Northwestern students might still mispronounce the name of student-run business Ecco Living, but business partners Chris Sell and Zach Ciszon are trying to set one thing straight: It is possible for students to make less of a dent on the environment without making a dent in their wallets.
The company is an online-only store that attempts to give students a green option for dorm supplies. Products range from 100 percent post-consumer recycled printer paper to non-toxic, biodegradable laundry detergent and fabric softener sheets.
"A lot of environmentally friendly products are hard to find, and they're spread out," said Sell, who spent a majority of his savings to launch the company in July. "And they're usually very expensive. We wanted to bring them all close and make them cheaper."
The Weinberg sophomore said 50 percent of profit originally went to three environmental initiatives - the Rocky Mountain Institute, Natural Resources Defense Council and the X PRIZE Foundation. But after seeking advice from mentor businesses, Sell and his team decided on Oct. 24 to reduce it to 15 percent to help the company grow.
"The first year is crucial," Sell said. "They told us that you need to get a working business model before you start donating a large percentage of your profits." He hopes that after getting the company out of the red and breaking even, the Ecco Living team can revisit the percentage donated.
As for the name, which is pronounced "echo," the unusual spelling was chosen to make the site pop up first on Internet search engines, Ciszon said. It also stands for "Environmental Consciousness Concern and Opportunity."
Students may pay online with a credit or debit card, or they can wait until the delivery to pay in cash. There is a flat delivery fee of 99 cents.
Fifty students have already pledged to Ecco Living's grassroots movement called Ecco10, which is not necessarily a commitment to Ecco Living but a commitment to buying eco-friendly products, said Ciszon.
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