If you think the whole “going green” thing is just a trend, think again. With everything from tiny electric cars to eco-friendly dog food, America is on a kick to make the environment a better place to live. And now the government is joining in on the fun: The United States economy is expected to produce over four million green jobs in the next 30 years.

But that’s not all. The hope is that almost half of our electricity will come from alternate fuels, like wind, solar and hydro power. Whether you’re an eco-geek or not, this is a great move for both our planet and our job market. Not only will we cut down on waste and lower prices on things like gas and utilities bills, but the unemployment line will shrink as well.

Here a few more ways creating green jobs will help out more than just our economy:

1. Kermit the Frog can stop his whining–soon, it will be easy being green.
2. Maybe leprechauns won’t get such a bad rep anymore. And with more jobs, we humans won’t need to gank their gold just to full up our gas tanks.
3. Children all over the world will be confused by the meaning of “going green” and finally start eating their Brussels sprouts.

While we’re on the subject, remember to do your part at work by recycling, encouraging the boss to use energy-efficient light bulbs or carpooling to and from the office with coworkers.

• Start your hourly job search now.

While some of you are probably still in denial that summer’s over, the time has come to face reality: It’s officially fall. And although it’s not quite time to put away your shades and break out your winter parka, you might want to get a head-start when it comes to applying for holiday jobs.

Yes, we know–you’re still wearing flip-flops and your tan lines haven’t even begun to fade, and we’re asking you to strap on your jingle bells already? Well, the National Retail Federation just released their sales forecast for this year’s holiday season, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that shoppers won’t be shelling out as much dough at the registers as they have in the past. With the housing market down and gas prices up, Americans just don’t have the funds to spend their hard-earned Benjamins like they used to. The NRF predicts that holiday spending will only rise 2.2 percent this year, which is way below the average of 4.4. This means that finding seasonal employment this year won’t be as easy as most job seekers would like.

So what does this mean for you, the job seeker? It means that while sales are expected to increase and retailers are definitely going to need more help in the winter months, it’s probably wise to start your holiday job search early to get a leg-up on everyone else with their eye on a new job.

If you want to beat the rush, start your holiday job search now. For more advice, check out our seasonal jobs section with articles on why seasonal jobs will make you holly and jolly, as well as where to start looking.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been seven years since the brutal attacks of 9/11 shook the country and instilled fear into so many Americans. But the tragedy of that one day revived a sense of community and hope in so many of us that the lives lost that day were certainly not in vain.

After Sept. 11, many Americans followed a calling to serve in a way they had never done before. In an effort to prevent future attacks, thousands of new jobs were created, such as airport security, border patrol and law enforcement. And thousands of men and women found themselves not only employed, but working to make the lives of their neighbors safer.

Others decided to give back by forgoing high-paying jobs and dedicating their time to public service. The Peace Corps saw applications rise 80 percent in the years following the attacks, and Teach for America, a program that recruits teachers for inner-city schools, became more competitive than ever.

That day taught us to depend on each other and do all that we can to help others in need. Seven years later, these jobs serve as their own memorial for the men and women who lost their lives, and a way for us to give back in their honor.

Start your job search today for jobs in education, law enforcement and security, and more.

Before all the flashing cameras bulbs and big speeches, this year’s vice presidential nominees were just like the rest of us–hard workers who had to make a living for themselves and their families. And while they may have always known that politics was their calling, you might be surprised to find out the jobs that Joe Biden and Sarah Palin held before they were chosen to possibly become second in command.

Joe Biden, Barack Obama’s main man, was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where the economy was declining and there weren’t many jobs to be had. When he was just 10 years old, his family had to move to Delaware so that his dad could find work as a car salesman. Biden got his start practicing law in Wilmington and it wasn’t long before he was elected to the New Castle County Council, and eventually the U.S. Senate. He has also been frequently spotted at the Widener University School of Law, working as an adjunct professor. We wonder if he owns any tweed jackets or spectacles.

Sarah Palin, John McCain’s running mate, comes from very different beginnings. Both of her parents worked in a school–her father a science teacher, her mother a school secretary–in Wasilla, Alaska. In fact, Palin won the Miss Wasilla Beauty Pageant in 1984 and came in second for Miss Alaska. (Do they even have a swimsuit competition in Alaska?) For one of her first jobs, she used her journalism degree to become a sports reporter for a local news station. On a more rustic note, she also helped her husband’s family in their commercial fishing business, and was the owner of a snow machine, watercraft and all-terrain vehicle business.

