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July 7, 2008 |
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THIS ISSUE'S SPONSOR
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Taking Care of Business
By Joel Makower
Looking for a green job? You're not alone. Just about everyone I meet these days -- college students, recently minted MBAs, mid-career changers, entrepreneurs, event recent retirees -- want to become part of the emerging green economy.
It's easier said than done. Finding a green job isn't easy. Despite the growth of green business activities, the jobs are relatively hard to find. One reason is that there are relatively few explicitly environmental jobs. Most companies aren't looking for recruits who "know green" as much as those who have a more conventional business skill. If you're hiring someone for your facilities department, you'll likely want someone who knows facilities and can learn about the environmental aspects of the job, as opposed to an environmental expert who is a novice when it comes to facilities.
This syncs with my long-held contention that the worst place to be an environmental change agent is in a company's environmental department. I've long counseled inquiring job seekers to "Go learn something -- finance, operations, product design, sales, marketing, whatever -- and bring your green passion to the job. You'll likely go farther than if you seek out and get a job as an environmental professional.
I can hear some of you saying, "How dare you! I work in the environmental department and I have a big impact on my company, saving it millions of dollars a year in improved operations and earning several miliion more in new customer contracts and loyalty. I make a big difference!"
To which I respond: Honor is due, but you are the exception, not the rule. In most companies, environmental departments are still seen as costs, not profit centers.
All of which is a long-winded way of introducing GreenBiz.com's newly revamped jobs center, a more efficient -- and, we hope, more effective -- means of posting and finding a green job -- both inside and outside of environmental departments. It's the beginning of new emphasis on greener careers. In the coming months, we'll be adding new features and a new newsletter on careers, executive education, and job opportunities.
I hope you'll check out the growing listings, and consider adding your organization's own jobs (free, for now). And wherever you are in your career, know that there are growing opportunities out there, if only you know where to look.
-- Joel Makower, Executive Editor
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Featured Article
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A Matrix for Mapping Ecosystem Service Markets
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By Nathaniel Carroll and Michael Jenkins
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The once-radical concept of saving the environment by documenting the economic value of environmental services and then getting industry to pay is finally catching on -- but how is one to keep track of all the new methodologies and concepts?... Read More
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GreenBiz Radio
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Two-fers, Turning the Ship and GM's Best-Kept Secret
By Matthew Wheeland
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Terry Cullum, General Motors' director of corporate responsibility, talks to GreenBiz Radio about how the company addresses sustainability in ways above and beyond their vehicles, as well as how the company is looking to shift strategy and production to meet the rapidly changing demand for small cars in the U.S.... Listen
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Columns and Blogs
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FEATURED RESOURCES
Corporate Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting 2008
This Ethical Corporation Institute report gives an overview of the many protocols that companies are using to report greenhouse gas emissions, pointing out inconsistencies and providing insight into what stakeholders want to see.
Guide to Greener Electronics - Version 8
Greenpeace updates its green electronics ranking tool by adding criteria related to energy and greenhouse gas emissions, causing many companies to score lower than previously.
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FEATURED EVENT
Hanson Bridgett Sustainable Business Leadership Forum - Cleantech Venture Capital Investments: The Next Wave
Date: July 17, 2008 - 5:30pm
Location: San Francisco ,Calif.
This reception, panel and roundtable discussion about "What's Next for Cleantech Investing?" will explore the latest developments and emerging policies that are impacting the industry now that cleantech is firmly established. Bay Area business leaders will discuss the challenges and opportunities in cleantech investing. To register go to HBsustainable.com
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Wanna Write for GreenBiz.com?
GreenBiz.com is looking for guest and regular columnists and feature writers. We're seeking contributions from business leaders as well as the journalists who write about them. If you're interested, send a brief query to managing editor Matthew Wheeland, at editor@greenerdesign.com.
Read our editorial guidelines.
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During the last two years, partnerships between local farms and the world's largest retailer have jumped 50 percent, and the company anticipates it will source about $400 million in local produce this year, making it the country's largest buyer of produce that is grown and sold within a state's borders.