One of my wisest friends is encouraging her son to skip college and learn a trade. Her thinking: living a sustainable lifestyle means growing your own vegetables and fruits, baking your own bread, and fixing your own pipes. Her hopes and dreams were eerily foreshadowing of the great national kerfuffle over Joe the Plumber. Now everyone's thinking about plumbers. And seriously: learning a trade instead of pouring tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars into college (often to get jobs that pay tiny wages; raise your hands publishing assistants, private high school teachers, and social workers!) makes financial sense. Not only are plumbers, electricians, and general contractors recession-proof careers, you're paid while you're training. What could be better?

This week, it seems, everyone's thinking about plumbers:

• Even better than being a plumber? Being a green plumber. You'll make more, and you'll be set to take advantage of the dollars flowing toward services that are eco-conscious. Treehugger calls green plumbing "one of the hottest new jobs in the green economy." Green Plumbers must take a 32-hour class for accreditation.
• The New York Times' Green Inc. blog asks if "Joe the Solar Guy" may not be a better Everyman for the next four years. The newest addition to the well-paid trades?

The bailout that was railroaded through Congress contained precious little that was of direct help to anyone outside of Wall Street but, if you're interested in making your home greener and more energy efficient, there might be a little something there for you.

Realty Times reports that the bill included a 30% federal tax credit for the next eight years for new commercial and residential solar installations, along with a 10% tax credit for certain combined heat and power systems and for geothermal heat pumps. You can read about some of the other special go green tax credits here.

But don't get too excited: the investments required to make a home more technologically green-friendly are often prohibitively expensive. The tax credits help but for most home owners it's probably not practical. Many of the tax credits included in the bill are aimed at commercial property developers.

For tips on making your home more green on an affordable scale, check out HGTV's Green Home. You can even enter for a chance to win your own super high-tech energy efficient palace!

When I was in business school in 1999 and 2000, the entrepreneurial program was packed with young capitalists trying to make money online. Everything ended in "dotcom" (or, if you were cool, "dotnet.") If we were to have been faced with a business plan about farming in the famously launchity "entrepreneurial management" course? We probably would have laughed our classmate off the PowerPoint projector.

Not so today. This week the world is full of people getting money for things like organic fertilizer and soy-free chickens:

• An innovative incubator in New England, the Vermont Food Venture Center, helps small farmers by letting them rent commercial kitchen space and gives advice on "adding value to raw ingredients." Farmers in the small town of Hardwick, Vermont are working together in other ways, sharing tractors and trading resources, co-marketing, and lending one another working capital.
• The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has always been committed to fighting hunger in third-world countries. This year, the charity doubled its commitment to African agriculture with $306 million in grants going towards causes such as developing drought-tolerant maize.

Chalk this up as another opportunity for self employment created by the current housing meltdown. An entrepreneurial spirit in Stockton California started the Greener Grass Company, which for the right price will spraypaint your lawn a lushious green in order to increase the home's curb appeal. Nick Terlouw uses a converted insecticide sprayer and a water based dye to transform lawns from lame to lush in just a matter of hours.

While he is in his first year of operating he's already found a niche spraypainting the front lawns of higher end foreclosed homes for real estate agents who are ready to do anything to get a home to sell. While the banks aren't footing the bill for the service like they have for those offered by "board up" men, Nick sees a bright green future ahead as foreclosures and dry spells don't appear to be on the way out.

Picking up something used isn't just good for your wallet, it's good for the environment too (since you've likely kept another gadget out of landfills). While the decision to purchase used electronics is laudable from an environmental standpoint, there are many factors to consider before you head out to get a used laptop from someone you found on Craigslist.

Sustainablog.org took a hard look at what's important when buying a used laptop and came up with a, "10 Step Guide to Buying a Used Laptop That Works".

This is a really handy resource that covers many details that you likely wouldn't think about if you are used to buying your laptops new. A few highlights include:

• Where to buy it.
• Is the screen in good condition?
• Check all the ports.
• Test the hard drive for errors.
• Check the battery life.

I'm a bit of a geek but if I would have purchased a used laptop last week I can guarantee I wouldn't have taken all of these precautions and I'm sure at least one of them would have come back to haunt me. If you're looking to pick up a used laptop you'd be a fool not to use these steps as a checklist.

The only thing the list left off was to make sure you check the price of a new machine before you buy since in my experience many sellers overestimate the value of their old computers. When you couple this tendency with the sinking price of laptops these days it may make more sense to buy new, especially if you pick up one of the super cheap laptops on Black Friday.