There’s no way of knowing who will come out on top once the hand-shaking and baby-kissing are over. But at least we know that both of the nominees for vice president have paid their dues in other jobs and can hopefully bring that real-world experience to the White House.

• Even vice presidents have to start somewhere–read job advice and start your job search now.

Hourly workers don’t receive nearly enough credit for the hard work they do every day that makes this country’s economy run all the more smoothly, like standing on their feet for hours, or helping customers find the perfect size, color and style (and honoring their expired coupons).

But we’ve got to give mad props to the 300,000 migrant workers who helped to construct the now famous sites for the Beijing Olympics—that’s more than it took to build the Egyptian pyramids, by the way. Not to mention, many workers, including factory employees and street vendors, were asked to leave the city and find work elsewhere because of efforts to purify the air and roads for the Games, so they hardly even got the chance to admire their magnificent handiwork.

However, four of those workers who had to drop everything and search for jobs in other cities got the surprise of a lifetime when an artist asked to paint them to portray the hard work they all had done to make the Games a success. In exchange for posing, the workers received tickets to the men’s 200-meter race inside the Bird’s Nest, the very structure they had helped build. In addition, they got to dine on duck, tour the Great Wall and enjoy a bit of celebrity by giving interviews and even signing autographs. Talk about perks of the job, eh?

Now that the Olympics are over and we are finished ogling over the beauty of the colorful water cube where dreamboat Michael Phelps won his eight gold medals, and gawking at the fact the National Stadium holds over 90,000 people, we should remember the dedicated migrant workers who helped make it all possible, for our viewing pleasure.

So, if you ever get discouraged with a customer or simply don’t feel like getting out of bed to go to work, just think: You could end up with a ticket to the Olympics, just like our four friends over in Beijing. Or at least an encouraging pat on the back from your boss.

• Read other job advice and start your job search today.

For the last several months leading up to the Summer Olympics, we’ve been force-fed sprinter Tyson Gay’s quick-draw smile, merman Michael Phelps’ flipper-like appendages and gymnast Shawn Johnson’s spring-loaded quad-zillas.

You might have seen them hobnobbing with Matt Lauer, pimping burgers for fast food commercials or superimposed over Old Glory in patriotic, slow-motion Olympic promos.

And good for them. Seriously.

But what about the little guys and girls – the fencers who receive less notoriety and make less money than those who actually install fencing? Or the rhythmic gymnasts who aren’t famous enough to be on “Dancing with the Stars” after their Olympic torch burns out?

As hourly workers, many of you know what it’s like to balance work and a zillion other obligations. To toil tirelessly – and anonymously. And to motivate yourself daily with the underdog philosophy until you meet your goals. You’ve got a lot in common with our under-the-radar Olympians.

Take wrestler Andy “Silent H” Hrovat – nicknamed so because of the silent ‘H’ in his last name. The Cleveland native wasn’t supposed to go to the Summer Games, but he punched his ticket to Beijing by out-grappling a repeat NCAA mat rat.

In China, he might face Russian world champ Georgi Ketoev, who bit and ultimately beat “Silent H” in a previous engagement. Think “Rocky IV” minus Bridgette, Dolph and Sly.

Then there’s Sundanese refugee Lopez Lomong, who grabbed the last available slot for the U.S. 1500M squad. A champion of the Darfur cause and former child prisoner, Lomong will be thinking about a lot more than medals during tonight’s opening ceremonies.

These are just two of the upstart Olympic athletes looking to shine through the Beijing smog and crash the party. So set your clock for 2 a.m. and dust off those red, white and blue foam fingers. It’s go time.

• Think the Olympics are all glamour and no guts? Many athletes work hard (literally) to be able to train and have a chance at glory. Read more about hourly worker Olympians.

• ALSO: Check out student jobs, part-time jobs and job advice.

There’s some good news today for hourly workers who are being paid the minimum wage—as of July 24, 2008, the federal minimum wage will see an increase of 70 cents, jumping from $5.85 to $6.55. If you’re a full-time employee working 40 hours a week, you’ll earn $2,392 more a year compared to the old wage.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 2 percent of all hourly workers are paid minimum wage. This includes 55-plus workers who use their hourly wages to supplement the money they receive from social security and retirement. Senior workers face costs that most teens haven’t even thought of—supporting a family, medications and other health care expenses.

