Profile

This environmentally friendly household-goods supplier operates primarily through a national team of "eco-consultants," part-time salespeople who sell low-flow showerheads, CFL lightbulbs, and home-composting systems to local friends and neighbors. The 50 consultants in 18 states have paid a fee to Green Irene and taken an online training course in how to conduct $99 "green home makeovers,” recommending appropriate sustainable alternatives to their clients. A married couple launched the company in 2007 after trying to reduce their impact on the environment during the renovation of their home. Today they operate a small midtown office that serves as a warehouse from which to ship goods to consultants, who pass them along to consumers. Consumers can also order products through the company’s website without signing up for a makeover, but they’re still required to select a local consultant listed on the site, giving that consultant the opportunity to e-mail recommendations and offer support—free of charge. — Rachel Corbett