There is a new term creeping into our vocabulary these days – Green Employment. I have heard it tossed around quite a bit lately and I am not sure what it really means. I surveyed a few friends and colleagues, and here’s what I found out. Some profess that it is the carbon footprint that a company makes in the environment. Others argue that green employment refers to the amount of money that you make; while others feel that your occupation determines how environmentally friendly you are. I wanted to go through these three suggestions and try to put some logic behind each of these theories to determine if any, or if all of them are correct.
CARBON FOOTPRINT
Are you currently working for a company that is measuring their carbon footprint? There are many that do, and take action to ensure that the environmental impact of their operations is minimal. They even participate in programs to off-set environmental damage by sending money to re-plant trees. As an employee of this type of firm, you would naturally participate in recycling efforts in the office and some of this would carry over into the home.
MAKING MONEY
Is green employment the new euphuism for how much money you make? I would agree that getting paid for working is always the goal. Better yet, getting paid tons of money to do something that is fun, creative and rewarding is landing the dream job. Most of us imagine a position that we could be in charge of our lives and make more money than we ever dreamed of. What would it feel like to have financial security and love your job? What if this were truly the “green employment” that everyone is talking about?
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY OCCUPATIONS
There are many, many occupations in the world today, and all bring value to society as a whole. I think you will agree that some are friendlier to the environment than others. How do we go about creating change in mindsets that will allow more people to become stewards of the environment through their occupation? One of the obvious answers is to allow people to work from home or regional work centers instead of coming into the office. By doing so, you save fuel and time associated with transportation. That is not the only benefit of working at home. You also reduce the amount of commercial office space necessary, eventually paving the way for more green spaces. You no longer have to have suits and dresses dry-cleaned as often, reducing the quantity of chemicals used. The list goes on, and as you can see, just one small act can have a domino effect.
I am one of those people that work from home. Not only do I have more time with my family, I am practicing responsible stewardship for our environment. Not every occupation lends itself to working at home. It is usually limited to only those that are self motivated, goal oriented, and have a clear vision of what it takes to be successful.
Do you have what it takes to become of steward of your environment? Are you creative and goal oriented with a passion for taking charge of you own financial security? If you answered yes to these questions you may be ready to move into the realm of green employment.
: Joan Hagan currently resides in Connecticut, U.S.A. with her two dogs, Harley and Charlie. After 16 years in the telecommunication industry, she was caught up in downsizing. It turned out to be rightsizing for her. Since that fateful day, she completed her Bachelor of Science, and has become a self-employed marketer, business coach and mentor. Joan is a firm believer that the only way she will succeed in business is through the success of others. Joan Hagan is also a M1 Consultant for Wealth Masters, a financial education organization. www.YouCanLiveLargeToo.com
