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Top Green Careers
By Tony Jacowski
Let's look at a few of the top green careers as projected by companies such as Forbes, Hotjobs, CareerBuilder, and Fortune.
In the agriculture and forestry sector, top green careers include farmers and ranchers, landscape architects, agricultural inspectors and technicians, and purchasing agents & buyers of farm products.
The transportation sector hosts a long list of green careers such as aerospace engineers, logistics analysts, engineers (mechanical, locomotive, fuel cell, and transportation), freight forwarders, transportation managers, planners, vehicle/equipment/systems inspectors, truck drivers, automotive engineers/technicians, bus drivers and dispatchers (except police/fire/ambulance).
The manufacturing sector has a never ending list of green occupations to choose from. Here a just a few: robotics engineers/technicians, welders and cutters, shipping and receiving clerks, solderers and brazers, machinists, materials scientists, millwrights, nanotechnology engineers/technicians/technologists, aircraft assemblers, chemists, commercial and industrial designers, and electronic engineers/technicians/technologists.
Another green sector with jobs having a bright outlook is called the renewable energy generation. OK, here we go: energy engineers, heating and air conditioning mechanics/installers, financial analysts, green marketers, urban and regional planners, correspondence clerks, electrical engineers, energy brokers, pest control workers, and solar energy systems engineers. Whew!
Here's one a lot of us are more familiar with; recycling and waste reduction. Some of the top careers include hazardous materials removal workers, refuse and recyclable materials collectors, recycling and reclamation workers, and recycling coordinators. That's enough to make you save those plastic soda bottles, right?
Moving on. Let's check out the energy trading sector for future green careers you may be searching for. You can earn your degree and become a securities and commodities trader, an energy broker, or an investment underwriter. The green sector demand warrants many new job openings through the next 10 years in these and other careers falling under the energy industry.
Yet another sector within the energy industry is that of energy efficiency with careers such as boilermakers, energy auditors and engineers, maintenance and repair workers, financial analysts, refrigeration mechanics and installers, training and development specialists, and weatherization installers and technicians.
What exactly is 'green construction'? This sector involves the construction of 'green' structures, both business and residential and includes career choices such as laborers and freight, stock, and material hand movers, mechanical engineers, electricians, construction carpenters, civil engineers, architectural drafters, boilermakers, cement masons and concrete finishers, plumbers, structural iron and metal workers, and urban and regional planners.
Of course, this doesn't even scratch the surface of all of the many careers with the green sector, but if you're searching for a career, green is a good place to begin.
GREEN JOBS AND GREEN CAREERS
By Michael Richmond
As the recession grows deeper, the promise of a better day lies ahead, and we all expect the American spirit to rise like the phoenix of old to enjoy a new day of enthusiasm and prosperity. We must always belief in a better day because that belief will make that vision come more quickly than despair. We must believe in our innate greatness, our enduring strength of character, and ability to innovate around failures of the past. Being knocked down is not the same as being knocked out, and the sheer courage to step up to a challenge is one of our greatest assets.
It should also be said that the world that we knew before the recession had its out-of-control problems. We spent too much (including the government). We wasted too much (particularly the government). We allowed ourselves to think that we could never exhaust the abundance of resources that surrounded us. We also grew from about 4 billion people in the 1950's to 6.7 billion in 2008. Those who keep count are predicting 9 billion people in the world by 2025. We are living longer and mortality rates are smaller meaning that there is yet another factor pressing on our resources. This and so much more leads to a certain reality that things will change because they must. This change will not happen how or when we dictate, but change can be good for all involved.
With all that said, it seems likely that the economic recession is part of the change in world dynamics which will strike home with hard lessons to be learned. Those who trusting in corporations and pensions where suddenly faced with Enron failure, stock market crashes, and soaring gas prices. In the end, it seemed that there were no safe havens. As the new administration came into power in Washington, there was the magic promise of "jobs." Not just any jobs. They were Green jobs that would propel us into a brighter future and prosperous economy.
Now, it may be overly skeptical to suggest that jobs alone are not the answer, but think with me for a moment about Green jobs and Green careers. Jobs are often ridiculed using the acronym J-O-B or "Just Over Broke." The massive creation of jobs by the government are good for some parts of the economic suffering, but not the best answer to the challenge. Business growth by the private sector is the very best way out of this mess. When threatened with unemployment, any solution to pay the bills and provide for your family may require ... just a job. If you want to be a part of the real solution, a career is better than a job.
When thinking about the jobs that will be created by the government, will these be long-term careers with good pay and strong benefits? This seems unlikely. The stimulus program is a short-term fix that will hopefully get be off the public dole and back into private sector jobs. What the government creates will be jobs that will disappear over time. The very nature of the financial constraints means that there will not be hundreds of thousands of jobs paying $40,000 or more. The fact is that President Obama has asked governors of every state to bring him "Shovel Ready" projects that are designed to help the failing infrastructure by repairing roads, buildings, and bridges of our states. Even the Green jobs seem to require strong arms and backs as we rebuild projects or install Green projects throughout the country.
