Green collar jobs are positions in the clean energy sector. These are jobs in the areas of renewal energy, recycling, green building, wind power farms, solar energy, organics (of all types), or any other type of position that has been established to help “save the planet” and/or reduce global warming.

Although these jobs are actually white or blue collar jobs, because these workers are involved in the energy/environmental sector, the name “green collar jobs has been attached to these positions.

Many politicians are urging the government, corporations and/or small businesses to create more green collar jobs; jobs which will help to save the environment and reduce our dependency on oil.

Tax breaks, loans and/or grant opportunities may become available to businesses for the creation of green collar jobs.

Years ago, we created green collar jobs with a recycling business. For the tutorial, read Wood Recycling, A Green Opportunity

Going green, means making and selling products that are friendly to the environment. Some companies strive to recycle, while others are finding ways to eliminate the amount of garbage that goes into landfills.

The guests on tonight’s show, included the founders of:

gGDiapers This invention was developed to eliminate the amount of disposable diapers that end up in land fills. The gDiaper, uses plastics free, flushable liners. The outer layer of the diaper is washable, reusable, and available in a variety of colors. Very stylish!

Method - This is a line of biodegradable, non toxic, cleaning products. Not something new, however, the packaging of the product, makes this one stand out. What a great way to enjoy cleaning.

Josie Maran Cosmetics -This is a line of makeup, that is totally natural and/or organic. The packaging is glamorous, and even that is recyclable. Great job Josie!

Stonyfield Farms This company makes organic yogurts, smoothies, ice cream, and milk, for the whole family. They are against using products that contain rBST, and buy all of their milk products from local organic farmers. The circle is complete.

Recycline. Here’s a company that took recycling seriously. Their first product was a toothbrush make from recycled materials. They then added razors to the list, and now tableware. Happy brushing.

EcoHangers Here’s a company whose goal is to divert wire hangers from ending up in landfills. They have created a recyclable hanger, that shows advertising on it. The dry cleaning companies get them free (saving money), and the companies that advertise on the hangers, get mass exposure. Brilliant!

360 Vodka. This company is making vodka with a twist. Their vodka is bottled in a bottle that has been made from 85% recycled glass, their label is 100 percent recyclable, and they provide a prepaid stamped envelope in which to return the closure (from the top of the bottle). They then sanitize and reuse the closure. Their website even includes ways to “go green” and assists you in finding a recycling center in your area. Cheers!

TerraCycle Inc.- Here’s an ingenious idea. This company started out by “bottling” worm poop, and packaged it in recycled plastic bottles. This is a natural fertilizer for plants, The company has since branched out, and now sells other organic gardening products, as well as products made from recycled packaging materials. Check out their website, as they also offer money for used yogurt containers, drink pouches, soda bottles. Worm poop, who knew?

Finding a way to create a green product, isn’t necessarily hard. The goal is to create a niche, and do it better than others.

If you look around, you could find many ideas.

In an earlier article, titled: “Recycling May Slow Down Global Warming, I listed 17 products that are recyclable. If you were to divide those into “subclasses, the possibilities are endless.

For six years, I was involved in a wood recycling business. For a tutorial on wood recycling, read: “Wood Recycling – A Green Opportunity” . We let nothing go to waste. Waste wood was ground up, used as compost, and used in blended topsoil. Wood chips were used for biofuel, animal bedding, and ground cover.

Going green can make you big bucks. It’s a business adventure that is good for the environment, and one that may stave off global warming.

Take time to look around. Is there something you can do to create a green product? Do you have a “big idea”?

Going green means you will leave this planet a little better than you found it. That’s great for the current generation, but more importantly, for those who follow.

But, how do you find what it is, that you truly love? Your passion?

Some people feel they need to leave their job, to follow their passion. Others, love their current jobs. Their “job”, is their passion.

However, there are others, who cannot find happiness in a full time job, or by being self employed. They search aimlessly, trying to find that “passion” in their life.

To find your passion, may take time, and work.

To get started, here’s a list of questions to ask yourself. Be honest with your answers.

Write the questions down, as well as your answers.

1) If money was not a worry, what could you see yourself doing? What would you do for free?

2) What do you do (hobbies or other), where you get lost in the “project” and time seems to “fly by”.

3) As a child, what did you enjoy doing? Do you still enjoy that “activity”, but in a more grown up sort of way?

