Some companies try to guilt you into spending more for green products.  But what if you could get products that are just as good or better, cost the same, and are good for the planet?  That is exactly what you can do at Ithaca's B&W Supply , which recently began promoting a line of biodegradable dinnerware.  "Our customers were asking for it," says sales manager Anita Burdick.  "They like to have biodegradable products, but they also want to make sure it's cost effective.  They would love to save the environment but they are going to spend $50 more for a case of silverware versus something else, especially if you are in the restaurant industry or the food industry or a vendor?  Markets are tight to start with."

Plastic-like silverware that's made of potatoes, clear plastic-like cups and drinking straws made of corn, and paper plates and bowls made of sugarcane are all compostable, and break down quickly when properly disposed of.  But the remarkable thing is that unless you knew these products were made of plants, you would think they are better quality paper and plastic dinnerware.

Once a business owner has built a firm to a certain level it's time for a Chief Financial Officer to keep the books in shape and work on long and short term planning that will help the business grow.  It may be a leap for smaller businesses to take on a full time executive until it has actually grown substantially.  But having someone serve that function may be the best step for growing the business to the next level.  That's where Rick Hendrick comes in.  Hendrick works with businesses as a part-time CFO on well defined, realizable goals to grow businesses and put them on a more secure financial footing.

"My partners and I provide financial clarity for business owners,"  he says.  "The three things I do for the technology companies is help them be ready for venture capital funding, helping them with their infrastructure, and helping them get ready for government grant programs.  The other piece of my practice are business owners that are not technology companies, more traditional companies like a contractor I work with."

Bartholomew Family ChiropracticWhen you walk into Bartholomew Family Chiropractic at the top of North Triphammer Road, the first thing you see is a small waiting area and a reception desk.  Then you see the rest of the room, an open, spacious area that looks a bit like a small seminar room.  But with weights, a television showing health videos, a women's health wall, and plenty of space to do warm up exercises before your adjustment.

"We try to have a different environment from most chiropractic offices," says Dr. Brian Bartholomenw.  "Usually you'll go in and wait in a waiting room and come in one at a time, and it's quiet.  We want more of a live environment where people are talking about health and helping each other and getting to know each other.  It's the kind of office I learned in.  They saw amazing results and people really learned more abut health and really changing."

Beechtree Care Center has spent the last few years morphing from a nursing home to a home where living assistance takes place.  The South Albany Street facility stresses 'person centered' care, designating the floors of the facility as neighborhoods, moving away from institutional interior decoration, and giving residents a say in how they live their lives there.

"We're so happy to be able to offer low to moderate income people a choice that's a good choice for those people who can't buy good care when they're aging," says Director of Development & Community Relations Ellie Hall Minnis.  "We really are pleased to be that place in this community."

Bev & Company moved to the Triphammer Marketplace in the Village of Lansing in February.  The store caters to women of all ages with clothing and accessories.  It is one of three Bev & Company stores owned by Homer native Reneé Neiderman.  The stores carry 28 brands, most of which are made in the United States.

"We carry women's clothing and accessories," says Neiderman.  "We hit all areas from size 2 to 18, and from size 1x to 3x.  We carry clothing for younger women and clothing more mature women appreciate.  We carry all different price ranges from affordable to higher end clothing.  We carry Alex and Ani, a new jewelry line, Brighton jewelry, and Vera Bradley purses.  And we have some shoes."

Really? A used car salesman?!?

Really.

We found ourselves in need of a new (to us) vehicle. Looking at all the dealerships in the area and outside, it looked like everything was hype and all they wanted was to 'sell you' and I HATE being 'sold'.

Maybe you do too.

Blue Spruce PaintingWhen you need your house painted you want conscientious people who can just take care of the job, replacing rotted boards, glass, tile, or wallpaper as they go along.  Blue Spruce Painting & Decorating Inc. is a local painting firm that does that and just about any kind of finishing work.  The firm focuses on traditional painting trades, and other finishing work such as tiling on floors or walls.

"We've found success in being able to do a lot of different trades," says Supervisor Tom Joyce.  "That's a great service to help homeowners so they don't have to hire two or three contractors to do a job."

Every Tuesday morning at 7:15 people from a wide variety of businesses come to the Ithaca Holiday Inn to learn about each others' businesses and to help each other do more business.  They are members of the largest Business Networking International (BNI) chapter in North East New York.  Thumbs Up Ithaca Chapter President Gretchen Avery credits the group's success to going beyond just business networking.

"The philosophy of BNI is 'Givers Gain,'  but in our group I see it goes beyond that," she says.  "When you look out for the businesses of the other people you're naturally going to get something back.  But that's not why you do it.  You do it because of the collegiality.  It's a thrill to see somebody take off and all of a sudden have all this business that stemmed from one little incident."

Bob KeefeWhen you were a teenager did you ever picture yourself playing guitar for a living?  That's just what Lansing guitarist Bob Keefe has been doing since he was in High School.  Keefe is a local performer and guitar teacher best known locally as guitarist in the Backtalk Band.  He has also been spotted in the orchestra pit at Lansing school musicals.

Keefe took up the guitar when a school friend did, and almost immediately began performing in a band.  "I've been performing professionally since I was 15," he says.  "My first job was a New Years Eve gig.  My parents had to drive me to the job, because I didn't drive yet."  He got jobs at DeMolay (a national high school service organization) events, High School dances, and Junior High dances.

Most florists have attractive flower shops blooming with bouquets and sprigs that people can come and see when they want flowers for a loved one, holiday or a special event.  Sara Culotta wanted to create something different, a way to bring art arrangements into Ithaca businesses.  Thus was born Business Is Blooming, which specializes in bringing flowers to business places on a subscription basis.

"We bring beauty and the natural world into business offices every week," she explains.  "Every Monday we have a fresh flower service where we deliver artistic bouquets and an information card that goes along with them that tells people the name of every flower in it and most of the foliages, and a little story about one of the botanical elements.  It might be historical, it might be scientific information, it might be how to grow it in your own garden.  That's our flagship service."

Cat's PajamasSometimes you walk into a store and notice that you are happy.  It is inviting, interesting, fun... you're just glad to be there.  And when you walk into Cat's Pajamas the feeling is mutual.  "They're like my family," says owner Jennifer Engel about her customers.  "They are the people I rely on to get me through my day.  We love that you're in our lives and we're so excited to see you here."

What Engel now calls 'The General Store for Kids and Kids at Heart' was begun by Jan Norman, who owns of Silk Oak silk screening.  Engel and Betty Gail Downing purchased the business in 1981.  "We were able to secure a loan, and I still remember the loan payment of one thousand three hundred, thirty-three dollars and thirty eight cents," Engel says.  At the time Engel was fresh out of college.  With a background in linguistics, she had lined up a job in the translation department at the United Nations.  "But when push came to shove, the lure of staying in Ithaca made me decline the position," she says.

Surgery is only the first step in recovering from an accident or disease that impacts your hands.  Physical therapy helps regain the use of your hand and control the associated pain.  Susan Michlovitz  specializes in physical therapy for hands and upper extremity problems.  With a research and academic background, that makes her the go-to therapist in Ithaca for shoulder, elbow, hand, and wrist injuries.

"Patients express themselves with their hands," she says.  "They are very worried when they potentially lose function in their hands.  For example, I treat a number of professional musicians, and that can be very scary.  It helps if I can provide a calm environment for my patients."