While applauding the need to create jobs, there is certainly the better opportunity of creating Green careers where the leaders take hold of this crisis to make their mark in the expanding hope of the future. Every battle has foot soldiers, but there must be a leadership by those who are ready and willing to lead. You cannot be afraid to fail, and you must not give in to fear. The good days are still out there. One interesting fact that we must capture in our minds is that millionaires and billionaires are often created out of the worst times in history. If you had the money, you can buy property now for pennies on the dollar that will make you extraordinarily rich in the coming real estate recovery. Those who buy stock during the worst days of the market will reap extreme profits as the market rallies. No doubt that those who invest in this "bottom of the market" economy will be positioned to make millions as the world returns to enjoy a better season.
The world that will emerge will be "Green" and our lifestyles will be governed by a consciousness that we must make things work in a world of finite resources and increased population demand. We need leadership that does not merely come from Washington, D.C., but from the grassroots and private sector where people live and conduct business. Unlike a Green job, a Green career does not come with a fixed income ... and that isn't a bad thing. A Green career has no boss which is good for those who like to work to make a better world for us all. You can't get fired or laid off, yet you wake up every day unemployed until you turn your available time into available work.
There are those who should take the Green jobs and rejoice that they can pay their bills. There is, however, an obvious and expanding need for leaders to step forward as the dawn breaks on the new and Green society that will happen next. It will happen because it must happen. And, maybe, this whole economic pothole in the road of life was a good thing for us after all. We lived badly, ate badly, and wasted far too much. The rules will be different and the path will be unfamiliar, but leaders will lead us and people will covet this leadership. Wherever you are, whoever you may be, and regardless of what your circumstances of the past ... we need you now! You are called, not by the people who struggle now, but by the knowledge that something must be done. When you look within you see a meager flame of passion that wants to be a roaring fire. You feel an internal tide that wants to rush back to shore after being pushed out to sea. You alone know that the real challenge is not just a job, but a career that provides the leadership that must be shared by more than just one man leading the government.
It has been faithfully said that "Where there is no vision, the people perish." And, our country should not and will not perish in this tumultuous time. We have visionaries, prophets, leaders, inventors, and innovators. We still believe. We still hope. We still care. All that we believe as a people is distilled and propagated by leaders. Not just the leaders who were elected to positions of safety, but the leaders who were never elected but still stood in their communities and rallied others to a higher vision. Henry Ford took us from foot and horse travel to automobiles. Thomas Edison took us from candles and lamps to an illuminated city. Robert Goddard open the door to space that took us to the moon. Bill Gates put a computer in every home and opened a new way of business to all of us. These were not politicians. They were men that were too busy making a difference to take a job.
If the tide that has washed our dreams out to sea is longing in you to bring back a fresh swell of refreshing blessing, it is your time. Leaders rise up from obscurity to dare the odds, risk failure, and embrace the change that is coming. That day will be a Green era where economies, governments, businesses, and families will learn a new way of life. We need those who know something about destiny and hope to lead us. That is why some should take a Green job and some should opt for a Green career. There is a difference, and that difference is vision.
STARTING A GREEN BUSINESS
5 Amazing Ideas That Will Rock The Planet
By Jai J KaI
If you are passionate about making a difference in our world, why not consider starting a green business that doesn't require a lot of start-up costs. There are many green businesses to choose from but what about starting one that will have a direct and positive impact on the environment and our eco-systems.
Here are 5 excellent businesses you can start that will keep the planet rocking and sustainable.
1. Green Eco-Consultant. Eco-consultants teach and train people from all walks of life to become more environmentally friendly and eco-conscious. They work with individuals or businesses to help them save money by adopting simple sustainable practices.
For example, a $99 service fee for a "Green Home Makeover" by a trained eco-consultant consists of inspecting a home or business and then proposing specific changes and products that can save energy, water and money. They recommend and sometimes even shop for a variety of eco-friendly products, helping customers avoid the confusion, time and trouble of finding these on their own. Eco-consultants will often calculate and show their clients returns by purchasing eco-friendly products and implementing green strategies; for example over 7 years you can save $7,000 by installing a $150 two-bathroom water conservation kit. As an eco-consultant you can also offer green makeovers for an office charging $250-$500 depending on the size of the office and the number of employees.
As businesses look for ways to improve their efficiency and respond to calls to reduce carbon footprints, people who can advise existing businesses are and will be much in demand Green Irene is a great place to find and check out eco-consultant companies and to learn how to become one. They have a business model that provides flexible hours, low start-up costs and the ability to work out of your own home.
Minimum start-up cost: $450
2. Home Garden Consultant. Millions of people grow food supplies in their home garden every year. But are they making the most of their available land? Are they planting the right plants? Do their state, region or provincial laws allow residents to have an urban farm? These questions and more can be answered by a Home Garden Consultant.
