Patagonia: Blueprint for green business

"There is no business to be done on a dead planet."

These words, a quotation from the legendary Sierra Club executive director David Brower, are the first thing you see when you walk into Patagonia headquarters in Ventura, Calif., and really, you can't miss them, given that they're etched into the front door.

Although he once stated that "This company is an experiment," Patagonia has punched above its weight - helped create a whole outdoor lifestyle, in fact. And decades before recycling became common practice, Patagonia was reusing materials. It was one of the first companies in America to provide onsite day care, both maternity and paternity leave and flextime. It used its lushly designed mail-order catalog to speak out about issues like genetically modified food and overfishing, proving that a company can benefit from having a voice and a moral compass, and that a clothing-company owner who quotes Thoreau ("Beware of any enterprises that require a new set of clothes") isn't necessarily a paradox.

Corporate America can very well take clues from Patagonia and drive towards an ecofriendly business environment.

Read more about Patagonia quest for an outdoor green lifestyle here.