There is a silver lining in the economic meltdown and environmental crises we face.

These twin ‘evils’ have created an unprecedented opportunity to throw out old business models in favor of new approaches that will redefine prosperity in terms of health and wellness, work-life balance, and environmental protection.

For decades, “old business” advocates successfully argued that we could not have both a clean environment and a thriving economy. We now know, nothing could be further from the truth. Safeguarding the planet is the linchpin to our economic renaissance.

This realization could not come at a more critical — or exciting time, especially for women? Why?

For the first time, women are on the verge of overtaking men as the nation’s breadwinners. Women are looking for meaningful employment in enterprises that are socially responsible and environmentally relevant as well as economically rewarding. Women are also seeking the kind of independence that allows them to fulfill their personal goals while cultivating their professional ambitions.

I have just published: A Big Green Declaration for Change: Why Going Green is the Ultimate Success Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs. It lays out a vision for a new approach to business that I believe we must take to recover economically and get the planet back on track.

Read it. Think about it. Do it.