Careers

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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

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Reprinted with permission from E Magazine
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Please note: this is a magazine article, and thus not completely oriented 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

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.    
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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. The American Planning Association says wetlands restoration, stormwater management, transportation and urban design are coming to the forefront of the profession.    
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Complementary Care: Health & Medicine

According to a survey conducted 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.
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Power Pushers: Energy & 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.
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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.
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Green Geeks:
Info. 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.
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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,” say The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
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Better Builders: Design & 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,”
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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...
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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...
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