Exeter Leading the Way in Region's Green Economy

There is something about Exeter that has been capturing the attention of green-minded people all over New Hampshire.  Distinguished from the surrounding coastal towns, Exeter is a town committed to building a local economy where local businesses thrive over major conglomerates and chains.

“Exeter has increasingly had more businesses integrate sustainability into their business operations,” says Laura Mackay, owner of Acorn Organic Salon. “We love the chance to inspire other businesses to make the changes and to come to us with questions about the environmental initiatives we have at Acorn.”

The network of sustainability has a broad range in Exeter; everything from a nail salon to a yoga studio, a bicycle shop to a green vehicle supply store each can be found operating on a paradigm that is focused on treating our planet a little more gently.

“The town of Exeter is small but has great variety of people that live here,” adds Mackay.

Laura McKay is owner of one of the prominent green businesses in Exeter, Acorn Organic Salon.  Acorn Organic is a sustainable salon that “provides quality salon services without the side effects from toxic chemicals traditionally found in the salon environment,” explains Mackay.

Originally based in Dover, the salon decided to open up a second location in Exeter because of the intimacy of the little town and its obvious green-leanings.  Located right on Pleasant Street, this local business has built up a community following through referrals and word of mouth.

“You get many students and faculty from Philips Exeter Academy and this is a well-educated crowd,” says Mackay.  “The town in general is very supportive of small businesses, particularly those that can show they are reducing their environmental footprint while offering an affordable and quality product or service.”

Another business that has seen a large amount of support is Starry Brook Natural Medicine, a naturopathic medical practice that specializes in sustainable medical products and services.

Before opening Starry Brook Natural Medicien in Exeter, founder Dr. Robyn Giard noticed a surplus of large medical organizations that did not provide or offer patients holistic and preventative treatment options. As a licensed naturopath and advocate for patient-centered education, Dr. Giard set forth to create a practice that integrates complementary and alternative medicines while providing comprehensive and respectful medical services for patients.

“There are very big organizations in integrative medicine that people are disappointed with,” says Dr. Giard.  “I spend more time with patients to understand each individual situation. As a naturopathic doctor, I have flexibility to offer patients alternatives to traditional pharmaceutical drugs and invasive treatments that generally treat the symptoms and not the fundamental problem.”

While receiving referrals from various other professionals in her field, Dr. Giard also uses referrals to help her patients live a more healthy lifestyle and to promote the local community.

“Clients of ours also ask us about other green businesses, like dry cleaners and places to get their nails done,” Dr. Giard adds.  “We refer people to places like the Exeter Farmer's Market and Acorn Organic Salon and we give out coupons and discounts to other like-minded businesses in our newsletter.”

Though the town is centrally located between a handful of major cities, it is a town that is dedicated to being as intimate of a community as possible.

When deciding on a location for his store, Glenn Johnson, owner of AutoBeGreen, found multiple benefits in Exeter's location.

“Geographically, we thought it was a good location,” says Johnson.  “It's right in the middle of major cities like Portland, Boston, Springfield, and Manchester.  Exeter was right for us because it was a quintessential New England town, like ones I had grown up in but progressive enough to see the value in doing things differently and more sustainably.”

AutoBeGreen is a retail store that offers greener options for motor vehicles and equipment, including lifetime air filters, biodegradable cleaners and motor oils, and wipers or replacement parts that have greener profiles.  One of the biggest steps that AutoBeGreen took in solidifying its presence in the Exeter community was joining both the Exeter Chamber of Commerce and the Green Alliance.

Since then, AutoBeGreen has become a household name in local business.

“In terms of going green, we are the best kept secret out there,” adds Johnson, “Exeter is a town that tries to support its own.  When I started AutoBeGreen, I wanted to be in a town where I felt like part of the community, and where the ethic was one of educated purchasing decisions.”

The network of Exeter’s green businesses enhance their local impacts by not only pumping money into the local economy, but also by hiring employees from Exeter and surrounding communities.

ReVision Energy, a renewable energy contractor, has been reciprocating the local support by hiring local applicants and helping the Exeter economy thrive.

“We hired six new people and they're all from the Seacoast area,” says Heather Fournier, the Office Manager and Marketing Assistant at ReVision Energy.  “We like putting money back into the community.”

ReVision also has plans in the near future to educate Seacoast locals about the functions and community value of alternative energy.

“We are planning educational events with some of the extra space we have at the ReVision Energy building,” Fournier says. “Our biggest goal this year is to educate the public on how to reduce the carbon footprint.”

In order to effectively teach a community about the importance of sustainable living it is important to offer as many alternative choices and resources as possible.

Tom Hemenway has this ability in spades.  Originally the creator of an electronics store called Autosounds, Tom stumbled upon a new concept that lead to the birth of his Exeter-based business, EZ Bikes & Scooters.

“We were originally looking for a new twist to Autosounds when we came across electric bicycles,” says Teresa Hemenway, co-owner of EZ Bikes & Scooters.  “We liked the fact that they were green, healthy and extremely entertaining.”

What has helped make EZ Bikes a success is the healthy mix of the Hemenways’ Exeter history and relentless networking, including both the traditional Chamber of Commerce and the Green Alliance.

“Our biggest ally in sustainable networking has been the Green Alliance,” says Teresa Hemenway.  Tom was already known through the community because he grew up in Exeter and because many locals had done business with him,” Hemenway continues.  “The Green Alliance helped us connect with other businesses in the area. Tom has an enthusiasm that is contagious and we've received support from the Exeter Chamber, Provident Bank, Exeter Lions Club and the Green Alliance.”

Exeter has attracted various other green-minded businesses to its local commerce, including Zev Yoga, an Ashtanga yoga studio owned by Jonas Amberger.  With the first studio location based in Portsmouth and second in Dover, Zev Yoga opened up its third studio in Exeter and has since become an integral part of the Exeter local business community.

One of the other key connections for all of these businesses getting together and establishing a network was through the Green Alliance.  The Green Alliance is a local business union that specializes in promoting local businesses who are environmentally conscious and educating consumers around greener choices.

“The Green Alliance has been a great source of networking with other sustainable businesses and consumers,” adds Acorn’s Laura Mackay. “It seems that Exeter is a sort of matrix for the coming together of these two natural allies, the green business community and the green consumers who support them.”

• For more information about Acorn Organic Salon, visit www.acornorganicsalon.com
• For more information about Starry Brook Natural Medicine, visit www.starrybrook.com
• To learn more about AutoBeGreen, visit www.autobegreen.com
• To learn more about ReVision Energy, visit www.revisionenergy.com
• Learn more about EZ Bikes & Scooters at www.ezbikesandscooters.com
• Learn more about Zev Yoga at www.zevyoga.com
• For more information about the Green Alliance, visit www.greenalliance.biz