There are two big trends in business right now: the rise in women’s entrepreneurship and the rise of sustainable businesses. Women are starting businesses at rates that are above the national average, and many businesses are now starting to figure out that going green can be good for business. When we connect these two dots a fascinating opportunity emerges: women-owned businesses can serve as a critical leverage point in the shift towards a green economy in which businesses are ecologically sustainable and socially responsible, while also being financially profitable.

Additional resources and information about women, sustainability, and green business:

• Green Business Women: Green Business Women (GBW) is dedicated to connecting green business women worldwide. The site offers networking, information, vendor opportunities, support, and contacts. GBW offers an international directory that lists green businesses run by women.
• Women in Green Forum: The First Annual Women in Green Forum (WIGF) was held in September 2010 in Pasadena. This event was designed to bring together women already working in environmental industries as well as to encourage more women to consider careers in those fields. An important part of the WIGF was to help women develop their professional networks and to provide ongoing support beyond the duration of the conference itself.
• Women of Green: Women of Green (WOG) is a podcast and community focused on turning up the volume of the feminine voice on behalf of the planet and future generations. Through interviews with artists, authors, businesswomen, and more, WOG brings together a range of perspectives that give voice to the role of women in the global shift towards an environmentally sound planet.
• Women’s Network for a Sustainable Future: Women’s Network for a Sustainable Future (WNSF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing sustainability through the commitment, talent, and leadership of businesswomen. The WNSF offers Peer Learning Sessions covering topics such as “Human Capital for a Sustainable Economy,” “The Business of Climate Change,” and “The Green Consumer: Fact, Fiction, and the Future of Marketing.” The WNSF also organizes  two annual Businesswomen’s Sustainability Leadership Summits, one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast.
• Women’s Earth Alliance: The Women’s Earth Alliance (WEA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing climate change issues by developing emerging women leaders.