Given recent news it seems that even being employed is destined to be a major accomplishment for the upcoming year!  With “going green” finally becoming recognized as not only as “being cool”, but as a necessity for the planet, it stands to reason that seeking a career in a green profession is likely to be a wise decision for your future. In that spirit, we have created a list of top “green jobs” for 2009, and beyond.

Eco-Tourism: Eco-tourism is growing at three times the rate of the overall tourism industry, which is currently the largest business sector in the world economy. Travel employees considered to be “green” generally work for private companies, government, public institutions and nonprofit organizations.

Environmental Law: Whether your passion is the protect the environment through reduction of pollution, cleaner drinker water, or saving endangered species, this profession will certainly provide the venue to do so while earning a good living.

Organic Farming: The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that land used for farming organic crops increased from 48,000 acres in 1997 to 122,000 acres in 2005. Clearly, farmers are recognizing the demand for organic foods is on the rise, not to mention they command greater prices and profits for farmers.

Environmental Engineer: Environmental engineers are tasked with finding ways to reduce catastrophic issues such as global warming, automobile emissions, ozone depletion and acid rain. The field of environmental engineering is projected to grow 25 percent over course of the next seven years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Hydrologist: This profession involves the management of wastewater treatment, sewer systems and watersheds. With the expectation of a continuing shortage of fresh, clean drinking water, individuals who specialize in this career path should expect to be in demand for years to come.

Energy Efficiency Builders: The National Association of Home Builders reported an increase in demand for green building professionals. As energy-efficient building practices become the norm, it is expected that green builders will have a competitive advantage over traditional builders.

Solar Power Installer:  It is estimated there are currently over 3,400 companies in the solar energy sector, employing close to 35,000 workers. The Solar Energy Industries Association predicts an increase to over 110,000 jobs by 2016, and possibly more contingent on the status of solar tax credit programs.

Wind Turbine Fabricator: Wind is considered to be the leading and fastest-growing source of alternative energy, employing  over 300,000 individuals worldwide. According to the American Wind Energy Association, the industry currently employs approximately 50,000 Americans.

Recycling/Garbage Consultant: Figuring out how to recycle and reuse the billions of tons of waste generated by the world’s population is a critical issue for the future. Among the challenges, how to use this waste to provide useful sources of energy, reusable raw materials and precious metals.

Forestry Consultant: Deforestation, which causes around a quarter of all global warming, is also likely to be a leading source of carbon credits worth tens of billions of dollars. Foresters are involved in conservation and development of projects designed to minimize deforestation, along with education of local people to optimize agricultural methods.

Of course, most of these jobs do require a considerable amount of training and education. If you are at a point in your life where you are preparing to enter college or considering a career change, one of these hot green careers may be perfect for you– and our planet.

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The demand for “portable power” has never been such an integral part of American’s lives, with over three billion single-use dry cell batteries sold each year in the United States alone.  Where do you think all these batteries end up? If you said “landfill” you are probably correct–  the minimum 146,000 tons of annual U.S. battery waste contributes a significant amount of mercury, cadmium, and lead to our waste stream.

One very-earth friendly way that we as consumers can reduce this unnecessary waste is the use of rechargeable batteries. Although there is a minimal initial investment required as far as a charger, and the appropriate rechargeable battery style necessary in some cases, in the long run this will result in significant cost savings for consumers, while reducing the burden on landfills as well.

The Energizer Rechargeable Solar Charger, charted to be officially released at the expo at CES in Las Vegas this month, is expected to be on store shelves by summer of 2009. Although there are many versions of solar chargers available commercially, this one appears to have some unique features and more flexibility than it’s predecessors.

Not only does Energizer’s Solar Recharger handle regular rechargeable AA and AAA batteries, it’s fitted with a USB port for charging almost any USB powered gadget. Expected to retail for about $50, the device will also include two zinc-based rechargeable AA batteries as part of the deal. Because it can it can recharge both AA and AAA batteries, and this means more versatility than most other similar gadgets are offering right now.

The Energizer Solar Recharger will sport a USB port, which will let you power up a significant array of portables, starting with your mobile phone or PDA and even PSP, MP3 players and iPods, and ending with GPS devices and cameras, just to name a few.

