For a professional with the right skill set in business, ecology, environmental studies, sustainable construction, or science, becoming a Green Business Consultant could be a rewarding move in many ways.

My family and I recently returned from a trip to Southern California. In our travels, I was pleasantly surprised by all the marketing surrounding the green movement that seemed to dominate TV channels, billboards, and radio broadcasts. We encountered widespread recycling programs, waterless urinals, alternative energy projects, and it seemed that every third car in the carpool lane on the SoCal freeways was a Prius hybrid. (Where we live, we are a rarity as Prius owners.)

Environmental responsibility is increasingly becoming an expected behavior in California and in many areas of the country.

Businesses in California and across the nation are scrambling to clean up their acts and to make certain that they are not left behind as environmental stewardship is becoming important to their customers or prospective customers. Other businesses are scrambling to make certain that they don't suffer the possibly disastrous fate of being held up in the media as an environmental enemy.

Energy conservation efforts, water quality preservation, alternative energy projects, employee carpool encouragement, community cleanups, land reclamation, recycling, GreenStar energy compliance, xeriscaping, the list of environmentally conscious movements and efforts by businesses is significant and growing.

Even the quintessential profit-at-any-cost-and-to-hell-with-the-environment company, Wal-Mart is installing wind turbines and solar panels on a small handful of their stores. More remarkably, the retail mega-giant now requires sustainability statements from some of its suppliers. If Wal-Mart is doing it, then I think it is safe to say that the environmental movement has officially gone mainstream!


For smaller businesses who might want to increase their environmental stewardship, or at least decrease their environmental footprint, the process might be a bit more challenging than for a mega-corporation with nearly limitless financial resources.


The average small business owner is not likely to be up on the ways to save energy in his restaurant or how to decrease the water consumption or chemical utilization in a small landscape operation. Most small business owners also may not know how to fully take advantage of the potential positive public relations related aspect of their green efforts, nor are they likely to have the resources to hire a staff member to take on these tasks.

If you have, or can develop the skills to make an industry greener, there just might be an audience of business owners interested in learning what you know. Green consultancy businesses are springing up in many urban markets. While the demand for these professionals may still be somewhat limited, growth seems probable.

For years, sustainable business practices have been widely associated with greater expense and questionable return on investment. More recently, managers and owners have found that green business is, in fact, smart business. In fact, a study by the Center For American Progress and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, found that investment in greener technology greatly stimulates both business and job growth.

Some possible areas of consultancy specialization include:

• Alternative Energy Utilization
• Industrial Process Efficiency
• Building Energy Efficiency
• Recycling
• Local Sourcing of Raw Materials
• Waste Reduction
• Sustainability Plan Development
• Employee Health Program Development
• Regulation Compliance
• Strategic Planning In the Changing Economy
• Media or Public Relations

As you can see, none of these topics are for the casual "dabbler," but if you have the right specialized knowledge, training and experience in one or more of these (and probably many other related) topics, you could find a bright future as a Green Business Consultant.

And you have the added benefit of knowing that you are helping companies do the right thing!