17 years ago, as I became aware of the impact our lifestyles were having on our environment and coupled with a growing sceptism of big corporates, from municipalities to private sector conglomerates, I looked around for more opportunities to go off the grid.  We already had a solar hot water heating system installed in 1987 which is still going strong today! We were busy planning new bathrooms and looking at options for rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling. The search was difficult with most information originating out of California and it seemed that we would have to put together our own system working with very cynical local plumbers when we came across Jeremy Westgarth-Taylor at Water Rhapsody. Jeremy was an inspirational breath of fresh air, a non-materialistic idealist with a strong practical streak – seemingly out of step with our peers’ conspicuous consumption lifestyles but light years ahead of them in terms of what we needed to do to ensure there would still be a planet for our grandchildren. Jeremy had devised a series of water saving devices using strong robust catalogue components that could be clipped onto standard plumbing systems. As I am interested in simple and elegant design of buildings and architecture, hate the need for regular home maintenance, and being a great disciple of the “set and forget” philisophy, I scrutinised Jeremy’s systems very carefully. My wife was also an important test in that she thought that all of these ideas were a bit cranky and didn’t want to have anything to do with inventions that would cause smells, regular maintenance or lifestyle adaptations. The pool was bad enough! There didn’t seem to be any clever tricks designed to hook one into ongoing maintenance contracts and supply of overpriced essential bespoke maintenance items or patented parts only available from Jeremy – as I had found to great cost with a swimming pool filter system we had installed from another contractor. We made sure that the plumbers fitted the necessary dual plumbing systems in the new bathrooms and retrofitted them in the existing amd installed the grey water recycling system. We are happy to report that we have never used municipal water on the bottom lawn again. As you will gather we are not very good on regular maintenance but the system, whose filters do need cleaning from time to time, – usually takes 5 minutes at the end of winter – has operated successfully ever since. As you can imagine with our erratic approach to home maintenance the filters do eventually block up with lint etc. At this point the overflow to the sewer kicks in and we never suffer any problems other noticing the garden sprinkler doesn’t come on. We then clean the filters and off it goes. The cleaning is also simple and the parts robust enough to enable unskilled staff to do it. We still get a great sense of satisfaction after showering or letting the bath water out to go and watch the sprinkler working. Our staff think the system is magic. We have enthusiastically endorsed the product to friends and family over the past 15 years and have not heard a single complaint. There are now the very attractive Water Rhapsody signs in every street in our neighbourhood. My wife’s sister has had a double system installed in the front and back of her house. Her husband is a perfectionist engineer with the council who watches the pennies very carefully but they, too, have been very happy with their system.

Simon Nicks
Environmenal Planner and Urban Designer
Fynbos Conservation Award winner 2009
Johnny Walker Celebrating Strides nominee 2010

Ecopreneurist does a terrific job of educating the public about green business, especially startups.  My own personal blog, EcopreneursGuide, has a variety of pages that also address this topic, though with woefully less information and diversity, since it is only my blog, and doesn’t have the wealth of writers associated with Ecopreneurist. But the interesting thing is that my blog gets a decent number of hits. Not, mind you, for any of the articles I write, but only for the resources I list.  The page that, overwhelmingly, gets the most attention, is the “Green Business Opportunities” page.  With Google Analytics, it is easy to see that most of the people who come to my blog do so because they are searching for this exact phrase. People want to change the world.  We need to make sure they have the resources to do so.

I wrote my book, Build a Green Small Business:  Profitable Ways to Become an Ecopreneur (McGraw-Hill), specifically to help people start green businesses.  I wanted readers to explore the world of green business, and what running one of these wonderfully synergistic entities that combine social activism, human rights, and environmental protection, with free market, self-sustaining, good old fashioned capitalism would look like.  I originally wanted the book to contain 250 business plans, but my publisher saw things differently.  So my table of contents is a little slimmer than I would have liked, but I still feel like the public needs to see the VAST array of green businesses that are shaping the new economy.

So without further adieu, here is a list of green business opportunities for social entrepreneurs:

I.  Cleaning Service Businesses

1. Perc-free Dry Cleaner
2. Solar Laundromat
3. Waterless Car Washes

II.  Ecotourism and Related Services

1. Ecotourism Operation
2. Green Bed and Breakfast
3. Ecotransport Rental Service

III.  Entertainment & Events

1. Organic Foods Caterer
2. Wedding and Event Planner

IV.  Home/Office Service Businesses

1. Carpet and Floor Cleaning
2. Floor Installation
3. Home and Office Cleaning
4. Landscaping Design and Installation
5. Landscape Maintenance
6. Organic Garden Creation and Maintenance
7. Painting
8. Pool and Spa Cleaning and Maintenance
9. Sustainable Property Management

V.  Manufacturing and Wholesale Production

1. Biodiesel Cooperative
2. Gift Basket Service
3. Organic Farm
4. Plastic Recycling
5. Composting
6. Urban Farming and Permaculture

VI.  Personal Services

1. Fitness Training and Diet Planning
2. Green Real Estate Brokerage
3. Organic Food Delivery Services
4. Sustainable Foods Prep and Cooking Instruction
5. Sustainable Travel Planner
6. EcoConcierge and Relocation Specialist

VII.  Publishing, Local Media & Related Business

1. Green Product Catalog Producer
2. Publication Distribution Service
3. Free Magazine
4. Local TV and Radio
5. Community Newspaper
6. Green Blog

VIII.  Retail Food & Food Services

1. Organic Community Supported Agriculture
2. Farmer’s Market
3. Mobile Food Vendor
4. Free-Range, Organic Fresh-Mex Restaurant
5. Organic Coffee Shop
6. Organic Juice and Smoothie Bar
7. Organic Pizzeria
8. Raw Food Bar
9. Sustainable Buffet Style Restaurant
10. Sustainable Fast Food
11. Vegan Cafe
12. Food Co-op

IX.  Retail Non-food Operations

1. Organic Day Spa
2. Alternative Transportation Retail Store
3. Aveda Concept Salon
4. Commuter Bike Shop
5. Consignment Store–Women’s Clothing
6. Consignment Store–Kids Clothes and Toys
7. Consignment Store–Furniture
8. Consignment Store–Sporting Goods and/or Outdoor Gear
9. Edible and Organic Floristry
10. Floor Products
11. Green Building Supply Store
12. Building Product Salvage Store
13. Green Product Retail Store
14. Native and Organic Plant Nursery
15. Sustainable Printing Solutions Retail Store
16. Used Book Exchange
17. Kids’ Clothing, Apparel, and Toys
18. Car Sharing Service

X.  Services to Businesses and NonProfits

1. Fundraiser and Grant Writer
2. Green PR
3. Independent Sales Representative
4. Restaurant Delivery Service
5. Specialty Advertising
6. Energy Efficiency Auditing
7. Carbon Offsets
8. Green Job Training

XI.  Alternative Energy (See also Green Building)

1. Community Wind Power Development
2. Geothermal Developer

XII.  Green Building (See also Alternative Energy; Financial)

1. Green Remodeling
2. Flipping Houses
3. Carpentry
4. Green Architecture
5. HVAC Contracting
6. Electrician
7. Co-Housing
8. Sustainable Roofing

XIII.  Financial

1. Green Venture Capitalist
2. Green Investing and Financial Planning
4. Community Bank, Savings and Loan, Loan Funds
5. Community Micro-Finance

Scott Cooney is the author of Build a Green Small Business (McGraw-Hill), and hopes that someday the green economy will simply be referred to as…the economy.

There has been a lot of talk about green jobs, but if becoming the next in line for the desk of the Green Czar in the Whitehouse is a bit too constraining for you, then maybe a hands-on eco career is a better option.  As a part of the recovery stimulus package, $60 billion dollars has been earmarked for creating green jobs. In addition, reports have also shown that future changes in federal regulations, such as the initiative to decrease our energy usage 25% by 2025, will create hundred of thousands of jobs. This all sounds great, but what if you are not the type who enjoys office work? If you dread the thought of jammed copiers, computer malfunctions, and wearing ironed slacks, you will want to take note of our Top 5 Coolest Green Jobs that are NOT Desk Jobs.

5. Green Globetrotter

For those that have a sense of adventure and want others to share in the appreciation, a career in eco-tourism may be calling your name. This very diverse field includes positions as tour guides, on-site educators, camp counselors, naturalists, travel agents, leaders in adventure travel, and planners for custom ecological vacations. A person suited for this line of work should have a high level of knowledge and respect for wildlife, plants, and resources. Being knowledgeable about conservation methods, such as Leave No Trace, and being able to advise travelers on ways to exhibit cultural sensitivity is a must. Salary range: 20,000k-40,000k, or approximately $10-$20 per hour for guided tours.

4. Organic Farming Specialist

If you have a green thumb and hate the idea of agrochemicals being sprayed over your fruits and vegetables, you may enjoy a career in organic farming. Completely unlike traditional crop farming, this new industry requires extensive knowledge of plants, but could also extend to the role of a community organizer. In heavy demand are urban farming experts, who play a role in local outreach programs and farming promotion. Some organic farmers are also taking on a dual role as chefs specializing in locally grown food. In addition to farm hands, this industry also requires people that know the intricacies of warehousing, transporting, post-harvest handling, distributing, and retailing organic foods. Salary range: $31,100 to $103,660.

3. Bike and Scooter Technician

More technically savvy that someone who merely patches tires or oils chains, bicycle and scooter technicians are professionals who are currently in demand. With the introduction of a large number of two wheeled vehicles on the streets, maintenance for all of the varieties is going to require a blend of mechanical and electrical knowledge. Expectations are that the industry could grow to include fabricators of after-market parts and even roadside assistance crews. Salary Range: $20,000 to $40,300, or $10-20per hour

2. Protection Technician:

If you love the science behind nature, but also want the opportunity to be observe the environment outside of the lab, you should read on. The tasks for a protection technician could include collecting water and soil samples, performing laboratory testing, and determining sources for pollutants. Beyond the core competencies, this person could also be charged with being the first responder at a site of a hazardous spill, or be sent to investigate an outbreak of plant disease. Some jobs might require studies abroad on rugged terrain in order to record field data. These types of people would be highly valued for their expertise in environmental science, and might have a specialty in hydrology, remediation, soil erosion, or climate change. Salary range: $25,000 to $67,000.

1. Alternative Energy Installer

For the person who really craves physical labor and enjoys the complexities of emerging technologies, the job of an installer could be right up your alley. This person could specialize in updating outdated heating and cooling systems in a residence, or knowing how to outfit a building with solar panels, or perhaps even working with builders to create storm water tank systems for a new condo complex. Tasks in this field, like linking a solar water heater to a home owners grey water system, could be tricky, and may require technical school training or apprenticeships. A plus for this career would be having a background in energy efficiency regulations, tax rebates, and other governmental programs available to help consumers select the right product for upgrades. Salary range: $24,000 to $61,000

by Lea Bogdan, 10/12/09

South Africa has even less water than previously thought, a study has found. Scientists have warned that the country, with 98 percent of its surface water allocated for use, faces tough decisions as it becomes hotter and drier.

But the Water Resources of South Africa 2005 study, the fifth of its kind, found 4 percent less surface water than had been estimated in 1995.

“With each of the national water studies carried out since the 1950s, our estimate of the country’s total natural water resources has declined,” project director Brian Middleton said. “If we were allocating water according to the higher estimates made in previous studies, we would find that there is simply not enough water to meet our needs.”

The study, completed late last year, with its findings now being released, was commissioned in 2004 by South Africa’s Water Research Commission (WRC) “after significant consultation in the water industry”.

It was carried out by a consortium of scientific and engineering consulting firms, producing a detailed survey of surface and groundwater and water quality.

Middleton said the findings were intended as a planning tool for a wide range of users, including developers, farmers, policy-makers and municipalities. It provided localised information that would be useful, for example, for showing how much water was available and how wastewater would affect water quality.

What made the new data particularly valuable was that it integrated surface and groundwater information, Middleton said.

The study found that about 10 000 million cubic metres of groundwater was available for use every year, but that this would be 25 percent less during droughts.

Nearly 50 000 million cubic metres of surface water was available yearly.

Another study, reported in the SA Journal of Science this year, found that while 98 percent of surface water was allocated for use, 41 percent of the usable groundwater was also allocated. Also, the country had become 2 percent hotter and 6 percent drier since the 1970s and this would affect food security and hit poor people hardest.

craig.mckune@inl.co.za

* This article was originally published on page 5 of The Cape Times on September 28, 2009