I have spent the last seven years of my career working for one of the largest ad agencies in the world. This meant on a day-in-day-out basis I was convincing consumers to use or buy as much of my client's product as possible. I'm at a point in my life where I have the option to change this. I want to be involved in the sustainability and green movement, however I still adult responsibilities like a mortgage and raising a family. My question to you folks is what opportunities should I explore? What are the industries out there that are in involved in this area? What are the businesses that are in the forefront? I bring to the table an immense knowledge of digital/online advertising, a strong analytical mind, and experience in team growth/management. I have working experience in Australia, Singapore and the US. Please reply here with your thoughts...or PM me and I'm happy to share my email address. I'm in the Seattle area, so glad to sit down and have a coffee chat too. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
random thoughts Funny... we likely live near each other. Unfortunately, I can't give you much help as I've never been in that field (advertising nor anything relating to sustainability nor being green) nor would I consider myself an environmentalist. I can tell you that stocks relating to solar and alternative energy can be fairly volatile and fickle (dependent on oil prices, hysteria, current buzz/hotness, etc.). Thus, I don't invest in them. Things that I can think of, off the top my head... I suppose you could look into companies like SunPower, First Solar, AeroVironment, equipment makers like Applied Materials (Applied Materials equipping solar factory start-ups - CNET News) or battery companies. Perhaps look for companies that supply equipment for these renewable sources (http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/affect/non-hydro.html)? Also think of scrubbers for coal plants or carbon sequestration. Maybe digging around at UCS | Union of Concerned Scientists and Sierra Club Home Page: Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet will give you some ideas? I just stumbled across http://www.renewableenergyworld-events.com. Skim thru a few months worth of posts at http://green.autoblog.com/ for companies that stand out? I skim ABG almost daily. When I won a one week test drive of a Lexus HS 250h, the gift bag that I received mentioned "Lexus Hybrid Living".
Hate to be the pragmatist here, but the "green jobs" thing is 90% unicorn dust and 10% reality. The reality part usually falls somewhere in the energy sector and even then involves a lot of lobbying and hype for taxpayer subsidization. If you are going to look, that is where I would start.
If you're looking to use your skills and ability to convince consumers to purchase things, it would seem to me that the crux of your question is along the lines of "what would you like to see more people buying?" Or, at least, that's how I interpret it. Sticking close to home, there's Method Homes (Modern Green Prefab Homes - Builder of Prefabricated Dwellings) which manufacturers beautifully constructed and sustainable prefab homes. Or perhaps you can identify the top three green roof installers in the Seattle/Redmond area and pitch to them. I'm not in your line of work, but if I decided to take my skills to a different industry or genre, I would start by trying to identify what would make me happy (which you've done) and then identify the leading players in the market who match my desires. Unfortunately, cafeinekid is mostly correct in that the "green jobs" industry isn't a fully developed as the "consume and discard" industry. This could mean two things: your job is dependent upon many factors, there's much more growth potential for your position and the company you help grow. Most people are comfortable with low-risk/high-pay but you are venturing into high-risk/average-pay at least for now. Whatever you decide, I hope you have the ability to chase your desires, raise your children in a way that aligns with your core values and make some money in the process. I hope you rip some coin out of the tight grips of the big-consumer industries.
Or sometimes you can get a position where it is part green- I teach Accounting for a non-profit university and we added a Sustainability emphasis, of which I got to develop a green accounting course. And we have a Clean Tech group we support by having them on our campus, so they create a fair amount of buzz about it. Maybe there is a Clean Tech group up in Seattle you might get involved in which would let you start networking in this area. I just googled and came up with : http://www.wacleantech.org/
Most Green Jobs are yet to be created or even conceived. As at least a start point, figure out what a good "business plan" could work as an entirely new undertaking. Check out Home Power Magazine. This is a fantastic case of a very small crew making a great "green" business based on propagating knowledge and then making money on the side. Also check out the Rocky Mountain Institute. They are always trying to figure out ways of making smart changes to some old industry that makes it profitable for them to go green. Then figure out what you like....and make sure you like it a lot. Then start small....small enought to keep a conventional job till you are "sustainable" or need to reset.
