Living a “green” lifestyle has become a trend throughout the last few years. We often see ads urging us to buy recyclable bags so we aren’t wasteful or buy local so our money doesn’t go to the wrong place. These ideas all make sense but they often leave consumers feeling guilty about their lifestyle. Greenfeet takes “going green” to a whole new level by teaching customers that changing your habits can not only be helpful, it can be fun.
“We put the fun back into business,” said Valerie Reddemann, founder of Greenfeet. “We take what we do seriously but don’t take ourselves too seriously.”
Greenfeet is an e-tailer with over 3,000 eco-friendly and sustainable goods. They sell everything from solar flashlights to natural soaps to totes made from recycled children’s storybooks. Thousands of customers buy products from Greenfeet each month.
Reddemann started the company in 1997 after she learned about the harmful effects household products can have on people due to the amount of chemicals they contain. She was starting a family soon and wanted to give her child the healthiest start possible, so she looked into other avenues such as natural yard care, recycling and composting. The thought of having a green business blossomed from there.
“The more I learned and started finding out about alternatives, the more I wanted to share that with other people,” she said. “It’s really easy when you first start learning to want to scream from the rooftops ‘You’re all poisoning yourselves.’ I realized pretty early on that wasn’t effective.”
Greenfeet works hard to take a light-hearted approach to educating people on the benefits on being green, Reddemann said. Her educational but laidback approach is meant to inspire and motivate people to make small changes that work for each individual’s lifestyle.
“Just because you choose to go green or live sustainable doesn’t mean that it has to be something that’s outrageously expensive,” Reddemann said. “There’s a lot you can do for little to nothing that can make a huge difference.”
One way she educates people on ways to live green is through her podcast, “More Hip than Hippie.” She started the show in the earliest days of podcasting and has put out over 230 shows throughout the last four years. Their blog, e-mail newsletter and social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, are other ways she stays connected with consumers.
Greenfeet believes in making huge efforts to communicate with their customers, which is why they have created many ways for shoppers to connect with them based on their level of comfort, she said.
“We engage in conversation with our customers, our vendors and with each other,” Reddemann said. “We learn, we explore and we share.”
The company’s products, as well as the personality behind the business, have prompted Greenfeet to be featured in several national magazines, such as Oprah Magazine, the San Francisco Chronicle and National Geographic’s Green Guide. They were also recognized as one of the top 10 green businesses of the year by Co-op America.
Reddemann considers Greenfeet a values-based business. They have proven that businesses can grow and be successful and at the same time honor what’s known as the triple bottom line—people, planet and profit.
“I love the fact that we can still live very much in harmony with everything around us,” she said. “Businesses can grow and flourish without plundering the planet and the people around them.”
Reddemann’s passion and enthusiasm for her work has created a place where people all over the country feel comfortable buying green products and learning about ways to live sustainable.

To order from Greenfeet or get more information, visit their Web site www.greenfeet.com or give them a call at 1-888-562-8873 or 530-894-5255. All orders can be shipped to your house or picked up at their office in Chico.

By Kayla Cook