4) What are your strengths? Are you organized? Are you a care giver? Are you creative? Are you social?

5) What do others say you are good at? If you’re not sure, ask your family and friends?

6) What don’t you like to do? Oftentimes, admitting what you don’t like to do, reveals more of what you like to do.

7) Do you feel passionate about something, but are too embarrassed to admit it to loved ones? Why?

8.) If you were to follow your passion, would others in your life “be left behind”? Do they have to be? Or is there a way of including them?

9) Are you making excuses for not following your passion, because you might actually succeed? Are you afraid of success? Why?

10) If you know what you are passionate about, can you find a way to begin that journey, plus do what you’re doing now? i.e. go to school part time? Follow your passion “after hours”….?

11) If you admitted you wanted to follow your passion, and others laughed at you, or were negative, how would you react? Do you feel strongly enough about your passion to defend yourself? Do you really care what others think? Remember, many great inventors and big businessman were scoffed at.

12) What “gets to you”? Do you hate waste? Do you hate seeing children becoming obese by unhealthy eating habits? Do you hate paying good money, for an inferior product? What “puts you on your soap box”?

13) Do you see something, and know you “have a better way”?

14) If you were on your death bed, would you have regrets because you did not follow “a dream”?

If you answered “yes” to #14,

15) What’s stopping you?

After you have taken time to write out questions and answers, step away from it. Wait for a few days or weeks, and review your answers. Have they changed? Do you need to elaborate on any of your answers?

As you look at what you have written, you may soon see a common “theme” emerging. Is this your passion?

You may realize you are a creative person, who could make a product in your own kitchen, and begin to sell your product to local boutiques or small shops. Maybe, you are a stay at home mom who loves being a care giver. A day care may be right for you. It’s something you could possibly start, in your own home. Or maybe as a kid, you used to love to build things. Would you like to be a carpenter or general contractor, who builds homes?

You may also have an idea for an invention. With some hard work, you could see it all materialize.

The possibilities are endless.

It is written, there is no such thing as a stupid question. I also believe, there is no such thing as a stupid idea. It may start out that way, but with a little bit of tweaking, it could be a multi – million dollar business.

For more ideas on how to get started, read a previous article of mine, titled: Take Your Idea – Make Millions.

We all contribute to global warming. If we do not recycle, we are helping to create more green house gases. Landfills are known to produce millions of tons of carbon dioxide and methane. These are two prominent green house gases, that some scientists attribute to global warming.

To quote the EPA:

Leading businesses and corporations are evaluated on many aspects of their performance, including product quality, ethics or standing in the community. These leaders can provide a powerful example promoting greenhouse gas reduction strategies through corporate incentives such as financial assistance for employees who use public transportation, car-pooling and even telecommuting. Other “green” practices such as recycling and purchasing recycled materials also contribute to emissions reductions

Recycling is great for the environment. Recycling is also a great business opportunity, as well.

Knowing what is recyclable is easy. A quick search online will produce a lengthy list. Among the common things that can be recycled are:

Paper, of all types, including newspaper and telephone books

Cardboard (non waxed)

Car and truck tires

Used oil

Batteries

Wood products, including tree limbs, construction and demolition debris

Yard Debris, including grass clippings, leaves, and brush

Steel, brass, copper, tin, aluminum and other metal products

Glass containers

Aluminum containers, such as pop cans

Appliances

Computer and Office Equipment

Cell Phones

Printer Cartridges

Eyeglasses

Plastic bottles and milk jugs (without lids)

Asphalt

Many of these items can be recycled and used to create more of the same. Whereas as, an item, such as wood and yard debris, can be ground up, and the end product becomes compost, or a biomass fuel.

Used tires are often ground up, and used as a playground ground cover.

If recycling and global warming are issues that tug at your heart strings, think about what part you can plan in stopping these items from ending up in landfills. It may be as simple as utilizing curbside recycling bins, or it may inspire you to create a business opportunity.

A business opportunity in recycling, may make an impact on global warming, while ensuring a sustainable future, for the next generation, as well.

For additional information on wood recycling, (a business opportunity, I have first hand knowledge of), read a previous article of mine, titled: “Wood Recycling – A Green Opportunity”.

