Over the last decade or so, we have come to expect little from business
books. As the written topic of business has been inexorably merged with
self-help, mysticism, and religion we have come to accept that most
business titles will tend to either tell us what we already know, or
will take the form of generic lists of ideas, rehashed concepts,
blatant promotion of other works or products, or will be little more
than flowery lists of other resources for information.
Thankfully, when it comes to green and sustainable business, the pool
of marginal work has not gotten so deep. There are two notable
recent releases that are certainly worth reading,
Build a Green
Small Business: Profitable Ways to Become an Ecopreneur by
Scott Cooney, and
75 Green
Businesses You Can Start To Make Money and Make a Difference
by Glenn Croston. Neither of these books falls into the
self-promotion, rehashed obviousness, or generic list traps. Both are
well written examinations of the opportunities presented in the green
economy as well as some guidance in finding your own niche in a green
market.
In the interest of full disclosure I should confess that I know both
of these writers and have spoken to them on numerous occasions. Both
Scott and Glenn are legitimate authorities in their fields and have
worked hard to create meaningful tools for the green entrepreneur. In
addition, they are both humble and gracious people who obviously care
about our environment. I have learned a great deal from both of these
writers and count them among my trusted advisers as I evaluate green
business trends and opportunities. Both of their books sit on my desk
and are already dog-eared from use.
Green Business Books Worth Getting
75 Green
Businesses You Can Start To Make Money and Make a Difference
(Entrepreneur Press), is an overview of the sustainable small business
opportunities that have shown the most promise and growth of recent
years. In it, Glenn points out that the biggest business opportunities
in our near future will be for those entrepreneurs who are willing to
be creative and innovative in their approaches to solving some of our
most pressing challenges. In addition the book lists an impressive
number of resources and contacts as well as background on the
industries described. One of the comments by a reviewer of this book
stated that Glenn has written nearly half of your business plan for
you. Clearly, if you are planning on launching a green business, this
is an excellent source of information.
Glenn's informative website is called
StartingUpGreen.
Build
a Green Small Business: Profitable Ways to Become an Ecopreneur
(McGraw-Hill), is a look at the opportunities and recent trends in the
green economy as well as simple but effective ways to plan and create
your business, market economically, and find your customers. Though of
more limited scope than 75 Green
Businesses, Scott points out valuable resources and
business advice that could make a significant difference for the
fledgling green entrepreneur. This book is obviously the result of
extensive research and a true passion for a cleaner planet and a
better way of doing business.
Scott operates an excellent green business blog called EcopreneursGuide.
