I care about climate change, poverty, and a host of other issues. I donate money to charity, sign petitions, and attend fundraisers. But I also like adidas sneakers, iPods and the paycheques that allow me to buy them.

And I sadly admit, if I were forced to choose between financial security and being a crusader living off idealism, I would choose the former because there are aspects of my lifestyle I’m hard-pressed to give up.

But a new generation of Canadian entrepreneurs is combining activist passion with business acumen, and these young people have shown me they can push the social and environmental agenda without sacrificing the lifestyle they enjoy.

“You don’t have to compromise between making money or saving the world,” said Dev Aujla, 23, the man behind DreamNow, a project management company that oversees socially minded events and campaigns around the world. “I’ve done the activist thing and it’s phenomenal. But you need people working on the outside to bring down the system and you need people working in the system to change it from within.”

Since launching the company in 2003, Aujla and his team have been hired by individuals and organizations to spearhead projects ranging from the construction of orphanages in India to “Lights Out Canada,” an annual environmental awareness event where schools spend one day without artificial lighting.

DreamNow began like any other business venture – by identifying a need and creating a service to fill it. In high school, Aujla was an avid children’s rights activist and attended numerous conferences. He saw how people would be inspired to start new development and education projects, but had little idea how to get started. “They get pumped up and then they go home and nothing happens,” said Aujla.

By providing project planning, marketing and networking resources, Aujla’s business has launched hundreds of campaigns. He’s also making the money he wants to make, more than many of his friends who are fresh out of school and working in the corporate world, he said.

Toronto resident Zahra Ebrahim, 23, is an entrepreneur who grew up as a passionate environmentalist. After finishing her studies in urban systems and architecture at McGill University, Ebrahim felt the pressure to pursue wealth over her activist work. She managed to gain the best of both worlds by founding ArchiText, a design company that provides green, alternative engineering solutions in an effort to make buildings more eco-friendly and energy efficient.

“Many (people) thought I was playing roulette with my future,” she said.

The gamble paid off because Ebrahim has created the job of her dreams. She dictates her own salary, travels the world, and participates in projects she truly cares about, like filming a documentary about green architecture. And as Toronto aims to slash building emissions, Ebrahim and her team of designers appear to be in high demand.

As social and environmental issues continue to gain more public attention, the potential for social entrepreneurs increases. Dev Aujla recognizes this, which is why DreamNow is initiating a campaign to provide resources for aspiring businesspeople to get set up and connected with like-minded individuals. Even a guilt-ridden consumer like me has the potential to make something happen, said Aujla.

“From the person who just reads the Vanity Fair green issue, to the person who’s travelled abroad and worked … people are starting to ask the question `how do we make money and change the world?’” he said. “We’re starting to see the answers.” thestar