10 Great Green Opportunities
By Brita Belli, Kathryn Gutlebar, Julia Hirsch,
Jesica Knoblauch, Shawn Query
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.
Green Globetrotters: Travel and
Hospitality
1) 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. “There is great diversity within the
field,” says Ayako Etaka of the International Ecotourism Society (TIES). Green
travel employees generally work for private companies, government and public
institutions and nonprofits.
Openings are also coming from businesses
that are looking to turn over a new green leaf. According to the Green Hotels
Association (GHA), “Guidance from an employed ‘Green Team’ can turn hotels into
educators, showing us simple steps we can take to be more sustainable.” Working
within the ecotourism field also provides employees with the opportunity to
travel while communicating the importance of the global environment.
“Giving guests an understanding of
ecological changes invites them to participate in protecting the environment,”
says Mary Jo Viederman of Lindblad Expeditions. Jobs in ecotourism can be
high-risk and adventurous, but also limited by season or temporary. Salaries
for ecotourism managers, operators and guides can be difficult to predict,
because of vast differences between employers and the tourism market itself.
But as Etaka says, “There are always opportunities to extend your experience in
the field.” —Kathryn Gutleber
CONTACT: International Ecotourism Society,
(202)347-9203; Green Hotels Association,
(713)789-8889; Lindblad Expeditions,
(800)EXPEDITION
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Sustainability
Stewards: Planning and Land Use
2) Local
governments are increasingly interested in how they can reduce their
communities’ carbon footprint, and turning to city planning professionals for
direction. Megan Lewis, senior research associate for the American Planning
Association, says wetlands restoration, stormwater management, transportation
and urban design are coming to the forefront of the profession.
“The planning community is very
interested in climate change issues and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions,” she
says. “We need to be thinking about our buildings and how they can be carbon
neutral.”
New urbanism, which emphasizes
sustainable and transit-oriented development is also a growing trend in such
places as the Southeast, California and the Pacific Northwest, says Meghan
Sharp, assistant project manager for the Livable Communities team at the
International City/County Management Association. She says architects and
designers are adapting their skills to accommodate this type of city planning.
“There’s a market demand for more
sustainable community design,” Sharp says. “As communities change their zoning
regulations, there’s a learning curve that architects and planners need to
overcome.”
Geographic Information System (GIS)
specialists are also assets to planning departments, Lewis says. In the private
sector, planning consultants can help communities look at the big picture by
connecting transportation lines and designing more sustainable living and
working environments. —Shawn Query
CONTACTS: American Planning Association,
(202)872-0611; International City/County
Management Association, 202-289-(ICMA)
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Complementary
Care: Health and Medicine
3) According to a
survey conducted in 2002 by the National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), 36 percent 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. Victor Kumar, a
licensed acupuncturist at Creative Wellness in Michigan, says his job allows
him a great deal of doctor-patient interaction. “There are many practices where
MDs just aren’t able to spend the time,” says Kumar. “With acupuncture, you
have more time to treat people not just the disease.”
Dr. Matthew Fisel, a naturopathic
physician based in New Haven, Connecticut, says you can’t just tap into the
built-in network that comes with a traditional medical degree. “This field is a
lot more dependent on individual talents,”Fisel says. He offers a range of
treatments, from detoxification to nutritional counseling, spinal manipulation
to adjunctive cancer therapy. “It’s really satisfying seeing people become
their own advocates for health,” he says. While both coasts (and the Northwest)
are stocked with natural-care physicians, the need for alt-docs is spreading
across the rural U.S. —Jessica Knoblauch & Brita Belli
CONTACTS: Dr.
Matthew Fisel, (203)294-9772; National
Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, (888)644-6226; Creative Wellness, (517)351-9240
Power Pushers: Energy and
Renewables
4) 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.com is getting noticed.
With his background in the solar
industry, Beadle knows the career potential in renewables. “Solar and wind are
already multibillion-dollar industries,” he says, “and hydrogen and fuel cell
production are still in the nascent stages.” Industries like hydropower and
geothermal tend to recruit engineers from conventional fields, he says. But
it’s in marketing and sales where job-seekers will have the easiest time
breaking in to the renewables industry. There are also those who install and
maintain the solar panels and wind turbines. Installers are in high demand,
says Beadle, and certification is readily available.
