Green Jobs Now

Are there really such things as Green Businesses? And if so, what Green Jobs can they provide? Is it only about manufacturing solar panels or wind turbines for alternative energy? Or are there green practices that many types of companies could employ and thereby become part of Green Job development?

One important way to avoid the pitfall of making hyperbolic ‘green’ claims - what is being called ‘ green washing’ or ‘green mirage’ - is to define and practice what GREEN actually means, and to anchor green practices in the real lives we already lead.

Not some mirage out on the horizon, Green Jobs exist and new Green Jobs can be implemented in many organizations right now, this year, in any community.

So, just what IS a Green Job?

Let’s look at some ideas:

Greening an Organization that creates Green Jobs

a) A Green Job may assist in the production of resources, provide a service, or implement a practice that lowers an operation’s carbon footprint or environmental impact. To lower these negative impacts it is essential to effectively problem solve inside the organization and pass those solutions on to its chain of suppliers and customers. A Green Job provides employment activities that lessen the negative environmental impact of the Materials, Manufacturing, Packaging, Delivery, Use or Disposal of a consumable or service as compared to previous methods used in the product’s lifecycle.

(Six Trees is the top Green rating for an organization’s problem solving solutions, see rating information below)

Greening a Wider Community that builds a Green Economy

b) A Green Job may also assist with a product, service or practice that specifically addresses the lowering of OTHER’S carbon footprints or environmental impacts. By helping another agency or company develop and deliver consumables or services with less negative environmental impacts, these Green Jobs participate in Community Problem Solving. Ideally, the Green Business providing these jobs is also practicing what it preaches and is thereby also qualified as a Green Job organization itself.

(12 Trees is the highest rating for a community-wide problem solving effort - 6 as an organization and 6 for community impacts. These are where the greenest Green Jobs are emerging.)

How Green is Green ?

One way to help develop and promote Green Economy standards and practices is to establish a rating system that showcases and visually communicates verified accomplishment levels of Green Businesses.

Why Ratings?   As consumers gain awareness of the short and long term values of supporting Green Businesses, new Green Jobs will be created, strengthening the Green Economy and helping to build local Green Communities. Ratings build consumer confidence, increase market share, and also help prospective employees idenitfy companies and organizations where they want to become a productive team member.

One Island is testing an award system that recognizes accomplishments made by Green Organizations that are the forerunners in developing Green Jobs. Each area of activity in which an organization ‘greens’ itself then earns them a Tree as a symbol of their commendable accomplishments. These activities span a product or services full life cycle (and include associated activities among their suppliers and customers):

Materials

Manufacturing

Packaging

Delivery

Use

Disposal

In future years, this type of rating system will be adopted as an industry standard. In these early days of the Green Economy’s creation, there is already a need to begin defining what a Green Job is and what qualifies a Green Business as being ‘green’.

How GREEN is your company or organization? How Green is your Job or the job you are seeking? Give it a tree for each of the above 6 activities where it practices a significant carbon reducing or environmentally friendly activity internally. And if it provides a product or service that also helps others reduce their carbon footprint and be more environmentally sustainable, add a tree for each activity it does that benefits the wider community. Top rating would be TWELVE TREES.