It's easy to get sucked into the negative spin. It's easy to begin second guessing your own plans for your future green career. It's easy to want to hunker down to weather the storm.

It's harder to stay focused on what's working in your own life. It's harder to stay focused on what you can do to guide your life forward. It's harder to envision the future with hope.

And yet, that's exactly what each of us needs to do: Focus on what we can do to move the green movement forward.

Some media sources say the economic decline will benefit the environment because people cutting costs will consume less, drive less, and pollute less. Although this may be true, I don't believe that's the full story.

I think there are some other realities to consider.

- No matter what the current economic situation is, the earth still needs support in combating global warming.

- The need for green solutions is not going to go away. As time progresses the need for these solutions actually increases. Without these changes we will have more economic, environmental, and climate problems than we do now.

- Many of the solutions that help the environment also save businesses, families, and individuals money. Significant sums of cash. Think building efficiency and cost effective transportation for starters. Can you think of anyone who doesn't want to save money these days?

- Each green solution will require personnel to provide the products and services to implement it.

- The green economy may not take off in the way we had hoped or imagined, but a number of prestigious individuals and organizations believe the green movement is the best way to combat the environmental, economic, and climate problems we face as a country and a planet.

How the green economy takes form depends on a number of factors, including how the Presidential race turns out, the mix in Congress, what policies, regulations, and mandates are put into place, how much research funding is available, how carbon is priced, and more. We may need more ingenuity and perseverance to make it happen, but it's got to happen.

Rather than sit back and wait for a perfectly clear path, choose a proactive stance. View this time of uncertainty as an opportunity to strengthen your own game.

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Five Actions You Can Take to Move Yourself Forward

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You can take all of these actions while employed at your current job. You don't need to make any immediate decisions. In fact, your green career planning actions will help you gain the clarity, knowledge, and experience you need to make a well-though out decision about your future. Use this unsettled time to prepare for your ultimate green career.

1) Identify your green niche. Narrowing your focus to your true passion brings a variety of benefits. You'll save time, energy, and resources when you keep your job search focused.

2) Meet and talk with people in your target profession or industry. Soak up as much information as you can. Ask them about the future. What trends are they seeing? How do they think it's going to unfold? What needs to happen next? The more you understand your profession or industry, the more likely you are to achieve your goal.

3) Learn more about your profession or industry. Take classes, review online materials, attend conferences, read books. Make green reading and learning a part of your everyday life.

4) Put your skills and knowledge to work. Volunteer to gain experience. Do an internship, take on an apprenticeship, take on a green project at work, or step into a leadership role.

5) Target potential companies. Track their progress, set up Google Alerts for news of your target companies. Meet their employees and customers to learn as much as you can about what's working and not working within the companies.

Your goal is to clarify your vision for your green career. Position yourself to be ready and able to step forward when opportunities begin opening up.

By preparing for the future, even when it currently hides behind a dark cloud of uncertainty, you become part of the solution we need.