Welcome to the first installation of the Green Insider on BlackEnterprise.com. Every week you can check in here to get news, book reviews, advice, and resources for small businesses and professionals who want to positively impact climate change and their bottom line.
First up, let’s address the green economy. There has been a lot of talk about green-collar jobs. Last year, President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which provided $500 million to the Department of Labor to fund training workers in “green†careers. “People have been doing these jobs for years. It’s just a matter of how you market yourself so that customers will know,†says Phillip O’Neal, founder of Green DMV, a program that provides green job skills for low income communities. O’Neal spoke with BlackEnterprise.com and identified seven blue-collar jobs that, if marketed right, could increase the green in your services and in your wallet.
Plumbers — Plumbers play a critical part in reducing water usage in homes and buildings. As people update their homes and businesses to be more green, demand will increase for plumbers to install low flow faucets and toilets. A green plumber has all the tools he needs and can do everything that a regular plumber can without any additional certification or training. Check out a green plumbers workshop at the WaterSmart Innovations 2010 Conference and Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, Oct. 4-8, 2010.
Home builders — Structural insulated panels provide an energy-efficient way for construction companies to build homes that are completely sealed. Each SIP panel has a five-inch layer of foam that almost eliminates the need for added insulation. The panels are manufactured, shipped to the building site, and used to build the home from scratch. Builders do not need certification to build SIP homes but they do need to be trained. For more information about building SIP homes, visit the Structural Insulated Panel Association or read the Builder’s Guide to Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS).
Architect — Any new building in Washington D.C. must be LEED certified. And D.C. isn’t the only city that
has taken a stance. “With D.C. starting it, it’s going to catch on all across the nation,†says O’Neal. If you are an architect, this means you will need to be LEED certified before you can design any new construction projects. LEED certification can take a few weeks and you might need to get some projects under your belt before you are fully certified. For education and training resources about LEED certification, visit the U.S. Green Building Council and/or attend Green Build USA International Conference and Expo in Chicago, Nov. 16-20, 2010.Electricians – Electricians are important because more people are retrofitting buildings with energy-efficient lighting. “You can save up to 60% on your energy bill just by converting your lighting,†says O’Neal. “[Changing your lighting] is one of the easiest and most cost-effective things to do.†The most energy efficient lighting is LED, and in order to add those to a building, you have to redo light fixtures or install adapters. In addition, it takes an electrician to install solar panels to the grid system. If solar isn’t your forte yet, visit Solar Energy International for online solar courses. Also contact your local community college for educational opportunities in this area.
Roofers — Green roof projects are heavily in demand, says O’Neal. Roofers can provide landscaping with vegetation to improve air and water quality, and to reduce the urban heat island effect, which contributes to air pollution. Roofers can also form joint partnerships with electricians to install solar panels, or with plumbers to provide solar thermal heating for water heaters. Because roofers need to conduct tests to make sure a structure can hold the weight of a green roof, certification with Green Roof and Healthy Cities is important. Visit their site for more information about boot camps for Green Roof Professional Accreditation or attend Cities Alive: The Green Roof and Wall Conference in Vancouver, Canada, Nov. 30-Dec. 3, 2010.
Event Planners — Whether they print invitations on 100% recycled paper or send out e-vites to minimize paper usage, green event planners will make every effort to make your event carbon neutral. There is no certification or training
needed to plan a green event. The planner that Green DMV hired for their Green Night Out event last week, made sure that the leftover food was composted, for example. The planner also hired the DC Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that takes individuals from low-income communities and trains them how to be chefs. “Providing jobs … is in keeping with sustainability,†says O’Neal. For a list of ways to green your event, visit LiveEarth.org for green event guidelines.Chefs, Restaurant Owners, and Caterers — If the majority of the food at your establishment is organic or from a garden or farm in your area, then you can consider yourself a green entrepreneur. “When you find products that are locally grown or sourced [as opposed to] shipped in from Argentina or even California … then you are generating fewer carbon emissions,†says O’Neal. For resources on how to green your restaurant, visit the Green Restaurant Association.
For more information about green jobs, visit
Your local Environmental Protection Agency office