“When most people go to work they leave their environmental ethics at the door,” says Joel Makower. And how true that is. It is estimated that commercial concerns account for 17% of the global warming problem. This week on Big Ideas For A Small Planet the workplace is examined, and more particularly what we can do to make a cleaner, more eco-friendly environment in which to work.

For the human race to continue to grow we must become more ecologically aware; in easy to understand terms, each of us leaves an ecological footprint that can be measured in how much land we need to support our habits. Globally it is about six acres per person, yet in the US it is almost 24. By reducing this ‘footprint’ we can make the world a better and sustainable place. Big Ideas looks at three enterprises dedicated to this mission.

Kim Jordan and Jeff Lebesch, the founders of New Belgium Brewing Company, demonstrate their dedication to the environment and to their employees by creating an ideal working environment. By using environmental stewardship they have created not only a fun workplace, but also one that is environmentally friendly. Kim explains how through good environmental management you can still make a great product and not hurt the bottom line.

David Hertz, founder and president of Syndesis Inc shows us that new is not always better. When he decided to buy a property for his booming business he decided to renovate rather than build. This is so much friendlier to the environment. Using innovative technologies, David has created a truly unique workplace. A green roof (yes, plants), solar panels, and smart lighting all lead to a situation where this building is essentially self-supporting, and its physical footprint mirrors its ecological footprint.

Maybe the most innovative enterprise reviewed in this week's episode is that of Mathis Wackernagel, co-creator of the Ecological Footprint. This Bay Area company conducts environmental audits in an effort to show how a company can reduce its environmental impact. “Every company can lower its environmental impact” he tells us, and small steps lead to larger ones. I had the opportunity to chat with this environmental leader.