendly is one of the biggest ways each individual can help. Some of the fun, easy ways to adopt eco-friendly practices into your everyday lives are:
Swap throwaway coffee cups for reusable aluminum tumblers
Take a fashion break, and shop for organic/sustainable clothes
Purchase food from local farmer’s markets
Invest in fun, reusable bags
Try more organic makeup brands with fewer chemicals
Have a book/magazine swap at your apartment building
Buy more house or office plants to bring in cleaner air
Use aromatherapy instead of heavy, chemical scents at work or at home
Use biodegradable party supplies: paper lanterns, biodegradable confetti, and beeswax candles
Environmentally Friendly Waste Management Services by Sourgum Waste
Sourgum Waste helps to serve both homeowners and businesses with environmentally friendly waste removal services. Ranging from roll-off dumpster rentals to recycling curbside pickup to commercial trash and recycling service and more. Our dependable and friendly service allows our customers to have flexible service, with same and next-day delivery available for dumpster rentals. When you are looking for quality waste management services to meet your specific needs, then look no further. Get in contact with our reliable customer service team, available 7 days a week, to help you find the right dumpster for your project. From heavy-duty concrete dumpsters to small roll-off dumpsters that fit into tight spaces, we can guarantee you that we will find the correct size and type for your waste management needs.
Why Hire Sourgum Waste?
At Sourgum Waste, we take waste management and the environment seriously. In our industry, waste management and sustainability go hand-in-hand. We strive to find the best possible ways to deliver waste management services while recycling and reusing every material possible. We consider ourselves a part of the green initiative for a cleaner future. We always suggest that our customers look up according to their area, which items can and cannot be thrown in a dumpster. There are recycling drives for certain items like electronics and chemicals in most areas of the U.S. For any items that are lightly used and can be reused, we suggest bringing them to a local business or someone in need in the community. With each dumpster rental, you are making a positive difference for your local community and the U.S. No matter what waste removal service you need, contact us today to find out how we can help you and the environment!
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