Okay, so we’re at nearly 10 percent unemployment nationally (if you believe the Federal numbers), so many people are without a steady stream of bi-monthly paychecks. Yet, 90 percent of Americans who had a job when the economy tanked, still do. But for some that means being a wage serf, cubicle clone or working in the Dilbert world of dysfunctional corporate America – working hard to make someone else richer (and often, with ecological impacts). There’s too many CEO bonuses and none for the employees who clean the counters, work on the assembly lines (ideally making hybrid vehicles), or take care of customers. The vast majority of education system continues to be committed to helping people find jobs, not make a sustainble life, especially one that doesn’t destroy the planet or exploit people (though more are starting “sustainability curricula”).

What we need is less of an emphasis on transforming less-green jobs to more-green jobs for the plethora of job seekers. There’s nothing wrong with getting a job (there are a few great companies, some that even offer employee ownership and stock, in addition to addressing the development needs of their workforce).

But if you want to gain an upper hand on life, more self-employed or self-owned enterprises are discovered that you can keep more of your hard-earned money by working for yourself. As I write about in ECOpreneuring, doing so allows you to also reinvest our profits in ways that either restore the planet and/or improve the well being of people living in our community, nation and planet. These businesses have a triple bottom line and many have ditched the commute to some office, working, instead, from a home office.

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Here at Ecopreneurist, we believe in the power of sharing and building upon our resources and knowledge, so that everybody has a chance to accelerate the expansion of the launching of green businesses, and the effective, useful greening of what’s already here.

So it was a pleasure to learn about startingupgreen.com. Spearheaded by Glenn Croston, scientist, entrepreneur, and frequent contributor to Fast Company magazine, he’s created a site where would be ecopreneurists can learn from those currently succeeding at it, like Lyndon Rive, CEO of Solar City, the company taking residential solar much closer to the masses.

Recently launched is a forum component, where there’s sections on going green in a down economy, low cost startups, and opportunities in the energy sector. Their opportunities section offers many interesting possibilities you may not have even considered before.

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Do you just accept this story as further proof that “it isn’t easy being green”? Do you see no alternative for this poor man but to just go out there and work this backbreaking labor for green energy? Do I hear you snort derisively?

Or… are you able to think creatively? Come on; give me your ideas for solving this. How hard would it be to plan for this kind of weather condition? Couldn’t cold weather solar providers offer a solution to this problem? I can see two very easy possible fixes right away. What solutions can you think of?

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Well, at least everyone reading this blog.  But where to begin?  You have an idea.  You have some skills.  Maybe you have some experience in the field.  Perhaps you have some startup capital.  Are these things enough for you to become a successful ecopreneur?  Maybe most importantly, do you know what you’re doing?!

Let’s say you love the idea of organic agriculture, and want to support organic farmers.  You hang out a shingle as an organic foods broker, offering to represent organic farmers in promoting their goods in your community among local grocers, restaurants, and coffee shops.  You get a bunch of people willing to sign up and give you a cut of their proceeds if you’ll get them into your local market, and all seems good until you pick up the phone and start to call the restaurant on the corner by your house.  Wait.  You’re a cold-calling salesman?  Really?  How did this happen?

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