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Make more green in a green job

In some professions, you can make more money than your peers if you green-ify your job. That’s pretty good news for Earth Day.

In the article “Increase Your Earning Power by Going Green,” electricians and construction managers, for example, pull down higher salaries when working on renewable-energy or other green-associated projects.

It sounds like a pretty good formula — make more money while helping the environment.  If you want a green job, here are some good tips to remember:

The field is broad. Green jobs aren’t just for climate scientists or inventive recycling gurus. Research the possibilities. Try downloading the “Green Jobs Handbook” to learn more about the wide range of possible jobs, or check out this overview of green-collar jobs at Green For All.

Follow the stimulus money. Many of the job-creation projects funded by the $787 billion stimulus plan support green initiatives, from improving energy efficiency in housing to updating infrastructure and electricity delivery systems. Pay attention to your local news sources to learn about these projects. You can also learn more at the “Stimulus Job Watch” and recovery.gov.

Think long term. Experts predict that the green sector will continue to grow and provide new jobs for years to come. That means you have time to update your skills or training, or plan a career-changing strategy. Or even volunteer so that you become more knowledgeable and skilled in your selected green niche. Many colleges are adding green-related programs and certifications to help gear workers for new successes.

For more, check out the “Finding a Green Job” section of Yahoo! Green or the resources page at Green For All. Or see my previous post: “Green Jobs Have Momentum.” Happy Earth Day!

Sunday reading: stimulus job idea and more

Noteworthy in today’s New York Times and San Francisco Chronicle…

How to create 6 million jobs
I don’t usually read former SF Mayor Willie Brown’s column in the Chronicle, but today he reported on a novel idea from local investing giant Charles Schwab. There are 6 million companies in the U.S., and Schwab suggests that each company should be challenged to hire one more employee.

“That would mean 6 million people with jobs, instantly,” Schwab said. “It won’t cure the recession, but it would be a start.” I hope somebody on Obama’s team read about it.

This moment: the “Great Disruption”
It seems we’re in a moment that has journalists in a land grab about how to interpret it. Thomas Friedman’s column today suggests we are at a juncture where both Mother Nature and Father Greed have hit the wall. While the piece isn’t specifically about jobs, Friedman’s optimism and creative ideas and solutions are always worth considering.

700 apply for janitor job
It’s getting extremely competitive to be a junior-high-school janitor in Massilon, Ohio.

The up-and-coming job: hydrologist
As water scarcity and other issues intensify, hydrologist jobs are expected to grow 24% by 2016, according to the BLS. That’s faster than the average for all other occupations; learn more in this NYT article.

Popov sales are up!
Yes, people are drinking more in this recession, and they’re reaching for the stuff on the bottom shelf. Popov sales are up 8% in the past year, according to an NYT article. Now I don’t feel so embarrassed by the bottles of Gordon’s vodka and gin in my freezer.

Green jobs have momentum

Harnessing clean, renewable energy sources is the wave of the future, and “green”-related jobs could be the new gravy train.

Investment in clean-tech startups reaped a record amount of venture capital in the third quarter, according to the SF Chronicle. That is good news for jobs, especially as major chunks of the economy are tanking.

And if you look at some of the “5 Top Green Jobs,” you’ll find some pretty sweet salaries. It pays to be green! Wind energy developers can earn between $110K and $180K, for example.

You can also find more information here: “Green Collar Jobs See Growth” and “It’s Lucrative Being Green.”

Now we need to hear about how more career-switchers and talented people who are inspired by the urgency of clean-tech energy can get involved in this sector! (Feel free to leave comments and suggestions!)

Sunday reading: Green the bailout

I have become a big fan of Thomas L. Friedman, who writes some great op-ed pieces for the New York Times.

His “Green the Bailout” column today is great, arguing that the big bailout, while necessary, should also build a foundation for a new movement or opportunity for our country to lead.  He advocates that the U.S. should launch a energy-technology revolution in conjunction with the bailout, one that will stimulate the economy by creating new types of jobs, from green-collar construction jobs to solar-panel designing jobs.

I definitely agree.  Both Friedman and Al Gore have offered our country a vision of what is possible.  I hope more leaders take up the mantle!

In the meantime, I will keep calling attention to green career opportunities.  There is a new piece on Yahoo! Green about a new resource for finding green jobs, called the “Green Jobs Guidebook.”  Check it out.