Environmental careers – head or heart?
Why do people choose to study environmental management? Is it out of an interest and an enthusiasm for the reduction of negative impacts on natural systems, or is it a shrewd choice towards careers in a sector of the economy which will inevitably grow in importance? Global environmental problems regularly fill the front pages of newspapers, present horrifying and sensational images on television and provide argument and discussion topics for countless documentaries and current affairs programmes. Fears over health problems such as asthma, allergies and cancers are creating a growing demand for the goods we purchase to reflect a more responsible attitude towards the world around us. The demand for organic foods for example demonstrates the desire from some sectors of society to avoid ingesting foods containing preservatives, pesticides and other chemicals due to uncertainty over their effects. Fair trade goods further reflect the concern over the ethics of trade with developing nations and guarantee at least a basic level of living conditions for those employed in the associated companies. It is little wonder that in this age of high profile environmental and ethical issues that there is an increase in the number of young people and career changers wishing to study in this area.
As programme manager for a course in Sustainable Environmental Management at SAC it is clear that there are a number of issues that need to be addressed, and that many of the issues already alluded to in this article have no easy answers. The science behind many of these issues is either proven or inaction represents such an unacceptable risk to society that we dare not react. Government policy and economic instruments are slowly but surely leading us down the road to sustainable development. European legislation has sustainability running through it at every level, such as the Waste Framework, Water Framework, End of Life Vehicles and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directives. Add the permitting requirements of Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control to this and it is obvious that reducing the environmental impact of consumer goods and manufacturing industry is core to achieving sustainability in resource and pollution issues.
Students now have a variety of motivations for studying, and their personal circumstances often dictate that the courses offered reflect the reality of modern employment. |162| ENVIRONMENT INDUSTRY MAGAZINE
Of course we still recruit straight from school and the growing importance of sustainability recognised in the Curriculum for Excellence will surely encourage a focus on environmental matters. But to complement this we now offer courses delivered at distance so that students already in employment do not have to leave a promising career to study. Part time study is also more common. The reality is that in many cases environmental concerns are not treated as a separate issue by companies – the environment is integrated into everything the company does in much the same way that Total Quality Management and ISO 9000 have become part of our workplace culture. On gaining environmental qualifications individuals with experience in a specific industry sector can gain new knowledge and apply it within the job they have. This enhances prospects for promotion and tenure of employment and gives them an additional skill on their CV that many companies know they will not be able to do without indefinitely.
Companies are now beginning to accept that environmental performance is perhaps a useful driver for efficiency and workplace integration. Companies require confidence in where they are going to be in five, ten or even twenty years time if strategic capital investments in new facilities and equipment is to take place. Investments in low environmental impact technology such as energy efficient buildings, clean manufacturing plant, low carbon products and on site renewable energy generation are expensive and the return on the investment is long term and does not follow our instinct for quick rewards and flexibility. Of course it is difficult for many businesses to take a long term view in terms of production - is it not the first priority of any business to make maximum profit
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 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180