Green degrees: an environmental education can lead to a variety of career options

Black Enterprise, Nov, 2008 by Brittany Hutson

OLIVIA GLENN WORKS AS A SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO NEW JERSEY'S DEPUTY commissioner for natural resources in the department of environmental protection, coordinating the development of a new state park in the city of Paterson. When she began five years ago, Glenn realized that out of approximately 400 employees, she was the only black professional in that division.

"Climate change and global warming are going to impact poor countries and people of color in a negative way," Glenn says. "We need to be aware of what's happening."

Even beyond social concerns, the green industry is becoming fertile ground for business and career opportunities. In 2006, the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries created 8.5 million new jobs, and this number could grow to as many as 40 million jobs by 2030, according to the 2007 Green-Collar Jobs report conducted by the American Solar Energy Society. The green industry is noteworthy for producing jobs that are indirectly related to the environment such as graphic designers, accountants, truck drivers, and marketing managers.

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Establishing a position in the green movement can begin in the classroom. Glenn obtained an undergraduate degree in environmental studies from Dartmouth University and a master's in environmental management, with a focus in social ecology and urban community development, from Yale University's School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

The University of Michigan, Boston University, the State University of New York and the University of California, Santa Barbara are also among the growing number of schools with environmental programs.

Environmental studies can be integrated with other concentrations such as economics, finance, policy, humanities, or psychology and is becoming more attractive across sectors such as business, government, nonprofit, consulting, and large multinational organizations in finance, technology, and pharmaceuticals.

Emily Enderle, associate director of admissions at Yale's School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, explains that large corporations are becoming more interested in conserving energy, reducing waste, and preserving the environment while saving money and reducing costs. "You have organizations such as Citibank and Citigroup offering careers in green investment [and] corporations such as Wal-Mart, Google, BE and General Electric, who typically are not considered environmental, [advertising such] positions," Enderle says. Other companies moving toward green management are Goldman Sachs, United Technologies, and Pfizer.

To begin your undergraduate or graduate career in environmental studies, check out the National Council for Science and the Environment's list of university affiliates at http://ncseonline.org/02Edueation/Affiliates/members.cfm. Or get started on your green job search at www.greenjobs.com, www.sustainablebusiness.com, or www.ecojobs.com.