If you relish the idea of having a job where you give as much as you get, a green career might be the right choice for you. Green jobs focus on preserving the environment, either by advocating sustainability or performing tasks in an environmentally friendly way. Here are four green career fields and how you can join them:
Recycling/Waste Reduction
Recycling is one thing we can all do to protect and preserve our environment. But for some people, recycling is not just a nice thing they do on Saturdays; it’s a career.
The EPA encourages all citizens to reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible. This practice saves money, conserves energy, and helps protect our natural resources. Workers are needed to coordinate recycling efforts, collect recyclable materials, and perform the nitty-gritty process of recycling. Waste management is a career avenue similar to that of recycling. Experts are needed in the areas of industrial waste, hazardous waste, service coordination and management, marketing, and public education.
Some recycling/waste management positions require certification or licensing, but many do not.
Mass Transit
Public transportation is a green endeavor because it moves many people at once in a condensed number of vehicles, thereby reducing carbon emissions and preserving air quality. The American Public Transportation Association declares that public transit is “a green industry and going greener.” The industry is getting creative with the ways it preserves natural resources, including the use of environmentally friendly vehicles and wind turbines to power facilities.
Jobs in public transportation include drivers, engineers, fare collectors, and public relations specialists. Some require postsecondary education while others do not. An online MBA program could help you land a position as a public transit finance manager, marketer, or auditor.
Organic Agriculture
Even if you don’t like playing in the dirt, organic agriculture can be a lucrative career choice. As more people opt to buy locally grown, pesticide-free food, the organic section at most grocery stores will continue to grow. With this increasing demand comes an increasing need for supply.
People interested in organic food can find jobs in farming, retailing, landscaping, food science, and teaching. Workers are needed to grow, handle, sell, and educate others about the benefits of an organic lifestyle. Educational requirements run the gamut from a high school diploma to a graduate degree.
Energy Efficiency
Being green is all about managing finite natural resources. Energy efficiency experts help us do just that. An energy auditor, for example, inspects buildings and analyzes energy flow with conservation in mind. An energy engineer deals with utility companies, governmental compliance agencies, and alternative technologies. Insulation workers, heating and cooling technicians, refrigeration mechanics, and weatherization specialists all work toward the same goal: Conserving energy.
Students interested in energy efficiency careers can pursue a range of post-secondary certifications and degrees.
When it comes to “being green,” the career options are as varied as the people who seek them. All green fields have one thing in common: They need a breadth of different workers to reach their ultimate goal of sustainability and environmental preservation.
Hailey is a recent graduate with a degree in Journalism. Now that she isn’t face first in books she is trying to travel as much as she can. She writes in her free time between fixing up her new house and teaching people how to live a longer, healthier life.
