I’ve been talking with a lot of people lately about politics, the economy and the environment. We’re all aware that everything is changing, from the rules to the partnerships, especially the preconceptions about business.

Having just finished writing an ebook called “How to Save Money and the Planet” (shameless plug! Great book!) people have started asking me about my other passion: affiliate programs.

With all of the affiliate marketing I do, ask me:  “How does ‘green’ fit into affiliate marketing?“ “What about an ebook affiliate program?” “Where do you think an affiliate program will end up as the economy adjusts?”

I think the affiliate program model will thrive and expand in the growing green economy. As for any ebook affiliate program, it will only grow as ebooks take the place of traditional paper books, and that’s part of the green economy. Ebooks and affiliate programs both exist online, so they’re a natural fit in an economy looking to minimize cost and waste but maximize community and networking. In my mind, any ebook affiliate program is already a green affiliate program.

And affiliate programs are definitely part of the emerging green economy.

As the green economy keeps growing, I am seeing new combinations of business and environmental activism. Just last week in San Francisco, Virgance, whose tagline is “Activism 2.0,” held a party showcasing their new network of green companies. Virgance uses campaign style organizing and a network of green companies and blogs to push environmental activism to the next level. They utilize like-minded people to effect social change—and they make money doing it! I think the affiliate program model will be increasingly more popular as Internet business expands.

Another group in the San Francisco Bay Area, known as Green For All, also believes that what is good for the environment can be good for the bottom line. While the group itself is a non-profit, they advocate for retraining blue collar workers who are losing their jobs to retrofit homes and do green construction. Their goal is to influence public policy to fund green business ventures that create jobs. Again, here is a group that is combining what

These businesses are set up to make money and help the Earth at the same time: Virgance, Green for All and my green ebook affiliate program all use social change and community action in a for-profit model. No longer is the idea of saving the environment and making a profit mutually exclusive.

As I said, affiliate programs are part of the emerging green economy. I’m sure the questions will keep coming as well as the interesting new company models. Green is the future of business, affiliate program or otherwise.