The Energizer product further sports a weather-resistant design, a handy LED flashlight, and the solar panel on it will rotate to make the best of any lighting situation. From what the preliminary pictures indicate, the flip design will make this charger easy to carry, while its size and weight should not be a burden for typical or even backpacking outings.

Besides being a solar-powered charger, this Energizer device can also be charged using a wall AC adapter– a handy feature to know you have a “plan B”!!!

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It only makes sense that the trend in eco-friendly living should start at or even before birth. The quest for minimizing even your infant’s carbon footprint is no longer just a question of recycling clothes and diapers, thanks in part to the internet, where a wide variety of green baby products are just a click away.

Need some ideas for greening up baby’s life? You’ll help the planet as well as your baby’s health.  Here’s some of the best we’ve found:

Use Safe, Green Cleaning Agents.
Using natural cleaning methods and home-made recipes to clean your home as well as your laundry.  This is particularly important as babies begin to crawl and explore their surroundings “up close and personal”, and will minimize exposure to harmful chemicals.

Use Cloth Diapers Not Disposables. According to the Real Diaper Association, some 8.8 million babies in the U.S. are using 27.4 billion disposable diapers annually, with more than 92 % of these ending up in the landfill.

Plan a Green Nursery. Make sure that baby’s items including toys contain non-VOC paint- or better yet, are bare wood. Buy eco-friendly baby furniture, use an organic crib mattress and avoiding conventional carpeting are also some excellent ways to “green up” the nursery.

Green Feeding Techniques. Naturally, the option of choice here is to breastfeed your infant as long as is reasonably possible. If this is not an option, be a conscientious bottle-feeder and use glass in place of plastic, as well as organic based baby formulas. As your infant transitions to solid foods, continue the organic route and make your own baby foods whenever possible.

Choose Green Garb to Dress Baby. First off, consider how quickly babies grow and minimize the number of outfits needed to purchase- recycle hand-me downs, and consider resale shops. Green fabric choices include clothing made from organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and beech.

Choose Green Bathing/Hygiene Products. Use natural cleansers, remember babies don’t need daily bathing. You can also purchase organic bath towels and toothbrushes to keep your baby– and the environment– clean.

The most valuable thing you can do for your baby? Set an example he or she can follow by utilizing green living practices in all areas of your life.

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Have you ever wondered where that rather large monthly electric bill is actually coming from? For the average consumer, about half of their electric bill comes courtesy of major appliances, electronic gadgetry and home office equipment.  Another roughly 20% is attributed to lighting, and the remainder is eaten up heating and cooling the living space and powering smaller appliances.  For many of us, this extra monthly financial burden we donate to the power company could probably finance a car payment– if there was a way to cut this down, wouldn’t you go for it?

Outfitting your home with ENERGY STAR-approved products is currently one of the best ways to save money on that monthly electric bill, while helping the environment. Energy Star is a program developed in the 1990′s jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. The program was created as a way to help all consumers save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Creating strict standards for energy efficiency for various household appliances, the program initially focused on home electronics and televisions, but has since expanded to include most major appliances– including sound systems, DVD players, telephone products, battery chargers, and many small kitchen appliances. The EPA has also extended the Energy Star label to cover new homes and commercial and industrial buildings.

According to the government’s energy star website, energy efficient choices can save families about a third on their energy bill with similar savings of greenhouse gas emissions, without sacrificing features, style or comfort. Their results indicate that Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy in 2007 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 27 million cars — all while saving $16 billion on their utility bills.

The EPA website has some excellent information and home energy audit information that can be used as a first step in making your home more efficient. The EPA also has a great pop-up tool you can access to evaluate household efficiency, which allows you to explore tips and tools room-by-room.

There are many ways to reduce our energy usage of course, sometimes there is an initial investment required to get the “payback”. According to the EPA, older appliances can use twice the energy that a newer appliance does and can place a strain on local power grids, especially during hours of peak usage.  However, it may not currently be feasible for you to replace all of your existing appliances with Energy-Star approved models— but taking one step at a time is a start. The bottom line? Familiarize yourself with the Energy Star website and the message that is being sent here – it is the way of the future, so green your appliances one by one and you will be doing our planet a great justice.

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