An average household can save a third of their grocery bills by developing home grown produce. In fact many people are even turning the family lawn into a vegetable patch. You can run this type of business from home or a nursery. As a consultant you can advise on which land can become arable and which plants to grow. Tips on water conservation and use of organic techniques can also be included. Having an affiliate with a nursery is beneficial with sales of seeds, tools and other gardening supplies. Check out this video here from Tree Hugger TV, where some locals hit on the idea that unused lawn space can be turned into a productive and edible gardening site
Minimum start-up cost: $150
3. Landscape Gardener. People love gardening but some of us are not able to do heavy work or lack ideas and knowledge when it comes to starting or changing our garden. A landscape gardener can give you all sorts of ideas to help make your world beautiful and at the same time do the right thing for the Earth by using organic products.
Shade, water supply, low-maintenance and native flora to attract native birds can all be arranged by a knowledgeable landscape gardener. If you have the skills to perform this work, you will be much in demand. If you live in a climate where recycling water and the use of outdoor compost are practical, your employment prospects are excellent. Landscape gardening can be a company or a single person business. Your best advertising is your work. Anyone who sees your green gardens will want to know who created it. Look for examples of green landscaping gardening websites. If this is something that arouses your passion, then the
opportunities are many and blooming.
Minimum start-up cost: $350
4. Green lawn care and mowing business. The value of your home is increased by a beautiful and well-kept lawn. But many people don't know which seed to sow or in which quantity. Then there is the lawn maintenance such as organic fertilizing, cutting, trimming and watering.
Summer evenings having a picnic or barbecue beside your lovely grassy area is a wonderful experience. More people are busy with work today and having someone take care of their lawn is a real time-saver. If you can provide people with the lawn in the first place and then offer a regular service to maintain its health and growth, you will have a solid business which can only grow. Remember that there are a variety of weeds, insects and other bugs which can cause disease and damage to your lawn. Giving the complete lawn service using eco-friendly practices and staying away from toxic chemicals is a strong business opportunity. Check out the Weed Man for a possible business opportunity.
Minimum start-up cost: $1500
5. Green home cleaning business. Today there are so many couples and individuals who want and need a reliable cleaner for their home or apartment. You will often hear people asking someone if they know a good cleaner. With such a big demand for a skilled and reliable cleaner, how much more will they be in demand if they offer green credentials?
The obvious plan is to use eco- friendly cleaning products. With so many harsh chemicals finding their way into our soil and water systems, anyone who cleans with safe and environmentally friendly products will be in demand. Then of course safe disposal of garbage and recycling can add to your impressive qualities. Major cleaning companies are promoting their green capabilities and you as an individual or small operation can do exactly the same. Use your green credentials in your ads and sell yourself as an excellent cleaner with the green cleaning techniques. A green home cleaning business is one of the easiest and cheapest to start up. If you're good and green, word of mouth advertising will may soon have you cleaning up all over town.
Minimum start-up cost: $100
Whatever business idea you decide to create or even promote, make sure you're passionate about it. Starting a green business has two major advantages over starting any other kind of business. First, environmentalism and green living is still rapidly growing so you will be targeting a growing market. Secondly, starting a green business can be particularly satisfying as you get to make your own contribution towards making the world a healthier and better place.
AFFILIATE MARKETING GETS BOOST
FROM GREEN BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
By Patricia Camacho
A whole new segment of affiliate marketing has developed in the past two to three years: marketing companies that sell environmentally friendly products creating green business opportunities.
This green trend is allowing people who care about the environment and want to make a difference to actually make a living marketing green-only products. With affiliate marketing, the business owner receives a commission from ads placed on an unrelated website or blog.
When choosing an affiliate, it's a good idea to pick one that is a good fit for your website. Some successful entrepreneurs have launched sites that focus entirely on organic food and other products, and load their sites up with ads from companies selling green goods.
The following is a list of the types of businesses that sell "green" products and also have affiliate programs:
---Health food---Several online health food stores are looking for affiliates to marketing their sites and their products.
---Cosmetics---There's a growing number of women who are becoming aware of the potentially harmful effects of chemical-laden cosmetics. This is a growing area of Internet commerce.
---Homeopathic products---This is a growing area of the healthcare industry, one that focuses on natural products first for health care problems, and only using more traditional medicines as a last resort.
---Pet supplies---Yes, people even want their pets to help save the environment. Such companies make homeopathic pet foods, and toys and other products made from recycled or natural materials.
---Clothing---Several environmentally-conscious clothing designers are offering lines of green clothing, made from organically grown cotton and hemp. These clothing lines are not found at traditional brick and mortar stores, making affiliate marketing vital to the success of these online businesses.
---Hair care products---Like the cosmetics industry, more and more hair care companies are designing products that use organic, non-chemical ingredients.
---Organic food---This is a huge market that is expected to continue to grow as more people turn away from chemically-treated foods and are willing to pay more for organically grown products.
---Lawn and garden---People want beautiful gardens and lawns, but are now much more aware of the harmful effects chemicals may be having on the environment, particularly our fragile waterways.
This is another fast-growing green market.
No matter what the focus of your website or blog---or if you are creating a green website to tap into this growing market---the number of green affiliate programs continues to grow. And that can only mean the opportunities to make money through this green trend will also continue to grow.
Most of the businesses featuring green products have only been around for a few years, making this an industry that is still in its infancy. Now may be the perfect time to join in the green wave and create your own green business opportunity.