But no matter what your age, this jump couldn’t come at a more perfect time, with national average gas prices rising to over $4.00 a gallon, and inflation rates quickly climbing. However, there is more good news is on the horizon for minimum wage workers: Next summer wages will increase to $7.25, another 70-cent leap.

Even if you don’t work a job that pays minimum wage, you could still benefit from the raises—in order to keep up with these increases, NPR reports that temporary part-time and entry-level workers may see a pay raise as well. The only downside to this plan is that many consumers are worried that businesses will pass on wage increases in the form of higher prices.

• ALSO: Search for part-time jobs and get job advice on asking for a raise.

While Bill Gates and Steve Jobs may have found major success using advanced technology and business know-how, there’s another group of people who prove that you don’t need to be a computer whiz (or own an iPhone) to be successful in this age.

The dabbawala, meaning “one who carries a box” in Hindu, deliver goods to the people of Mumbai, India, and while their job may seem simple, the way they do it is really turning some heads. They deliver in rain or shine, even during India’s infamous monsoons. And get this: They only make one mistake per every six million deliveries. Now that’s what we call superior service.

What’s their secret? Team-work and organization. Both their delivery boxes and the trolleys they travel on are color-coded, and the dabbawalas are really on top of their time management skills. In other words, these guys have never hit the snooze button. Coca-Cola has even invited all the dabbawalas to give a talk to their managers and educate them on their successful business practices. Talk about priceless publicity.

These workers really prove that you don’t need to be tech-savvy or even have a lot of job experience to do amazing things. The dabbawala have pulled themselves out of poverty and found success just by using their noodles. So the next time you think you don’t have the skills to move up the job ladder or even start your own business, take a tip from the dabbawalas and use the resources you already have around you. A little determination can go a long way.

• Click here to read the full story about the dabbawalas, and check out job advice on ways to get ahead in the workplace. You could even check it out on your iPhone, if you really want to.

• Who would win in a fight: Captain Crunch or Wile E. Coyote?

• What rhymes with the word “purple?” (No, “nurple” doesn’t count.)

• Have you ever been in a Turkish prison?

There are a lot of bad job interview questions – many worse than the ones we’ve included above. (O.K., maybe not.) But what about the best job interview questions. In “Sway,” a great new book that examines why smart people do stupid things, researchers break down the 10 most common interview questions. And they come to a baffling conclusion: Only one of the 10 questions is good. And heck, that one question is only decent at best.

The 10 most popular job interview questions include the ones you’ve probably been asked a dozen times: Why do you want to work here? Where do you see yourself in five years? What’s your dream job? According to the “Sway” scribes, these are all bogus questions because the answers can be completely stripped of any honesty. Sure, faking sincerity is sometimes hard, but you can still easily “lie” about these answers without getting caught.

So what was the best question of the lot? “What do you know about our company?” It’s stupid how simple a question it is, but it’s also a question that doesn’t allow those in the hot seat to fib and impress at the same time. If you haven’t done even minimal research about a company, then you can’t fake it. And by the way, if you haven’t, then shame on you.

• Get job interview advice and resume tips

Buy a 10-gallon hat, and save a cowboy supply store.

All of economics can really be boiled down to that. And since Uncle Sam has been stroking tax rebate checks – 57 million since May – many American workers have put that money back in circulation instead of hiding it under their waterbed mattresses.

Since tax rebates have been signed, sealed, delivered and cashed, retail sales have jumped up 1 percent, according to the Commerce Department. That may not seem like a heck of a lot, but just consider how much money gets spent at your local Wal-Mart in one weekend. Now divide this by 100. That’s still a lot of Dale Jr. lunchboxes. OK, now multiply that by all the stores in all the land, and it’s a real lot. (By the way, Wal-Mart reported a 1.21 percent rise in sales in May, the best performance since March of 2007). That 1 percent rise in retail sales is also a pretty big deal considering many financial experts are saying that we’re drowning in recession.

So what does all this mean for America’s hourly job seekers and workers? The more money we pump into stores, the more workers we need to accommodate that business. So buying that shiny belt buckle sporting your last name could mean a new job for someone else.

• Search for retail jobs and restaurant jobs now.