Renewable energy careers have the
potential to re-establish America’s lost middle class. “If we’re going to be
serious about building a wind program, it should be local,” says Kate Gordon,
program director at the Apollo Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to the creation
of clean energy jobs. “It’s the same with solar panels and energy-efficiency
technology.” Renewable energy requires more manpower than fossil fuel—wind
power creates 2.77 jobs for every megawatt produced, solar PV creates 7.24 jobs
per megawatt—but the U.S. lags behind Japan and Germany both in technology and
jobs in the renewable energies race, according to industry site Solarbuzz.com.
“The U.S. used to lead in solar,” says Beadle, “but it lost some impetus
because of incentives offered in Germany and Japan.” —B.B.
CONTACTS: Greenjobs; Apollo Alliance, (202)955-5665
Planet Protectors: Legal Careers
5) 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 teaches environmental law at
Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. “Sometimes you need to go to
court to make sure that going green happens,” he says.
Students at Lewis and Clark can get
environmental law certification with their degree, and most go on to work in
government at the state and federal levels or private practices with an
environmental bent. But you don’t need a law degree to help win big cases for
the environment.
Earthjustice, a nonprofit which started
as the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund in 1971, employs more than 150 people
including lawyers, communications specialists, fundraising and general support
positions, says Shelie Luperine, Earthjustice human resources generalist.
Earthjustice keeps an online list of job openings, and Luperine says most employees
have one thing in common—their passion for the environment.
“People seek out this type of job because
they want to tackle issues about the air they breathe or the water they’re
drinking,” she says.
Earthjustice was instrumental in the
recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that says greenhouse gas must be regulated
under the Clean Air Act. It has fought against mountaintop removal mining, and
for endangered species listings. The organization is also always looking for
volunteers to help with mailing and fundraising, Luperine says. —S.Q.
CONTACTS: Lewis & Clark Law School,
(503)768-6600; Earthjustice,
(800)584-6460
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Green Geeks:
Information Technology (IT)
6) 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. “People think there is some kind of mystery, ‘Where are
the ‘green’ jobs?’” says Marie Kerpan, founder of consulting practice Green
Careers, “There are a bazillion companies where you can take your skills and
put it to work in a ‘green company.’”
In the nonprofit sector, IT work may not
require extensive training. “I fell into the IT side of things by working for a
small nonprofit in which people wear many hats,” says Megan Hill, program
coordinator at EcoVentures International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to
the development of sustainable communities and livelihoods. For global
organizations like EcoVentures, the Internet is a valuable tool. “The idea that
the web can be used for outreach, fundraising and political awareness is very
powerful,” says Kerpan. But finding the funds to pay for IT or technical
services is a challenge for these organizations. “We must be economically
sustainable as well as environmentally sustainable,” says Hill.
For those looking to apply their
technical skills toward a “green” career, Hill offers a word of advice. “Be
open to starting with little to no pay. It will give you the experience you
need to be able to be hired by those few organizations and businesses that can
afford to provide the salary that you want.” —Julia Hirsch
CONTACT: EcoVentures International, (202)667-0802
Eco Educators: Green Learning
7) 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,
executive director of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in
Higher Education (AASHE). In turn, green educators often find job availability
in businesses looking for people who have strengths in some aspect of
environmental management. “The demand for these people is sector-wide,” says
Kimmerer.
Though there aren’t many schools offering
degrees in sustainability, that’s beginning to change. “The schools are either
converting existing programs or starting new ones,” said Kimmerer.
Dedee DeLongpre, director of the Office
of Sustainability at the University of Florida, was part of a pioneer program
at Presidio School of Management in San Francisco, which began offering an MBA
in Sustainable Management in 2003. “They wove principles of sustainability into
all of the coursework,” said DeLongpre. “It was an amazing opportunity.”
