by Umbra Fisk
Send your question to Umbra!
Q. Dear Umbra,
I
am wondering if you can help me with this question: What makes jobs in
sustainable manufacturing “sustainable” (as opposed to just
“manufacturing” jobs), and what do employers look for in determining
whether a candidate is right for a “sustainable” or “green”
job? And while we’re thinking about jobs, do you know where one can see what
jobs are out there in the sus-man sector?
Yours,
Jesse
W.
Chicago
A. Dearest Jesse,
Have
you ever been to a wedding reception where someone’s toast begins with some
variation of, “The dictionary defines marriage as…”? My eyes always glaze over
a bit at that point. I blame a substitute teacher I had in first grade who made
us copy pages out of the dictionary verbatim for an entire school day. I hope,
Jesse, that you never had such a scarring experience and will stick with me as
I relay a couple of carefully researched (not in dictionaries, mind you)
definitions of sustainable manufacturing.
The
U.S. Department of Commerce defines it as “the creation of manufactured
products that use processes that minimize negative environmental impacts,
conserve energy and natural resources, are safe for employees, communities, and
consumers, and are economically sound.” Nice
and thorough—though as the National Council for Advanced Manufacturing helpfully
points out, sustainable manufacturing can refer to both the manufacturing of
sustainable products and the sustainable manufacturing of all products.
So
how does one go about snagging one of these sustainable manufacturing jobs?
Sounds like you have a manufacturing background, so if you want to add some
green sheen to your skills, seek further training—and make sure you have a
passion for the subject (as Confucius said and I reiterated, “If you love
what you do, you’ll never work another day in your life”). Look for green job
training programs in your area or sign up for a continuing education class in
renewable energy—resource and energy efficiency are important elements in
the sustainable manufacturing landscape. Plus, it’s hopeful/helpful to hear
that renewable energy and energy efficiency technology created about 8.5
million new jobs in 2006.
Finally,
you might try searching for manufacturing jobs on sites like The
Environmental Careers Organization and Green Dream Jobs. And don’t
forget Grist’s own job board—you never
know what will float by on that forum. Good luck!
Hard-hattedly,
Umbra
Q. Dear Umbra,
I
have heard that a recent study out of Boulder, Colo., has determined that the
fish in the upper Gore Creek are found to be sexless due to the amount of hormones
that exist in the water. Pray tell!
Amy
Vail,
Colo.
A. Dearest Amy,
Oh
how I wish this was just an errant tabloid headline. Alas, you heard correctly—and this sexless fin-demic isn’t limited to Colorado.
A U.S. Geological Survey study released in the
fall found that 40 percent of smallmouth bass and one-third of largemouth bass
sampled from the Colorado River (the Gore Creek is a tributary of the Eagle
River, which is a tributary of the Colorado) were intersex, a condition
indicated primarily in male fish that show female organ growth and occasionally
female fish with male characteristics. The study was nationwide, covering
1995-2004 (the Colorado River data were from 2003), and intersex fish were
found in about a third of all tested waters.
While
no particular chemicals or environmental conditions were pinpointed as the
cause, one likely culprit is rising levels of human-sourced river pollutants
like drugs, farm chemicals, and detergents. The study findings didn’t indicate
how the hormone disruptions in fish impact humans who drink water sourced from
these same rivers. The USGS kindly left that to our imagination.
Scary
stuff, I know. But in the meantime, while scientists continue to research the
sources, you can do your part by becoming a more conscientious consumer of
products that may eventually end up in these waterways. Opt for household and
personal items that don’t contain endocrine disruptors (free of pesticides,
plasticizers like BPA, parabens, etc.). Check out my advice on proper
pharmaceutical disposal. And the best advice of all: Don’t use toxic stuff if
you don’t need it. Sexless fish across the country will thank you.
Swimmily,
Umbra
Q. Dear Umbra,
I
don’t buy disposable plastic. I especially wouldn’t buy a disposable plastic
lighter after seeing photos of those things inside dead albatross chicks. I
don’t smoke, but I do light candles.
I
always assumed that matches were the most eco-friendly alternative for
generating flame, but recently I started wondering about the chemicals on match
tips and how toxic they are. Do you
know? I also wonder what percentage of matches is made from recycled materials
or FSC-managed forests.
So
forgetting disposable plastic lighters, which is more eco-friendly: using disposable wood/cardboard matches or
refilling a metal lighter with petroleum-based fuel?
Beth
T.
Oakland,
Calif.
A. Dearest Beth,
Big
ups to you for steering clear of disposable plastic lighters, and for the extra
gruesome yet important detail about those poor birds—though I can’t
recommend doing an Internet search for “dead albatross chicks” and “disposable
lighters” right after lunch.
Anyway,
as you already know, disposable lighters are out when it comes to an eco-fire
starter option—more than 1.5 billion of them end up in landfills each year
already. For sway-prone concert-goers, might I suggest a virtual lighter app for your phone or just showing
your appreciation in a different way. Clapping? Whistling? Anything’s possible.
Back
to candles, let’s take a look at the metal lighter. They’re definitely a step
up from the plastic disposables; however, they are filled with butane or
traditional lighter fluid that typically comes in a can with a plastic top or in
a plastic bottle. The fuel, the plastic—both products made from our dwindling
and toxic petrochemical resources.
And
then we have wooden matches. Safety matches, the most common variety, are made
of woods like white pine and aspen and soaked in fire-retardant ammonium
phosphate and paraffin wax. The tip is treated with a mix of antimony
trisulfide, potassium chlorate, sulfur, powdered glass, and glue. Yum! I
couldn’t find a definitive answer on the toxicity of fumes from a briefly lit
match; however, good to know: The Diamond Match Company, the largest U.S.
producer of matches, patented our current nonpoisonous match in 1910 after its
employees became ill from inhaling the phosphorus used in match manufacturing
at the time. Another thumbs up goes to Diamond for using wood sourced from
responsibly managed forests. Even better option? A book of cardboard matches made from
recycled paper.
So
what are you using these candles for anyway? To unwind, destress? Well, perhaps
this will help you relax a little more: Despite the fact that there’s no
eco-perfect option for lighting a candle, striking a match isn’t going to make
or break us on the path to a brighter green future.
Lightly,
Umbra
P.S.
Keep an eye out for my video tomorrow on making your own seltzer. It’s going to
be fizz-tastic! (Sorry, all those bubbles have gone to my brain).
Related Links:
Ask Umbra’s video advice on making your own club soda
Messaging that can save the clean energy bill
Ask Umbra on toilet paper, dryer balls, and Twitter