Wood recycling comprises of grinding brush, stumps, tree limbs, and scrap building products, etc… By grinding these wood products, you are creating a reusable product…..wood chips.

Here’s a short quote from www.p2pays.org, regarding the importance of wood recycling:

A variety of wood wastes are generated from construction, demolition, and land clearing operations. Wood wastes consist of: tree trimmings, scrap wood, pallets, lumber, and shipping containers. Wood wastes are often classified as Construction and Demolition (C&D) debris. Wood wastes can be diverted from landfilling and used in a number of applications. Such applications include lumber reuse, mulch, fibers for manufacturing, animal bedding, and biomass fuel. Wood wastes can also be used in composting operations. Wood wastes can be applied to cleared areas for dust suppression and runoff control. Such wastes can also be reused for small construction and hobby projects.

Wood wastes can be reused in home heating or construction. Although this diversion strategy is cost-free, it is often difficult to reuse all of the waste products. If the wood wastes cannot be reused or taken offsite by a recycler, the next viable diversion step is size reduction. Grinding is the most common method used to reduce the size of wood wastes. Wood tub grinders are used to reduce wood wastes into smaller particles. No screening is necessary. The larger-sized output material from the tub grinder can be used as a biomass fuel or as a bulking agent to balance high nitrogen loads in composting operations. The smaller-sized material can be composted or used as mulch. However, according to the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center, it is not recommended to grind or compost wood covered with lead-based paint. During grinding this paint will generate a toxic dust cloud , where the lead can leach into the compost. Wood wastes that are chipped or ground will decompose more readily. Composted wood wastes can be used as a soil amendment or fertilizer. The reduced wood wastes can also be used as mulch and help grow grass at municipal and commercial landscape applications, such as highway projects and golf courses. Mulch can also be used to control weed growth.

Wood tub grinders are not limited in opening size like smaller chippers or shredders. The grinders can process large and odd shaped wood including stumps, pallets, and waste lumber. Material that is pressure treated, chemically treated, or creosote contaminated should not be composted. Such wood contains chemicals that inhibit plant growth or are toxic to the environment. Avoid plywood or particle board since they contain glues which might be hard on machinery, difficult to compost, and contain undesirable chemicals for land application.

We engaged in wood recycling for over six years. We set up in a permanent location and began to accept brush, stumps, tree limbs, and some construction waste. To grind these products, we used a WHO P-12 tubgrinder, with a grapple, which was operated by a person who sat in the cab. As the brush was loaded into the tub, the hammermill would chomp on the wood, and spit it out, onto a conveyor belt. The piles of wood chips were then moved away from the tub grinder, with a loader.

Another area, we included in the wood recycling operation, was for demolition jobs. If a house was being demolished, parts of the house were able to be recycled. We would not take any windows, fixtures, carpeting or pad, wiring, anything painted with lead paint, or asbestos. We were very careful to not grind any product that could contaminate our topsoil or compost products. Customers who tried to bring in loads of unacceptable products, were refused. More time was required on our part when we accepted loads of house demo, thus, customers were charged a higher rate to have the house demo, recycled. It was with house demo, that we would end up with some waste products that were not recyclable. These products were stacked in a separate location, and when we had a truck load, it was taken to the local landfill.

With our stacks of wood chips multiplying, we decided to begin composting a percentage of them. Since we were also getting in grass clippings and yard debris, we began combining these products, and making compost. Obviously, the larger wood chips would take longer to compost, so we installed smaller screens in the tubgrinder, and produced a small chip. By doing this, we sped up the composting process.

Wanting to take recycling to the next level, we purchased a Wittco brand classifier. This is often called a trommel, but the Wittco that we have, also includes a 6000 gallon “bath”. This piece of equipment worked perfectly for processing the dirty material that was accumulating.

With the classifier, product is loaded onto a conveyor belt. It then goes through a 28 foot (x 6′ diameter) trommel screen. As the trommel turns, product is released through the predetermined size screens. Anything larger than the screens, passes onto the bath. The bath contains two underwater conveyor belts. The top belt (since wood floats), takes the wood products, and dispenses it outside of the bath (on the front side of the classifier, and can be taken to the tubgrinder for grinding). The rocks, that sink to the bottom of the bath, are picked up by the second conveyor belt, and are ejected out, to the rear side of the classifier.

