Recent years have brought renewed interest and unprecedented vigor to efforts to provide goods and services to the public in a manner which minimizes negative impacts on the natural environment. These efforts implicate almost every industry and discipline, ranging from cleaner energy sources and recyclable and recycled packaging to homes that use less energy and produce less waste, and even to new business models for trading carbon emission offsets.

This new green economy brings with it new challenges and opportunities for businesses bringing eco-friendly concepts to the market. As with all new technology, patent protection for eco-friendly inventions is paramount.