I'm in the Seattle area too and am also interested in this field. Feel free to PM me if you find anything interesting.
Very commendable attitude, if only more people thought like that. Personally, I made a commitment to myself about age 30 that I was going to make a difference for society, and I did it by building environmental research programs at two universities and training lots of graduate students. More recently -- here is where I have some advice -- I've been working for non-profit environmental organizations. These organizations are desperate for people who know how to market their message, and then to fund-raise based on the success of the message. Look for the association of non-profits in your state (in the state capital), or browse Guidestar.org where you can find names of organizations and their budgets and their CEO salaries. You might also try the Journal of Philanthropy. Larger non-profits pay good salaries. BTW, the non-profit sector has 10% of all US jobs, last time I checked, so there ARE opportunities there. You might start by looking around for a non-profit that you are interested in, and offer to serve on their board. It'll be for free, but it will build connections. Another thought is to look for green companies that could benefit from a marketer and learn how to get on their boards. These board slots pay a stipend. Good luck.
Here in Fremont, they built a huge mfg. plant for Solyndra. I think they are producing solar panels. You could advertise firms that install solar panels. I saw a guy on TV yesterday ad'ing solar panel installations. In the environmental field, there are consulting firms. I think they spend quite a bit of time making sure projects and businesses comply with environmental regulations. In CA, that would be complying with CEQA - CA Env. Qual. Act. That would be a green job of sorts.
I'm in the same boat with ya. This search is more elusive than I thought it would be. Please let me know what you stumble across.
The firm making the most green money is Morgan Stanley. They are "the worlds biggest oil company" according to 60 minutes.They are the thieves who manipulated oil to $150 a barrel. When prop 23 in Ca was being decided in the last election ,there were tens of thousands of TV ads knocking Prop 23 because it was sponsored by "Texas oil companies wanting to pollute our environment." Those ads paid for by Morgan Stanley who plan to make a bundle trading carbon credits. Their money is "green" alright.
Interesting post. "I'm at a point in my life where I have the option to change this. I want to be involved in the sustainability and green movement, however I still adult responsibilities like a mortgage and raising a family. My question to you folks is what opportunities should I explore? What are the industries out there that are in involved in this area? What are the businesses that are in the forefront?" Well I'd point out that your question is really 3 questions...and all of them not easily answered. I'd have to know you a lot better before I would offer any opinion as to what opportunities you should explore. I can surmise that you feel at least to a degree unfufilled with your current opportunity or you wouldn't be asking. Philosophically I would comment from my personal opinion and perspective that the difficulty is that Industry and Business in the great majority-work to serve greed, and greed is only close to green- in spelling. However, optimistically I would say the times are changing and greater real options may exist. Pessimistically, I'd say you are swimming with the great sea of humanity. Most of us are caught in a compromise between what we must do, because of Adult Responsibilities, and what idealistically we would like to be doing, to make the world a better place. How BIG a decision is this? Is it either/or? What I mean by this question, is your desire to be involved in "Sustainability and The Green Movement" something you think requires an entire career change, or is this something that perhaps volunteer work would meet your desire to feel a part of something better for humanity? I hate to be too pessimistic, but I'm afraid the usual or more common outcome is a degree of compromise. Opportunities where you will get paid and simultaneously be involved with a company or business that would meet your rather vague definition of being supportive of "sustainability and a green movement" might be rather rare. If you are involved in advertising you must be aware of the gap between what is presented and what is reality. Almost all business's pay a degree of lip service to being green and supporting sustainabilty...but the actual tangible application varies greatly... Microcosm, Macrocosm, we all make compromises. Most of us are not afforded a platform to make THE world a better place, but most of us can choose to make our world a better place and as the cliche goes...thus THE world becomes a better place. I'm also curious as to your statement that you are at a place where you have "The Option" to change this...??? Is this an already presented opportunity, or simply your personal decision? Whatever happens good luck. In a world where most people look at opportunity as being first in line after Thanksgiving to get the 53 Inch LCD Television for 1/2 price, I have to applaud anyone looking for something beyond those parameters.
