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You want to use your education to make a better world
and
to find
meaningful work. Here are ten
Great Green Careers
Reprinted
with permission from
E Magazine |
Please
note: this is a magazine reprint, and thus not completely
suited to a list of possible careers for new college
graduates.
Everything’s coming up green.
Across every industry, new job possibilities are emerging
for those with the skills to bridge the divide between
the old, fossil-fuel-based economy and the new, energy-efficient
one. Corporations once demonized for their role in
creating pollution and exploiting workers are being
held accountable; they are partnering with nonprofits
and hiring corporate social responsibility managers.
They are finding that reducing their impact is as
good for future profits as for the planet at large.
There’s no secret to getting a job in the new
green economy. It’s as basic as applying the
job skills you’ve already developed (web design,
sales, management) to a nonprofit or sustainable industry,
or coordinating sustainable practices from within
a corporate entity. Sometimes, as in green building
or solar panel installing, these green jobs require
a specific set of skills—and classes are organizing
to fill the growing need. Other times, as in the organic
food industry, ecotourism or sales and marketing of
energy-efficient technology, anyone with a good work
ethic can get in and create a great green career.
By Brita Belli, Kathryn Gutlebar, Julia Hirsch,
Jesica Knoblauch, Shawn Query |
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Green
Globetrotters: Travel and Hospitality
Tourism
is the largest business sector in the world economy, so it’s
no wonder that people are finding entry-level work greening the
industry. Ecotourism is growing at three times the rate of the tourism
sector itself, and demanding more knowledgeable workers committed
to sustainability.
more >>>>
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Sustainability
Stewards: Planning & Land Use
Local
governments are increasingly interested in how they can reduce their
communities’ carbon footprint, and turning to city planning
professionals for direction. Megan Lewis, of the American Planning
Association, says wetlands restoration, stormwater management, transportation
and urban design are coming to the forefront of the profession.
more
>>>>
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Complementary
Care:
Health and Medicine
According to a survey conducted in 2002 by the National Center for
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), 36% of U.S. adults
use some form of alternative care. NCCAM is a group of diverse medical
and health-care systems, practices and products outside of conventional
medicine.
more >>>> |
Power
Pushers: Energy and Renewables
When Peter Beadle launched the site Greenjobs.com in 2005, he couldn’t
charge for the service. “The first year was slow,” Beadle
says. Now, with the explosive interest in renewable energy jobs, Greenjobs
is getting noticed.
With his background in the solar industry, Beadle knows the career
potential in renewables.
more
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Planet
Protectors: Legal Careers
When a power plant is polluting more than its fair share, or an imperiled
mammal needs recognition under the Endangered Species Act, environmental
law groups go to court and fight the good fight.
Bill Funk who teaches environmental law says “Sometimes you
need to go to court to make sure that going green happens,”
he says.
more >>>> |
Green
Geeks: Information Technology
Joe Kosisek, IT specialist for the Washington State Department of
Ecology, is trained to work in any type of corporate situation; he
just happens to be environmentally inclined. With a bachelor’s
degree in industrial technology, a master’s in systems management
and extensive electronics training, Kosisek uses his skills for a
“green” cause.
more
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Eco
Educators: Green Learning
Over the past few years, sustainability coordinators —a job
position that didn’t even exist a few years ago—have been
joining the ranks of educational institutions looking to “go
green.”
“We get calls constantly from institutions looking to hire sustainability
professionals,” said Tom Kimmerer, Exec. Director of the Association
for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
more >>>> |
Better
Builders: Design and Construction
Green builders already have a competitive advantage over traditional
builders, according to Ashley Katz, communications coordinator for
the U.S. Green Building Council. And that advantage will continue
to grow as sustainable, energy-efficient building practices become
the norm.
“USGBC’s vision is sustainability within a generation,”
more
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Improving
Industry: Corporate Social Responsibility
In the age of Halliburton and ExxonMobil scandals, the idea of holding
corporations accountable for their actions might sound naïve.
But with companies working to establish guidelines for social responsibility,
the word “corporation” could sill take on new meaning
in the 21st century. To make corporations more responsive to human
rights, environmental and health issues...
more >>>> |
Organic
Occupations: Food & Farming
The promise of organic’s higher price tags has not been lost
on farmers. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, land
used for organic crops increased from 48,000 acres in 1997 to 122,000
acres in 2005. That increase has opened doors, especially for students
seeking a hands-on experience on a working farm...
more
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