Just about everyone is talking about something "green" these days. Whether it's green cars, green buildings, or just the green focused lifestyle itself, you can hardly turn around without someone pushing some green concept in your face. It's enough to turn a person, well, green.

I have always tried to maintain an earth friendly outlook myself. For me, that vision has been absorbed in the lifetime pursuit of trying to plant at least enough trees to offset the trees that have been utilized to serve my needs. Of course, I'll never know for sure if I've accomplished my goal. That's one reason why I haven't stopped planting them yet. That's also the reason why a particular blog post, from WeHeartWorld, piqued my interest.

The lively folks at WeHeartWorld, put together a list of ten companies which claim they shall plant at least one tree for each purchase of a specific item, or which facilitate the collection of donations for tree planting purposes. It's an absolutely fantastic effort, and I wish a host of companies would jump on that bandwagon. For instance, the "Plant a Tree for Me" campaign, sponsored by Dell, encourages consumers to make donations for tree planting. The claim is that a $99 donation to the Dell effort could provide a person with a one year carbon offset.

Introducing a regular-looking pizza box with a special touch. The difference is that the box can come apart once it's delivered by your local pie dealer. While it starts out the size of a standard pizza box, customers can break the platter-size square into four plate-size sections using scoring and perforations.

Voila--a trashy dinner service for four, with no wasting water or soap on dishes after. I guess that sorta makes this box "green," as the manufacturer claims. If annual pizza consumption numbers in the billions, as some theorize (though of course, some must be served on plates in restaurants), sure, this could have some effect if everyone used it. Okay, maybe the "green" angle is a slight stretch, but it's also true that no trees died for the box, either. It's made from 100% recycled material, which presumably can be recycled again after supper. Every little bit helps, right?

If you are looking to cut a chunk out of your technology expenses than the quickest way to save money and be environmentally friendly is to carefully monitor what you are printing. Lifehacker has a great roundup of ways to cut down on how much you print. Before you scoff this off as yet another "stop buying a latte" methods of saving, take note that ink costs roughly $2,701 per gallon and doesn't require that you lower your intake of any addictive substances!

You don't need to throw your printer out to save money, thanks to technology there are many ways to save money by printing only what you really need. My favorites from the list of ink saving include printing only the selection you need, which comes in especially useful if you handle a lot of excel spreadsheets. Another of my favorite methods is to print to a PDF rather than using up ink and paper. Setting up a PDF printer is easy and free and doubles as a great way to track your online purchases. I keep a folder on my computer with receipts and warranty information stored as PDFs that way I can easily find the information when I need it.

Even if you consider yourself a master of technology this list has some great new ways to track and reduce your printing. Reducing your printing is an easy way to save money; even if you only save 2 reams of paper and a set of ink refills by changing your printing habits you'll have easily saved $50. If you happen to be a small business owner trimming your printing down is a quick way to cut office supplies, waste removal and likely storage since you'll be inclined to keep that paper in a box, in a closet somewhere for the next 5 years.

What is your favorite way to cut back on printing unneeded pages?

If you're a vegetarian -- or just want people to think you are -- Compassion Over Killing is offering a free TryVeg.com bumper sticker. According to the site:

Help spread a message of compassion with our new TryVeg.com bumper sticker! Every time you drive or park in a public spot, you can encourage people to "help end animal cruelty-one meal at a time." It also makes a great decoration for your locker at school or work.

Click here to fill out the form

A lot of the "green" movement seems focused on designing gadgets, clothes, and other items that are, essentially, status symbols. After all, while a hybrid car can save a great deal of gasoline, it also sends a message to the world about the driver's politics, values, and ability to afford an expensive new car.

The same goes for bamboo clothing, hemp hats, designer totes that say "I Am Not a Paper Bag," and all the other high-end fripperies that wealthy people are using to show their environmental bona fides.

The other day, I saw a t-shirt that said "Green Is the New Black." I couldn't agree more: sustainability has become something to wear on your sleeve, instead of a way to live.

My wife and I have lived in our house for almost eight years now. We have always mowed the lawn, but not quite as regularly as our neighbors. We have one guy next store who is somewhat maniacal. He used to cut his grass twice a week, although he's slacked off lately, to about once a week. We're lucky to get to it once every two weeks, which means going three weeks between mowings hasn't been out of the norm.