DeLongpre says that the best part about
her job is working with the students. “Their world isn’t about obstacles,” said
DeLongpre, “It’s inspired by possibilities and innovation.” — J.A.K.
CONTACTS: Association
for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, (859)402-9272; Presidio School of Management,
(415)561-6555
Better Builders: Design and
Construction
8) Green builders
already have a competitive advantage over traditional builders, according to
Ashley Katz, communications coordinator for the U.S. Green Building Council
(USGBC). And that advantage will continue to grow as sustainable,
energy-efficient building practices become the norm.
“USGBC’s vision is sustainability within
a generation,” Katz says. “People who are already involved in the green
building market are ahead of the curve—they’ll be the ones who are in demand.”
USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building
rating system, which once applied primarily to commercial buildings, has now
been adapted to homes, retail, schools and healthcare buildings, creating a
need for more LEED-accredited professionals (LEED APs) and other green-minded
engineers, contractors, architects and designers. There’s also room for more
employees in service businesses making green products and materials, from
recycled roofing to energy-efficient heating systems.
Montana-based CTA Architects and
Engineers employs 47 LEED APs and took on the role of developer for its latest
sustainable project, Amsterdam Village. The 350-acre development in Southwest
Montana includes sustainable requirements for homes, 50 percent open space, an
organic farm, walking trails and wetlands. “There’s a synergy that goes on when
your neighbors are doing the same thing you are,” says lead CTA architect Wayne
Freeman. “There’s the desire to keep up with the Jones’.” What’s more, says
Freeman, “Lots of clients are starting to like this idea. It’s a free market
society and that’s where people’s values are shifting.” —B.B.
CONTACTS: U.S.
Green Building Council, (800)795-1747; Amsterdam Village, (406)570-9199
Improving Industry: Corporate
Social Responsibility
9) 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 environmental, human rights and health issues, corporate
responsibility advocates start from business’ bottom line and work their way
up. Using the idea of the integrative “triple bottom line,” activists have
persuaded some corporations to move from thinking solely about profits to the
three P’s—people, planet and profits.
“Triple bottom line is explicit and
disseminated in terms of how a business operates on a day-to-day basis,” says
Erica Dreisbach of Social Venture Network, a nonprofit designed to educate
businesses on social responsibility. “The fact that corporations are starting to
talk about reform means that corporate social responsibility is going to become
more mainstream in the future.”
To wield some clout, you need knowledge
of labor law and human resource management. As corporations link their future
to turning green, they are able to recognize the competitive advantage of an
environmental edge. —K.G.
CONTACT: Social
Venture Network, (415)561-6501
Organic Occupations: Food and
Farming
10) 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 through
the likes of WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms). And finding
full-time work on an organic farm is not as far-fetched as it might sound.
Some manage organic farms without
actually owning the land, leasing it through a land trust. “Other people are
starting farms on an acre and a half to two acres,” says Bill Duesing,
executive director of the Connecticut Northeast Organic Farming Association
(NOFA). And there is more job potential around farmer’s markets. According to
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) figures, farmer’s markets increased seven
percent between 2005 and 2006, to 4,385. “The most successful farmer’s markets
have this infrastructure of people who run and promote them,” says Duesing,
citing CitySeed in New Haven, Connecticut as bringing area farm stands and
community outreach under one umbrella. There are also jobs in farmland
protection, education opportunities at on-campus student farms and even a need
for chefs specializing in local food.
And the market for organic food has
opened channels well beyond the local farm stands. Albert’s Organics is the
nation’s leading organic foods distributor and its staff is continually
expanding, from warehouse workers to operations and sales staff and
administration and computer systems. The company supplies 5,000 supermarkets,
natural food stores and restaurants with some 250 seasonal fruits and
vegetables. They are always actively recruiting new growers, says Frank
McCarthy, Albert’s vice president of marketing. “From farming to harvesting and
post-harvest handling, distribution, sales and retailing,” McCarthy says,
“almost any food industry career is also available in the organic food
industry.” —B.B.
CONTACTS: WWOOF;
Northeast Organic Farming Association,
(203)888-5146; Albert’s Organics,
(800)671-0707