Photographer offers a profile photo shoot for $79

Great idea - for social media (and LinkedIn) profile pic:

Photographer offers a profile photo shoot for $79

via Springwise by Springwise on 5/12/10

It may be easy to create an account on Facebook or Twitter, but finding a flattering photo to go along with it can be another matter. That's why Estée Lauder pitched in with its free makeovers and profile photos earlier this year, and it's also why Minnesota photographer Noah Wolf has launched an ongoing series of low-cost photo sessions for people in search of a really good shot.

Aiming to bring a professional photography shoot within reach for more consumers, Wolf offers his "Avatar" sessions for just USD 79. In exchange, consumers get a creative consultation with Wolf on the day of their session as well as a post-session portrait consultation to help choose the best image. That same day, they leave with at least one completely mastered, retouched and enhanced digital file that they can use at will online. Launched at the start of the year, Wolf's Avatar sessions have proven so popular that they are now offered on a weekly basis.

So that's one cosmetics company and one photographer targeting the same need; who will be first in your area to combine those functions for a complete, start-to-finish profile photo service...? (Related: Niche photography business shoots bottles only, at easy prices.)

Website: noahwolf.typepad.com/noah_wolf_photography/avatars/
Contact: noah@noahwolf.com

Spotted by: Lara McCulloch

Compost service for urbanites, with soil in return

Compost service for urbanites, with soil in return

via Springwise by Springwise on 5/11/10

Composting may be the right thing to do for the environment, but it can be hard to get around the smell and the mess—particularly for urbanites without expansive yards. Much like the Daily Dump in India—which, by the way, looks to be thriving since our 2007 coverage—Compost Cab is a new service about to launch in Washington, DC, that can be called upon to handle all the dirty details.

DC-area consumers begin by signing up online. Once it launches, Compost Cab will then provide them with a standardized bin equipped with a sturdy, compostable bag liner. Each day clients will fill the bin with their organic material, and once a week—on a reliable, fuel-efficient schedule—Compost Cab will pick up the bag, leaving behind only a clean bin with a new liner. The cost is simply USD 8 per week per bin; no long-term commitments are required. Compost Cab's primary composting partner is Engaged Community Offshoots (ECO), a seed-stage urban farm in College Park, Md., that uses finished compost to grow natural, nutritious food for local kids.

At least as interesting is that clients who have been with Compost Cab for nine months or longer can claim some finished soil in return. Specifically, for every 50 pounds of organics the company collects from them, they can receive five pounds of fresh compost and one pound of worm castings in exchange. Those who choose not to claim their share, meanwhile, can ask Compost Cab to donate it on their behalf to ECO. Compost Cab is a production of Agricity LLC, a Washington, DC-based company focused on sustainability.

The average American family produces more than 500 pounds of leftover organic material every year; composting not only keeps that waste out of methane-generating landfills, it also produces nutrient-rich, fertile, natural soil. Looks like another win-win-win—for eco-minded consumers, the environment, and companies like Compost Cab that make it all happen. Time to make some of that eco-bounty your own...? (Related: Indoor composting made easy — Garbage into gold, via worm poop.)

Website: http://www.compostcab.com/
Contact: info@compostcab.com

Spotted by: Candice J.

Intro

Well, I've finally entered the online world of blogging. Not sure if this will be a regular occurrence or not, but I felt there was a need to capture and consolidate all the interesting websites and ideas that I come across on a daily/weekly basis. Much of these interesting ideas recently have come from Springwise (http://www.springwise.com/) which tracks and scans the globe for smart new business ideas and trends. Instant inspiration for the entrepreneurial mind!

In the past 6-9 months, I've also become very interested in eco-friendly, environmental sustainability products, services and ideas...and have been shifting my lifestyle and incorporating some new habits/practices to align with my new (and improved) "green" attitude. Small, baby steps - or the "walk, before you run" adage...and eventually it will become ingrained in everything I do that I won't have to consciously think about it anymore (well, that's the goal anyway).