You can actually do this without changing professions. Start a carpentry service that only uses Forrest Stewardship Council certified wood. Look for the FSC label. It costs more sometimes but believe it or not, there is a premium market for eco-friendly work. If starting a business isn't for you, try to find a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) contractor to work for. Just look at the premium prices that organic foods command. This is NOT because they cost more to produce. Organic farming uses less chemical and energy inputs, so actually costs the same or less then conventional chemical farming, yet it earns farmers more money. Think about this: Goldman Sachs (best known investment bank in the world), Bank of America and Wal Mart have all invested millions, if not billions, in eco-friendly building projects that are designed from the ground up to use less harmful inputs and less energy over the life of a building. As a carpenter you might have a great opportunity to get in on the green building boom. Not only is green building good for the environment, it is a rapidly expanding market. In fact, it is the only category of building supplies that has been doing well recently. Start with your local Florida Green Building Council website to learn more:
