Mereja

Author: TDG Community

  • Fastest growing green jobs

    teacher

    (Photo: Getty Images)

    The following is a guest post by Ezra Drissman of GreenCareersGuide

    If you thought 2009 was a year that green took over, then think
    again. Over the next 10 years, the green industry is predicted to
    experience growth in the neighborhood of 1.5 trillion dollars.
    Green will continue to shape the foods we eat, the products we buy, and
    the way we get around — and increasingly the jobs we have.

    According to the Pew Charitable Trusts,
    by 2007, more than 68,200 businesses across the country accounted for
    more than 770,000 jobs in clean energy, “despite a lack of sustained
    government support in the past decade.” This is expected to increase
    with fresh help from the Obama administration. In 2008 alone, private
    investors directed $5.9 billion into American businesses in this
    sector, a 48% increase over 2007. This rate should continue to
    accelerate.

    Here are five green careers that are not entirely new, but are now
    being completely reinvented. If you want to keep a competitive
    advantage in the workforce, one must learn how these top-growing jobs
    are “going green.” These fields, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), are expected to see a growth from 6% to nearly 30%.

     

    Mechanical Engineer

    $59,000 to $94,000 median salary range, according to the BLS.
    Mechanical engineering will have many opportunities in the future.
    However, you don’t have to wait to start in green areas of this field.
    Nearly all energy areas, including wind and solar, need these
    engineers.

    You will need a four-year engineering degree to start. If you have
    your degree, there are three great websites that can help you work
    green: the American Wind Energy Association, the Solar Energy Industries Association and the American Solar Energy Society.

     

    Environmental Engineer

    $56,000 to $94,000 median salary range (BLS).
    One of the hardest hit fields in the recent recession has been
    engineering, due to contractions in the auto industry and
    infrastructure spending. Fortunately, this profession has numerous
    applications in the green field.

    Environmental engineers are
    expected to see a 30% increase in jobs over the next ten years. They
    will be vital in the wind and solar fields. In addition, environmental
    engineer technicians and civil engineers should see a 25% growth.

    If you are looking for a job in this field, a great place to start is the American Academy of Environmental Engineers. You may also want to plug yourself into the Association of Energy Engineers, which offers training for engineers to become energy auditors.

     

    Environmental Educator

    $47,000 to $50,000 median salary range (BLS). The
    teaching field is expected to expand by almost 20% in the coming years.
    What’s exciting is that weaving green practices into the classroom is
    becoming much more commonplace. Many schools are on the forefront of
    using clean energy. And science teachers are in the most demand.

    Beyond the basics like environmental science, many community colleges have expanded offerings in courses like solar panel installation and energy efficient building; universities have expanded environmental policy and politics offerings, often developing entirely new departments and curricula; and graduate programs are routinely offering advanced courses in a range of subjects, like corporate sustainability. There are even green MBA programs. All of these new positions need teachers to fill them.

    Becoming a teacher involves a college diploma and generally a
    teaching certificate. If you are an out-of-work professional you may
    want to consider getting a teaching certificate. While the full degree
    may cost you around $8 to $20 thousand a year, a teaching certificate
    may cost around half.

    In order to really save money, you might want to consider community
    college first. This will allow you to take general education classes at
    a much more affordable price. Don’t forget that there are plenty of
    student loans available through the federal government. A guidance counselor will be able to point you in the right direction.

     

    Heating and Cooling Installer

    $15 to $25/hour (BLS). If you are looking for a
    great green job and are not interested in the college route, then
    heating and cooling could be the field for you. It is expected to see
    more than 28% growth in the coming years. Being able to install an
    extremely efficient solar water heater can not only put more money in
    your pocket, it will save the customer money in the long term and help
    them go green. Installers are able to put some of the most cutting edge
    energy-saving products to use right away.

    Another reason for the strong growth is the increasing emphasis on green building, supported by the United States Green Building Council and the federal and state and local governments. Heating and cooling play a big role in energy saving.

    For a more specialized training, look into geothermal. One particular training provider in this area is the GeoExchange, which can help you find the programs to get started today!

     

    Arborist

    $9 to $14/hour (BLS). If you want to get a green
    job outdoors then this may be the career for you. There are many
    variations of this job. Tree trimmers, pruners, and landscapers are
    expected to see more than 26% growth. Green arborists help protect
    plants from disease and pests with less-toxic, environmentally friendly
    techniques. They can also work to minimize harmful runoff, protect
    watersheds, and shade property, which leads to less energy demands for
    cooling.

    A good place to start learning about the career is the Arbor Day Foundation.

    Finding a green job is getting easier every day. If these don’t work for you, make sure to check out nearly 100 more at Green Careers Guide.

    More from The Daily Green

    Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

    Check out Yahoo! Green on Twitter and Facebook.

  • Five of the fastest growing green jobs

    teacher

    (Photo: Getty Images)

    The following is a guest post by Ezra Drissman of GreenCareersGuide

    If you thought 2009 was a year that green took over, then think again. Over the next 10 years, the green industry is predicted to experience growth in the neighborhood of 1.5 trillion dollars. Green will continue to shape the foods we eat, the products we buy, and the way we get around — and increasingly the jobs we have.

    According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, by 2007, more than 68,200 businesses across the country accounted for more than 770,000 jobs in clean energy, “despite a lack of sustained government support in the past decade.” This is expected to increase with fresh help from the Obama administration. In 2008 alone, private investors directed $5.9 billion into American businesses in this sector, a 48% increase over 2007. This rate should continue to accelerate.

    Here are five green careers that are not entirely new, but are now being completely reinvented. If you want to keep a competitive advantage in the workforce, one must learn how these top-growing jobs are “going green.” These fields, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), are expected to see a growth from 6% to nearly 30%.

     

    Mechanical Engineer

    $59,000 to $94,000 median salary range, according to the BLS.
    Mechanical engineering will have many opportunities in the future.
    However, you don’t have to wait to start in green areas of this field.
    Nearly all energy areas, including wind and solar, need these
    engineers.

    You will need a four-year engineering degree to start. If you have
    your degree, there are three great websites that can help you work
    green: the American Wind Energy Association, the Solar Energy Industries Association and the American Solar Energy Society.

     

    Environmental Engineer

    $56,000 to $94,000 median salary range (BLS).
    One of the hardest hit fields in the recent recession has been
    engineering, due to contractions in the auto industry and
    infrastructure spending. Fortunately, this profession has numerous
    applications in the green field.

    Environmental engineers are
    expected to see a 30% increase in jobs over the next ten years. They
    will be vital in the wind and solar fields. In addition, environmental
    engineer technicians and civil engineers should see a 25% growth.

    If you are looking for a job in this field, a great place to start is the American Academy of Environmental Engineers. You may also want to plug yourself into the Association of Energy Engineers, which offers training for engineers to become energy auditors.

     

    Teacher

    $47,000 to $50,000 median salary range (BLS). The teaching field is expected to expand by almost 20% in the coming years. What’s exciting is that weaving green practices into the classroom is becoming much more commonplace. Many schools are on the forefront of using clean energy. And science teachers are in the most demand.

    Becoming a teacher involves a college diploma and generally a teaching certificate. If you are an out-of-work professional you may want to consider getting a teaching certificate. While the full degree may cost you around $8 to $20 thousand a year, a teaching certificate may cost around half.

    In order to really save money, you might want to consider community college first. This will allow you to take general education classes at a much more affordable price. Don’t forget that there are plenty of student loans available through the federal government. A guidance counselor will be able to point you in the right direction.

     

    Heating and Cooling Installer

    $15 to $25/hour (BLS). If you are looking for a great green job and are not interested in the college route, then heating and cooling could be the field for you. It is expected to see more than 28% growth in the coming years. Being able to install an extremely efficient solar water heater can not only put more money in your pocket, it will save the customer money in the long term and help them go green. Installers are able to put some of the most cutting edge energy-saving products to use right away.

    Another reason for the strong growth is the increasing emphasis on green building, supported by the United States Green Building Council and the federal and state and local governments. Heating and cooling play a big role in energy saving.

    For a more specialized training, look into geothermal. One particular training provider in this area is the GeoExchange, which can help you find the programs to get started today!

     

    Arborist

    $9 to $14/hour (BLS). If you want to get a green job outdoors then this may be the career for you. There are many variations of this job. Tree trimmers, pruners, and landscapers are expected to see more than 26% growth. Green arborists help protect plants from disease and pests with less-toxic, environmentally friendly techniques. They can also work to minimize harmful runoff, protect watersheds, and shade property, which leads to less energy demands for cooling.

    A good place to start learning about the career is the Arbor Day Foundation.

     

    Finding a green job is getting easier every day. If these don’t work for you, make sure to check out nearly 100 more at Green Careers Guide.

    Also by Ezra Drissman:

    From Yahoo! Green: Finding the green job of your dreams

     

    The Daily Green’s Community News section is a forum for our audience to get the word out about issues that matter to them, enlist support, get help, and advice, celebrate successes or share humor. Submissions to The Daily Green are subject to our Privacy and Terms of Use policies.

    Friend us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter.

     

    More from The Daily Green

    Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

    Check out Yahoo! Green on Twitter and Facebook.

  • This emerging food source may get banned from organic (and it’s not GMOs)

    Access to Aquaponics

    (Photo: Access to Aquaponics)

    This is a guest post by Bevan Suits of Access to Aquaponics

    The USDA’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), which determines which products can be certified organic and carry the valuable organic sticker, is leaning against allowing innovative growing systems, such as aquaponics, from the program.

    Why? Because, according to their logic, food not grown in soil cannot be organic, even if no pesticides, herbicides or hormones are used. Yet vegetables grown in recirculating systems are proven to have exactly the same nutritional value as any other and are perfectly healthy. Decades of research have shown this. Many vegetables on our store shelves now are grown hydroponically, but this question of plant health or nutritional value has not come up.

    In a system like aquaponics, the roots are anchored onto some grow media, such as gravel or coconut fiber. Water flows through this easily, bringing the nutrients required by the plants, especially nitrates, which is a byproduct of the ammonia produced by fish as waste. A root does not care about “soil.” It cares about light, heat, structure, water, oxygen, nitrates, phosphorous and potassium. The physical structure of dirt provides an anchor for the roots to grab, but other than that, earth is just a grow medium, the same as gravel or fiber. Give a plant as much of what it needs, and it will grow like crazy.

    So where does this notion come from, that plants not grown in the bosom of Mother Earth are somehow not eligible for designation as organic? At least part of the answer comes from a religious belief that soil itself is sacred. According to one NOSB Board member, soil-less systems in Europe and Canada are not permitted to show the organic label because some Board members apparently put belief ahead of reason. The biodynamic movement is tilted in this direction, based on aspects of Rudolph Steiner’s philosophy. Steiner is the German founder of Waldorf Schools, which are based on his theory of anthroposophy.

    This coming March, the NOSB will formally put forth its recommendations for public comment, then they will make a final judgment. Between now and then various leaders from the aquaculture, hydroponics and greenhouse industries are developing a formal response, with hopes that the NOSB will listen to reason.

    The advantages of having the organic label are huge. It will give an official stamp of approval on the concept of aquaponics for entrepreneurs, small and large, who can see its obvious advantages. This will encourage investment and growth of small, decentralized food production, something that is essential to the concept of economic sustainability. The economic value will drive education and practice of urban agriculture and aquaculture, which will in turn create jobs and further investment. More organic food, more local, more involvement of the little guy, which includes inner-city African Americans and rural whites, who generally are not considered part of the organic consumer base.

    As a model for this, one need only look at Growing Power in Milwaukee. If you haven’t heard of it, it is the quintessential model of the multi-faceted value of urban agriculture.

    Get more information on the NOSB board and its process. Any support they receive in favor of an organic stamp for aquaponics will help determine the future of local food. The clock is ticking! If you are a professional in any of fields listed above, please email your formal comments, along with your credentials, to [email protected].

    –Bevan Suits,
    Access to Aquaponics

    The Daily Green’s Community News section is a forum for our audience to get the word out about issues that matter to them, enlist support, get help and advice, celebrate successes or share humor. Submissions to The Daily Green are subject to our Privacy and Terms of Use policies.

    Friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

     

    More from The Daily Green

    Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc