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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 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 |
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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. 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 & Medicine
According to a survey conducted by the National Center for Complementary
and Alternative Medicine (NCCA M),
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 & 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
>>>> |
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:
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.
more
>>>> |
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). more
>>>> |
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,”
more
>>>> |
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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