manufacturing jobs, which are union-protected, highly arenas, advises Ashley Katz, manager of communications
skilled jobs. But with wind turbines, solar panels, energy- for the U.S. Green Building Council. That advantage will
efficient retrofits—there’s a whole world of green jobs. It’s continue to grow as sustainable, energy-efficient building
pretty exciting, if you can harness it.” practices become the norm. Opportunities exist for green-
Doyle advises that there are two key strategies. One is minded engineers, contractors, architects and designers
to look at what skills are needed by all industries to solve as well as more employees in service businesses making
environmental problems. All need, for example, informa- green products and materials.
tion management and financing. “So much starts with
gathering huge amounts of data,” Doyle says. This includes Connect: U.S. Green Building Council, 1-800-795-1747,
jobs in information technology, geography and statistics. usgbc.org.
Similarly, whether a nonprofit, government agency or
business is looking to purchase open space or evaluating
9) improving industry:
smart growth versus sprawl, they need to find funds. This
Corporate social responsibility
opens up a host of jobs, including sector analysts, green
To make corporations more responsive to environmental,
accountants, government finance officers and foundation
human rights and health issues, corporate responsibility
managers.
advocates have persuaded some corporations to move
The second strategy for green job seekers is to, “Pick
from thinking solely about profits to the three P’s—people,
a niche without any sense of ideological blinders,” advises
planet and profits. Job seekers need knowledge of labor
Doyle. Someone wanting to “fix” climate change would
law and human resource management.
investigate the major sources of carbon emissions—power
plants, automobiles and gas flares—and focus on finding
Connect: Social Venture Network, 415-561-6501, svn.org.
solutions within these polluting industries.
Perhaps the report at StateofGreenBusiness.com sum-
10) organic occupations: Food and Farming
marizes it best: “To achieve their increasingly ambitious
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, land
environmental goals, companies will need to educate,
used for organic crops increased from 48,000 acres in
engage, empower and activate their employees to think
1997 to 122,000 acres in 2005, and that number continues
and act green. And, learn from them, too, recognizing that
to grow, opening doors for students seeking experience on
when it comes to running a leaner, greener business, no
a working farm through the Worldwide Opportunities on
one knows where the waste and inefficiencies lie more
Organic Farms (WWOOF).
than those on the front lines. Despite all the oft-repeated
Some workers manage organic farms by leasing it
dictums about ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ management
through a land trust. Other jobs exist in farmland protec-
techniques, effectively greening the corporation some-
tion, education opportunities at on-campus student farms
times requires that companies learn how to lead from the
and in the restaurant/hospitality niche, with a need for
middle.”
chefs specializing in local foods.
Brita Belli is the editor of E/The Environmental Magazine,
Connect: WWOOF, 831-425-FARM, wwoofusa.org; North-
where portions of this article and sidebars first appeared.
east Organic Farming Association, 203-888-5146, ctnofa.org.
April 2009 27
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48