Event Planners — Whether they print invitations on 100% recycled paper or send out e-vites to minimize paper usage, green event planners will make every effort to make your event carbon neutral. There is no certification or training needed to plan a green event. The planner that Green DMV hired for their Green Night Out event last week, made sure that the leftover food was composted, for example. The planner also hired the DC Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that takes individuals from low-income communities and trains them how to be chefs. “Providing jobs … is in keeping with sustainability,†says O’Neal. For a list of ways to green your event, visit LiveEarth.org for green event guidelines.
Chefs, Restaurant Owners, and Caterers — If the majority of the food at your establishment is organic or from a garden or farm in your area, then you can consider yourself a green entrepreneur. “When you find products that are locally grown or sourced [as opposed to] shipped in from Argentina or even California … then you are generating fewer carbon emissions,†says O’Neal. For resources on how to green your restaurant, visit the Green Restaurant Association.
For more information about green jobs, visit
Your local Environmental Protection Agency office