Making a Living While Making a Difference

About the Author

Melissa Everett has worked in sustainable development for twelve years as a counselor and coach, educator, trainer, organizational consultant, author, fundraiser and CEO. The Executive Director of Sustainable Hudson Valley, she also teaches at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She received her Ph.D. in 2006 from Erasmus University's Centre for Environmental Management and Sustainable Development in the Netherlands.

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Conscious Careers in an Era of Interdependence

by Melissa Everett

Making a Living While Making a Difference is a timely and highly informative guide to a working life built on principled choices and an entrepreneurial attitude. It’s “about” greener enterprises and technologies, socially responsible business, innovative nonprofit work, and reinventing government. It’s really about putting the pieces together with creativity and hope.

Working people everywhere are realizing that personal success is interconnected with healthy communities and the environment. We are all looking for our unique “creative edge” with work that allows us to make an impact -- close to home and in the world.

The substantially revised third edition of Making a Living While Making a Difference acknowledges that while the path to finding a life’s work that is satisfying, sustainable and financially feasible is not easy, there are simple steps to follow. An empowering ten-step program includes:

Paying attention to what you most care about.
Stabilizing your life with regard to time, money and relationships.
Assessing your core aptitudes and attitudes.
Cultivating the entrepreneurial skills to create the workplace you want, whether or not you are in business for yourself.

With dozens of rich personal stories, and a thorough look at the options, this is the comprehensive life/work guide for people who care about their communities and the planet.