"As a business owner, I feel good coming to work every day," says Sara Kubersky, 32. She and her sister, Erica, 27, co-own Mooshoes on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Started in 2001, the company sells shoes and accessories that she refers to as "vegan." But their office is also entirely green. Kubersky says this fosters a sense of solidarity and loyalty in her staff. "They actually care," she notes.

It must be working. Generating more than $1 million in sales a year, the company has twice had to move to larger offices. She points out that this growth is due, in part, to the loyal customer base built and retained by the company's green approach. "We could tell that other companies are getting in on the trend," she says.