Recession or not, shoppers still want to buy products that don't harm the environment. At least, that's what John Melecio has found since opening his Eco Boutique on 18th Street in San Francisco in September.

"I might be optimistic, but we did three times what we expected in the first month. It's different from other business in the area," he said.

Melecio took the pulse of the public correctly. The former cruise tour manager from Puerto Rico was ready to open a fashion boutique when he decided to move to San Francisco. But the birth of a niece inspired him to reflect on global warming. "I was afraid of what she was going to go through," he said.

Relying on National Geographic's quarterly Green Guide, he has ordered merchandise he deems useful and affordable. From cleaning products to artistic home decor items, everything is recycled, repurposed, sustainably made or organic.