ECOpreneuring — the new book from John Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist — offers one of the first in-depth guides to growing your own green business. These two innkeepers from Wisconsin share what they’ve learned in their years of running a truly sustainable business.

This book is a phenomenal resource for any entrepreneur. Even if you’re planning to start a business in an industry that doesn’t seem to have a single green opportunity, ECOpreneuring is worth a read. Rather than some green tips scattered in with rambling koans to Mother Earth, ECOpreneuring is a focused look at starting a business, a guide to the hurdles placed in front of entrepreneurial spirit and a thorough overview of the benefits of sustainability. And while Ivanko and Kivirist encourage readers to consider sustainability for sustainability’s sake a good goal, they also are careful to point out the financial benefits of such a route. There is practical advice, from how to handle the taxes of a new venture to choosing insurance, all just as necessary for a green business as any other variety.

One very valuable resource included in ECOpreneuring is the profiles of business owners scattered throughout the book. These profiles showcase the passions of entrepreneurs — not restricted to environmentalism, by the way — and how they run thriving businesses that allows them to enjoy their work. In many cases, the survival of these businesses is intricately linked with sustainability; many of these ventures would not have been possible without a little ecopreneurial effort.

What I found especially interesting about the business Ivanko and Kivirist have built is that they aren’t just ecopreneurs from 9 to 5. Their whole lifestyle is intertwined with their business efforts. It’s impossible to tell where one begins and one leaves off. But what is truly extraordinary is that they live comfortably on an income that would make the average member of the American middle class faint. They bring in perhaps $22,000 a year. That’s all the cash Ivanko and Kivirist need to sustain their lifestyle. They have no debt, grow the majority of their food and live comfortably.

Ivanko and Kivirist’s approach to ecopreneuring isn’t quite as extreme as it might seem, though. A business owner could easily implement a just few of their tips, or use the information in ECOpreneuring to develop a slightly less-green business. Ivanko and Kivirist may have made a more extensive commitment to sustainability than other business owners might choose, but they are careful to document the wide variety of options available to ecopreneurs.

Interested in getting your own copy of ECOpreneuring? It’s available online through our  bookstore, and we are giving away our review copy to one reader who either sends  an email to editor@matternetowrk.com or has signed up for our newsletter. Ivanko and Kivirist also maintain their own website.