We used to be considered lazy -- at least by our parents when they came visiting, and probably by our neighbors too polite to comment. But today, I think you could argue that we're environmentalists.

I was cutting my lawn Sunday afternoon when I suddenly realized that all of these years, my wife and I are probably doing the right thing, or at least, we're not doing the wrong thing. I completely understand why someone would want to have a well-manicured lawn. I look at such yards with a mixture of awe and envy, but it hit me today how much we're saving in money and energy, because we don't take better care of our lawn.

Do you have an eco-conscience high school grad walking to pomp and circumstance this spring? Maybe a patchouli and Birkenstock loving college grad ready to wrestle corporate America for our nations future? What better way to show them your support and give them a graduation gift they will remember, than erasing the carbon footprint they have left over their short life. Worldchanging.com in coordination with TerraPass, a carbon offsetting company, have teamed up to offer a clean slate gift program in which a donor can buy the carbon offsets to essentially displace the carbon footprint for graduates from high school through working adults.

The program is not cheap, but if you want to make a difference going green this way is likely to make a bigger difference than a pack of CFL light bulbs for the graduates first apartment. To offset the carbon footprint of a high school graduate, $6,000 in offsets would need to be purchased. For a college graduate the cost would be $7,500 and for a working adult the price jumps up to $25,000! The prices are high but even if you can't afford to offset your favorite grad's carbon footprint for life you can purchase offsets in smaller amounts by donating to Terrapass in honor of the graduate.

Every day, WalletPop will be bringing you information about a fantastic freebie. Like what you see? Check back tomorrow for more!

Here's one that will make the green-lovers feel all warm and fuzzy: Planting America will mail you the seeds to plant your very own tree. They currently have Colorado Blue Spruce, Englemann Spruce, River Birch, Paper Birch, and Red Spruce. They have all the information you need to figure out which tree will work in your climate. From the site:

Why do we give away free seeds? In an effort to plant as many trees in as many places around the country as possible, we are offering a variety of free tree seeds. Look at the list below and find a tree that suits your area and your needs. Please refer to the sowing instructions we have supplied for the best chances of success. Fill out our order form and you will receive a minimum of 250 seeds in a few days for free!* If you do not plan to plant your seeds immediately upon arrival, please refrigerate them, but they do not have an immense shelf-life and would most likely survive if planted in the spring. Thanks for helping out the Planting America cause and making your community a bit greener. We ship our seeds on Fridays.

High gas prices don't only affect your vehicle; for many homeowners mowing your lawn is getting more costly each week. Fortunately for the frugal and eco-conscience home owner, there is a battery- powered lawn mower which claims to provide a cheaper and quieter home landscaping solution.

The Neuton company sells two different models of its battery powered mowers, both with an optional trimmer, starting at just under $400. The Neuton company estimates close to $250 in savings over a three-year period when switching from a gas-powered mower due to fuel and tune up costs. Additionally if you live in any of five counties in Southwest Ohio, you can currently get the mower for $289 through a special program at the local waste department.

The Neuton mowers are much quieter and lighter than conventional gas powered mowers, which for many users will be a huge positive, but these benefits do not come without a few trade offs. The Neuton 5.2 mower, which is the lightest it offers, does have a smaller mowing area than most gas mowers and some users have complained of poor power. The newer Neuton 6.2 mower provides a wider mowing base and more power for a better mowing experience, but gains back some weight for these strengths. It would be well worth noting that I haven't had a chance to use either of these mowers, so you might be wise to seek out someone with experience before forming any final judgments.

I'm all for being eco-friendly -- I try to avoid waste whenever I can. But there's a fine line between doing right by mother nature and acting like a complete poser and an article (subscription required) in today's Wall Street Journal shows that many, many people are crossing that line.

The Shopping Around column highlights 4 trendy reusable tote bags designed for carrying your groceries and, perhaps more importantly, showing people how green-friendly you are. The Bring it in a Bag Market Bag -- emblazoned with the slogan "Green is the new brown" will set you back $15.99.

Folks, here's the thing: wasting money on an expensive, and I would argue preachy, bag runs counter to the whole anti-waste movement. Wouldn't it be more humanitarian to buy a cheaper bag and donate some money to charity?

Here's an idea: instead of buying an overpriced bag from a for-profit company, try combining environmentalism with supporting your community. Many libraries offer canvas tote bags, with all the proceeds going to buy books and pay for other services. A win-win!

If you need your green-friendly bag to preach to people you run into at the grocery store, I think you have to question your true motives for going green.