Okay, so I have a crazy but not infeasible dream. I've been a professional musician for 5 years and I want to do something else.

I want to eventually start a "green" contracting business. This business would simply focus on being environmentally friendly - focus on things like building using using materials that are purchased from other environmentally conscious organizations, ones that promise to be renewing or replanting the resources, driving a vehicle that runs on an alternative energy source (bummer that I would have to drive at all, but it's a must), building to minimize energy consumption in the home, specializing in solar and wind power, etc, etc., etc.

The main problem (there are many): Getting started. I love to build things and have in the past, but I have no professional building experience. I'm willing to be a total grunt to get experience and I'm going to take classes to jump start my education in the field. I went to a carpenter's union meeting the other day and found out really quickly that my main problem is that in order to do this type of work, you need a car. I don't have one, and I don't want to buy one.

I wish it were feasible to do this type of thing by bike but if I absolutely have to, I would buy a car that ran on biodiesel, or the like. I just don't have the money for this type of thing. Being a musician, while fun, is not exactly a lucrative career choice and a kit alone (to convert a diesel to biodiesel) runs, from what I've heard, around $4000. I just don't have that type of money laying around. I guess this is a case of principles impeding progress...

So what dy'all think? I think that if this became a trend ("green" contracting) it could help a lot and be one more piece to that huge and difficult environmental problem. Things are getting tougher and it almost feels like the Matrix at times. It just seems like everyone goes about their daily lives without giving any thought to the fact that doomsday is on the horizon, but could be avoided with a little (or a lot) of foresight. People should be jumping at the chance to give me an opportunity to work with them, whether that means I have to get there by bus or by bike, whatever, because it's going to be people like me, people who have ideas (however insignificant they may seem) who make it possible for this world to actually continue and for their children to survive. It's very frustrating and I feel very much like I'm in this fight by myself a lot of the time. It's nice to have a forum where I can come rant. Anyway...

Any ideas, feedback, or whatever would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Maybe you could specialize in something and concentrate your business in a densely populated downtown area.

Weatherization of older homes comes to mind. Weatherstripping, caulk, plastic film window covers, etc might feasibly be transported in a bike trailer. If you're clever you might be able to rig up a plastic film based portable doorway fan to pressurize a house and detect air leaks with a smoke pen. You'd probably have to transport a ladder of some kind. That would need some creativity but if you're a light weight guy who can climb well you might find or rig up a super light folding ladder that forms part of your bike trailer.

There's a guy in town where I work (Palo Alto, CA pop:60,000) who works as an arborist but uses a Bike Friday and a trailer to carry his tools and to haul stuff. It goes to show you can do anything by bike if you try. I think there's also a gardening business in Santa Cruz, CA that uses bicycles. My wife went to a lecture they had about sustainable gardening practices. Maybe a little research on your part could help you find examples of people who are already doing what you'd like to do. Good luck!

Bob yak.

I can see that the challenges of doing this work without a motor vehicle would be great, maybe insurmountable. Personally, I feel that using a motor vehicle for the purposes you describe might be "permissible." (I know it isn't up to me to give permission, but I think everybody can figure out what I mean.) You would be using something "bad" (motors) in order to create a greater good (more sustainable shelter). Do the math, and decide what the net effects of your actions would be, then make your decision.

On a practical level, I wonder if it would be possible to find a green contractor and work for/with him in order to learn the business.

It's said "If you want to get rich go where everybody else.......isn't"

In other words find a niche that you can do with few tools but lot's of
moxie. In the contruction trades that niche is........Handyman small
job repairs.

Ever try to find some one to help hang pictures or put in a flower bed
and on & on & on. There are MILLIONS of seniors/disabled who need this
service AT A REASONABLE PRICE. Often they will buy the material either
to your order of have it on hand already but need hands to do the simple
work.

A co-worker of mine retired the same time I did and is now turning away
tons of little jobs that range from painting windows to mowing the lawn.
The money is there but regular contractors just can't take time to handle
this type of work.

Give it a thought mate, as it fits in with being car free (bike & tool trailer).
:D :D :D

Being a musician, while fun, is not exactly a lucrative career choice and a kit alone (to convert a diesel to biodiesel) runs, from what I've heard, around $4000.

You can run a diesel car on biodiesel without modifying it-- although at Minnesota winter temperatures I'm not sure what measures are sufficient to keep the fuel liquid enough to go through the fuel filter. You could use stuff like this:
Wintron XC30 reduces the tendency of the viscosity of biodiesel to increase as it is cooled..

One person I met runs her unmodified diesel car mainly on veggie oil, and then switches to biodiesel for cold temperatures- but for her, "cold temperatures" mean cold for coastal Delaware.

In any case, during the summer you shouldn't need solvents or modifications or even the bother of getting biodiesel as opposed to veggie oil.

For some reason your post brought these two web sites in mind, hopefully they well help or at least inspire.

http://www.bikesatwork.com/

“we believe in replacing cars”
http://cleverchimp.com/products/stokemonkey/