Book Roundup Wednesday: Books About Green Business

Every Wednesday, we review a selection of new and upcoming books addressing a specific aspect of environmentalism. This week we’re recommending books about green business, careers, and economics.

Green Careers (by Jim Cassio and Alice Rush, $20, New Society Publishers, 2009) For students and those looking to change careers, this book is a good resource. It provides an overview of key industries, gives predictions about what jobs will be in the demand in the future, and explains what you can expect to be paid in different industries. There are also useful interviews with people working in various green jobs.

Greening Your Small Business (by Jennifer Kaplan, $20, Prentice Hall Press, 2009) Whether you already have a business you’d like to make more environmentally friendly, or you’re looking to start a new business, this book will give you tips on how to go about doing it. There are chapters on topics such as water conservation and office supplies, and case studies of businesses that have already implemented green initiatives.

ECOpreneuring (by John Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist, $18, New Society Publishers, 2008) If you have a passion for the environment but little experience with business, this is a good place to start. Written by green innkeepers, ECOpreneuring presents subjects like creating budgets, making money, and the difference between traditional entrepreneurs and green entrepreneurs. 

Out of Poverty (by Paul Polak, $20, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2008) Starting from the position that neither donations alone nor big business can solve poverty around the world, this book discusses tools that the world’s poor can use to improve their economic position using market mechanisms.

--Kyle Boelte