The trommel, or classifier, is operated by a person who sits in a “control tower”. The operator can stop the trommel at any time, or set the speed of the trommel. If they see a problem, they can stop the trommel from turning, and correct the problem.

With the classifier, we were able to mix, or blend, the dirt with the composted, recycled wood products. Hence, a blended topsoil product was created. Ironically, as the blended topsoil sat in piles, it continued to compost even further (or “cook” as they say). Several times we had the blended topsoil tested, and the results came back showing we had created a fantastic topsoil product, full of nutrients.

For several years, we took the larger wood chips, which were not composted, and sold them as hog fuel. When the demand for hog fuel declined, we chose to compost them as well.

When composting, watering and turning the piles is essential. Again, we used the loader and backhoe, although a compost turner can also be used.

So, with one tub grinder, a classifier, a loader, and sometimes a backhoe, we had a complete recycling operation. To create additional income, we also used our dump truck, to either pick up products for recycling, or to deliver the “end” products to other contractors or home owners.

Our list of resalable products included wood chips for hog fuel, animal bedding, or ground cover; blended top soil, compost, and firewood. If we had any unprocessed dirty material, we had that available for sale, as a “fill” material. We contemplated mixing “special blends” of top soil, but the need never arose. With the classifier, that would have been an easy task.

The blended topsoil was our biggest “mover”. Living in an area where good topsoil was non existent, we were able to fill a need. Landscapers loved our product, and we had many testimonials of how the lawns and flower beds they put in, would flourish.

Being able to use varied sizes of screens in the classifier, we also contemplated bagging our topsoil product, and selling it locally. This would have been another great income stream, however, due to time constraints, that plan never materialized.

When we began our recycling operation, we charged our customers $3.00 a cubic yard for all brush, limbs, scrap wood, grass clipping, and yard debris. Stumps were charged out at $9.00 per cubic yard. At the time, these prices were based on what the market could bear, however, since then, prices have increased.

We worked on a “honor system”, and used a three part invoice. We set up a mail box, where the invoices were kept. When the drivers would bring in a load of recyclables, they would fill out the invoice and keep one copy. When their company was billed, a second copy was attached to the invoice. We would do spot checks, and at times would find discrepancies. If that were the case, the driver and/or company were notified, and a correction was made to the invoice. A few people, “dumped and dashed”, but that was a rare occurrence. The honor system worked fine for our set up, however, for a larger operation, it may be necessary to set up a “booth”, where loads can be being viewed, and the invoices are being completed by an individual, hired by the company.

For loads of product coming in to us, we also made a 4×8′ “map” of the recycling yard. This directed the drivers as to which area we wanted the products dumped. By notifying the drivers where to dump the different products, we were able to keep our recycling yard more organized, thus eliminating the need to handle a product more than once.

Mostly due to health issues, we stopped our wood cycling operation. Our biggest joy, was knowing we had done something good, for the environment.

Wood recycling is a great way to create a “green” business. Most communities have a need for this. If no one recycles wood products, these products either end up in the landfills, or are getting burned. It’s sad to see this, as the landfills end up filling up fast, costing the community a much unneeded financial burden.

Wood recycling, combined with composting, completely recycles a product, and creates byproducts that are great for resale. There is very little waste.

If wood recycling is a business you would like to venture into, in addition to setting up a legal business entity, it may be necessary to also get permits from your local or state governments. Depending on the size of your operation, DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality), may also require you to apply for a permit.

As mentioned in an earlier post, (Free Information For government Grants ), I had also researched the possibility of Federal grant money for the recycling operation. Some state governments also offer a tax credit for the purchase of recycling equipment. Visit your state’s website, to see what programs they may offer.

We have since put the classifier and tub grinder(SOLD) up for sale. Although the tub grinder is for sale, we still use it for occasional on site recycling jobs. The portability of it, makes moving it rather simple. It can be pulled behind a semi tractor, with the use of a fifth wheel.

The classifier is a specialty item, and will take a special buyer. It is a large stationary piece of equipment, and would be best used for an wood recycling operation that has a permanent location and/or debris yard.

If you have read this article, and are interested in purchasing and/or obtaining more information on the tub grinder or classifier/trommel, please fill out my contact form ( Or,click on “contact” in the header of this page). Please include your telephone number. By submitting the contact form, I will receive an email, and from that point, will be in contact with you.

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