Not too long ago, a green career meant giving up the good life -- taking a meager salary at an environmental nonprofit, for instance, or forgoing hot showers and other modern conveniences to collect soil samples in the middle of the Arctic tundra. (Not that there's anything wrong with either of those choices; we here at HuffPost Green love an adventurous and self-sacrificing spirit in the name of Mother Earth.)
But the times they are a-changin': Green jobs growth has eclipsed other sectors by nearly 250 percent over the last decade, and the green economy is expected to make significant gains by the 2012 Economic Census, despite the recession. It's now possible to forge one's passion for the planet with any number of vocations, and -- more importantly -- make a successful living at it.
Want proof? Check out 10 of the more than 50 amazing women featured in the new book Hot, Rich & Green: The Secret Formula Women Are Using to Get Rich and Save the Planet, by women's green business guru Rebecca Harrell Tickell. Yes, they're environmentalists, (and I'm honored to be one of them) but among them are scientists and small business owners; authors and actors; designers and even doulas. They're making money, making a difference, and looking pretty darn good while doing it, too.