Deep down we all know that living a more sustainable lifestyle is a good idea, but few of us actually dig deep and make the changes necessary to “go green.” It’s easy to talk yourself out of it when eco-friendly options tend to cost more and adoption of these practices continues to be slow, making it easier to hide among the crowd.

Great news for Mother Earth, though: There are 1.8 billion Millennials in the world, and the majority of them would rather make a difference than achieve recognition in work, according to Niall Dunne, chief sustainability officer at BT, at the 2014 Social Good Summit.

He also recognizes, and we tend to agree, that the sheer number of millennials means achieving this goal of purpose over paychecks is difficult to scale. Instead, he shifted the focus to big brands and technology companies and encouraged them to incorporate sustainability into their business models. (He cited Unilever as an example of such an organization.)

Until big brands begin making sustainability a focus, and thereby offering it to consumers as an affordable option, the simple fact is that adoption will continue to be sluggish. However, the burden isn’t entirely on big business. Municipalities and local businesses can make sustainable choices, too, and open up alternative consumption patterns to everyday America.

While we work with national brands, our business grew out of a hometown, family owned farming operation. Small-town, middle America continues to be near and dear to our hearts, which is why we’re always excited to work with small businesses and first-of-their-industry adopters on creating renewable energy solutions that make sense — and cents — for the bottom line and the greater good.