Scientists warn: if the consumption of natural resources remains at the current level, a crisis will begin in the world in 2030. The economic recession does not postpone, but only brings this hour closer.

In this regard, the UN has developed an environmental protection program - UNEP. According to the latter, business should develop according to the principle: to produce more, using fewer resources, while minimizing the negative impact on nature. Environmental business is not only humane, but also profitable. And we will tell you about the most interesting projects in the field of eco-business:

1. Herbal and spice-infused wrapping paper that keeps food fresh for much longer

We are talking about eco-friendly packaging wipes such as Fenugreen Fresh Paper, designed to fight the problem of perishable food. Napkins prevent mold, fungi and the growth of bacteria - for this, the tissue sheets are immersed in a solution of exclusively natural antiseptics: herbs and spices (domestic startups can experiment with the development of the composition themselves). And the first who guessed to impregnate cellulose with a special composition of spices was twenty-seven-year-old American Kavita Shukla - a girl at the age of seventeen became the owner of a patent that brings millions in revenues (after all, suppliers of fruits and other food began to massively purchase this product).

Such an invention not only helps to save money for suppliers by extending the "life" of products, but, ideally, will completely replace the use of cellophane bags, which will improve the eco-system of the world.

2. Charitable project: production of toilet paper, half of which is spent on building modern toilets

Do not rush to think that it is unprofitable. If we talk about profits, then for six months of existence, an Australian-African project of this type managed to earn over a million dollars in net profit - most buyers show special consumer attention to this particular brand, knowing the noble goal of the project. And this leaves all competitors in fact “out of work”.

I must say that the incidence of gastrointestinal and other infections directly depends on the unsanitary conditions of street and rural toilets - and therefore this idea leads to a general national savings on medicines, and indirectly to the extension of many lives.

3. Water purification machines

The idea was implemented by the Indian brand Sarvajal. The initiative group has invented its own system of high-quality and reliable water purification from local water bodies (and even sea water) and turning it into drinking water. The machine allows you to fill it with untreated water and in a few minutes get it in a purified version.

It would be appropriate and profitable to install your own cleaning machine in many provincial cities, towns, suburbs of megalopolises in Ukraine and Russia, in which the delivery of clean water is not established. For example, in dacha cooperatives with well water containing excess lime and sand (ordinary home filters will quickly fail if there is a serious suspension in the water).

Note that in India, many local entrepreneurs have installed vending machines in their shops and pay for the rental of H2O vending machines. We wish you the same.

4. Recycling waste immediately after it appears

And again, back to ... the toilets. Graduates of the University of California have designed a dry closet that is not connected to the sewage system, which, using solar energy, converts waste into hydrogen and fertilizer (immediately after they appear, which dramatically reduces odors and bacterial background in the air). Fertilizers are collected in a separate tank, from which it is convenient to extract them and use them as intended.

Domestic inventors can start at least with the processing of these waste using plug-in electrical energy, and then start generating the latter using solar and wind installations.

5. Shoes and bags in exchange for design

Curious business story: The Spanish firm El Naturalista has set out to produce shoes and accessories for poor street artists, many of whom are deprived of their livelihoods. Artists act as shoe and accessory designers, applying their talent and drawing technique. Businessmen, in turn, give them ready-made shoes, made according to the sketch of tramps. After the shoe line received good reviews from critics, street artists became full-time employees of the company. In addition, El Naturalista makes shoes and bags exclusively from natural materials: vegetable dyes, recycled and biodegradable fabrics. I must say that the cost of model sandals (for non-vagabonds) starts at 100 euros per pair, and they diverge rapidly among Spanish and Latin American hipsters. Some of the profits also go to charity, helping the children of Peru and Tanzania.

6. Packaging materials and containers for hire

What do you do with cartons, styrofoam, plastic wrap after use? Throw it away. After observing this behavior of buyers, one of the US designers implemented a startup - a service that makes it possible to exchange used packaging materials. For example, you bought a TV and instead of throwing away the box, you advertise for a service (which takes the packaging away from you by self-collection, without paying you anything: you should use this “for the idea”, out of environmental awareness). If you need to transport things, you can contact the service and choose a suitable packaging material, paying a small “penny” for it - much cheaper than the same boxes if you wanted to buy them new. This service is indispensable during the renovation process, as well as when moving. Of course, it is convenient for those who own large warehouse volumes somewhere in a distant suburb of a metropolis.

Among the eco-projects that are gradually becoming more and more significant, one can be noted. This is the Russian project "Save a Tree": an initiative group collects waste paper (most often, unnecessary printer prints) from city offices and sends it for recycling. More than 150 Moscow firms are currently working on this project.