The devastating effects of climate change are no longer limited to problems of emerging and developing countries - after all, environmental degradation is increasingly affecting all populations at an alarming rate. Sustainability entrepreneurship can be classified into two categories: adopting ecological management practices (such as recycling or management, for instance) or producing goods and services using environmentally friendly resources. Ultimately, the aim is to create structural and viable changes towards a more environmentally friendly living environment. 

Consumers increasingly demand greater transparency on environmental and social matters from both government agencies and private corporations. For this reason, many entrepreneurs are taking matters into their own hands to provide solutions. This paper explored the effects environmental degradation has on the global population, highlights two successful entrepreneurial endeavors working towards a more sustainable future, and provides a business model outline for sustainable innovation.

An Intersectional Approach

Environmental degradation touches multiple dimensions and must be approached from an intersectional standpoint. Pollution, mismanaged waste, and global warming has been shown to produce adverse effects on communities and individual health. Low-income communities remain at risk for developing diseases, for instance, leaving vulnerable populations (particularly those of marginalized communities) without the appropriate resources to access fundamental human rights such as adequate healthcare, food, palatable water, and shelter. 

On the other hand, high-income communities equally face an abundance of potential health risks. For instance, 83% of tested water samples intended for human consumption from major metropolitan areas worldwide were shown to contain plastic fibers, providing further evidence that all communities worldwide are directly affected by plastic pollution in oceans. Entrepreneurs seeking to alleviate environmental degradation's effects must understand that their work will touch different aspects of society, forcing them to tackle the issue from a socio-environmental standpoint. 

Combating Plastic Waste in Water Systems: The Ocean Cleanup Projects

Production of plastics increases to accommodate for the rising global GDP and continuous population growth. A UK-based nonprofit, WasteAid, had found that mismanaged waste from developing nations accounted for up to 70% of ocean plastics, and only five countries in East Asia are responsible for the majority of that waste. Dutch-born entrepreneur Boyan Slat understood the gravity of the situation, and in 2013 founded The Ocean Cleanup Project. 

The startup committed itself to the goal of cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It developed a U-shaped gadget that concentrates plastics towards a central point. As it moves around the ocean, the debris is extracted, sorted, and then transferred to shore using ships. The floating technology skims waste ranging in size from car wheels to chips of plastic measuring merely 1 millimeter in diameter. The entrepreneur's targeted result is to eliminate 50% of plastic debris in the area by 2023. Also, to support the startup and bring in even more funding to the project, The Ocean Cleanup has begun selling sunglasses made from recycled plastics taken out of the ocean. This way, individuals who support the company can make a fashion statement a conscious decision to purchase environmentally friendly accessories. 

Reducing Meat Consumption: Beyond Meat

As the vegetarian and vegan movements continue to pick up steam, entrepreneurs such as Ethan Brown decided to revolutionize the meat-substitute industry. Beyond Meat's founder has witnessed massive success, putting plant-based burgers in fast-food menus previously dominated by red Meat. The problem with tackling the McDonalds and the Burger Kings of the world with a pea-protein burger was the meat industry's deep pockets. The industry lobbied for regulatory changes that would prohibit the beyond burger patties to be labeled Meat (a similar issue faced by nut-based drinks that couldn't be marked as "milk" by the players in the dairy industry). Despite the setbacks, Beyond Meat reported $94.4 million in net revenue for its third quarter of 2020.

Beyond Meat's burger generates 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions and uses 46% less energy than an equivalent amount of beef, inevitably requiring less water and land to produce. However, instead of attempting to evangelize consumers to abandon all animal products, Brown effectively marketed the Beyond Meat brand as merely an alternative to Meat and not an absolute substitute. This mantra set the startup apart from many other vegans or vegetarian products that would never witness the same success. 

Business Models for Sustainability Innovation

Compared to traditional entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability entrepreneurs have three characteristics: a reliance on "green" consumers, reliance on policy support, and an evident desire to have a positive ecological impact. Compared with traditional entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability entrepreneurship has a longer return cycle, encompasses a creator social responsibility, and relies more heavily on government encouragement and policy support. 

Social entrepreneurs run the risk of turning to small or niche solutions. Like any other type of entrepreneur, they must have a plan for the potential of growth and expansion. Sustainable entrepreneurs must commercialize their solutions, transforming the market at a grander scale to reach a more significant number of stakeholders. It is also crucial for entrepreneurs to establish partnerships and ties with private corporations and government agencies to develop a more prominent presence, from gaining brand recognition to connecting with consumers on digital platforms.

Concluding Remarks

Environmental sustainability entrepreneurship focuses efforts on prioritizing environmental protection and society's welfare using providing new products, technologies, and services. It integrates traditional entrepreneurship and sustainable development that takes on a "triple bottom line" effort: to protect the environment, better society, and contribute to the economy. Ultimately, this form of entrepreneurship serves as a social activity that aims to protect the natural environment rather than become a mere business. 

Environmental degradation has become an international concern and has developed into a matter that requires an intersectional approach to create a change in mentality to provide a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly approach to consumption. Ecological sustainability entrepreneurs ensure the future of global communities and environmental health avoid heading towards a critically dangerous path. Numerous innovative startups have taken on the task of meeting the growing consumer demand of fighting climate change. In addition to supporting entrepreneurs, we must feel accountable to lead a change in socio-environmental injustice as individuals. We must establish a global sense of responsibility to ensure a healthy planet is available to create growth opportunities for disadvantaged communities and future generations to come.