For Penny Johnston, creating companies based on sound environmental qualities, preserving a sense of history, reclaiming valuable resources, and recycling materials into innovative products is what she loves to do.

Before starting The Maine Float-Rope Company she was moved by the stately Maine barns that were falling down and sadly neglected. She decided to turn the classic time-weathered barn wood into traditional, elegant tables, which resulted in The Maine Barn Furniture Company (www.mainebarnfurniture.com).

Her work with native New England stone, which she has named Historic Hardscape™ (www.newenglandnativestone.com) is unique. Working with local Mainers, fieldstones from abandoned farmlands and tailings from defunct quarries find new life with homeowners, builders, and architects throughout New England and beyond.

Where others see problems, Penny sees opportunity — the real Green way — safeguarding the environment and helping others. Her Maine Float-Rope company, makers of Down East Doormats may be the best merging of art, environment, and social need in Penny’s mix of endeavors.

Floating plastic rope has been used up and down the Maine coast for decades to tether multiple traps together on the ocean floor. The problem with float-rope is that it can entangle whales, which sometimes leads to their injury or death. Now, Maine lobstermen are required to replace float-rope with sink-rope. Great for the whales and other sea life, but without an appropriate recycling outlet, hundreds of thousands of pounds of this turned-in float-rope would end up in Maine landfills.

To help keep the rope out of landfills, using government funds, the Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation purchases turned-in float-rope from Maine lobstermen. Then Penny’s company, Maine Float-Rope, collects and recycles the rope into the useful, terrific, colorful and virtually indestructible doormats. It’s a strong win-win – a safer habitat for whales, some financial relief for the lobstermen, and a cleaner environment.

Down East Doormats are a good example of how a simple mat made from float rope can help Northern Right Whales, Maine lobstermen and the environment. The Maine Float-Rope Company gives a percent of its profits to organizations and projects that help protect the Northern Right Whale, support Maine lobstermen and implement environmentally sound practices in the Gulf of Maine.

Shop for Recycled Rope Doormats.