We’ve come a long way as a nation toward being more eco-conscious since the first Earth Day in 1970. From global brands like Patagonia and TOMS to smaller businesses like raw honey company The Beez Kneez, there are countless organizations who have made it their mission to make sustainability a bigger part of their ethos.

• VivaTerra
  This eco-friendly retailer opened in 2004 in California with one simple mission in mind: to make it so a homeowner doesn’t have to choose between a beautiful interior and going green. VivaTerra (meaning “living earth”) was founded on the idea that one can have both, with a little help from products sourced from around the world—many of which are made sustainably. From bed and bath to cookware and outdoor furniture, VivaTerra’s items will look great no matter what style of home you have.

Photo courtesy of 4ocean

• 4ocean
  Surfing buds Alex Schulze and Andrew Cooper took a post-grad vacation to Bali, Indonesia, and were shocked by the amount of plastic debris they discovered in the ocean and on the beach. They soon launched 4ocean in 2017, a for-profit company that aims to make a global impact. All of the company’s revenue comes from sales of its high-quality products, including collectible bracelets—its most popular item. A different bracelet is launched each month to honor a specific aquatic cause, usually protecting an ocean animal. In addition, 4ocean vows to remove one pound of trash for each product sold as part of its day-to-day ocean cleanup efforts.



• Bee Downtown
  Founded by fourth-generation beekeeper Leigh-Kathryn Bonner, Bee Downtown is an organization that increases public awareness about bees and helps restore the bee population by installing and maintaining beehives at corporate campuses (Delta and AT&T, to name a few). The company currently has over 250 hives at campuses across the Southeast and also established the BDT Institute to teach “effective leadership through the eyes of a hive.” It’s a company worth buzzing about!



• The Little Market
  Cofounders Lauren Conrad and Hannah Skvarla took a trip to Tanzania and Uganda in 2012, where they got the chance to speak to countless women making beautiful goods. These women lacked resources, but they each had a story to tell that was woven into the products they were making. Conrad and Skvarla went on to create The Little Market, a nonprofit fair-trade shop that sells one-of-a-kind goods handmade by women around the world, including jewelry, candles, quilts, and so much more. When you shop at The Little Market, you’re positively impacting the individuals (and their families) who are making the pieces you have in your shopping cart.

These are just a few of the many companies making a difference. Always be on the lookout for eco-friendly shopping options.