Green Jobs are becoming more of a norm with environmental careers projected to grow massively in the next 10 years. This is parallel with the increase of drive within people to no longer only sustain a job for income, but also to work towards achieving a certain sustainable goal which is highly rewarding and fulfilling for planetary needs.
The green jobs classify as popular because they are:
- Vital for our economy – with companies switching over to greener solutions, this opens up job opportunities.
- The clean energy sector is growing and younger people are increasingly becoming more interested in a green career path.
- Opens up doors to jobs that have not existed before.
- Median wages in green energy careers are higher compared to the economy average.
- People are evolving and crave more fulfilling jobs.
- Matching values.
Discover the 5 most popular green jobs!
1. Water Quality Technician
Clean water is essential for daily human use and helps keep us safe from diseases and maintain good health. Becoming a water quality technician will give you the opportunity to ensure that people have access to clean and safe water in order to live a healthy lifestyle. Not everybody has access to clean water and this is where water quality technicians can come in handy!
These water quality technicians determine if the water we use and ingest meets the EPA standards. They do this by testing for certain chemicals or contaminants and also do testing on wastewater.
As a potential water quality technician you can imagine working in settings like water treatment plants, laboratories, rivers, beaches and other onsite locations.
Median annual salary: $52,500 ($25.24/hour)
Education: Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, biology, chemistry or a closely related field.
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2. Sustainable Designer
The sustainable design aims to reduce waste, conserve resources, and encourage human and ecological health.
Sustainable designer possesses design and architectural skills, while continuously educating themselves about the latest sustainable research and recommendations. This could be in the form of analyzing incoming economic, environmental, and local data while developing policies and strategies to improve the community.
Depending on where your interests lie, as a sustainable designer you may find yourself working on improving the air quality in the building (interior), sustainable fashion, product packaging or even in marketing. The options are endless!
Median annual salary: $80,648 ($38.77/hour)
Education: Bachelor’s degree in sustainability or environmental architecture. A master’s degree may be preferred for certain projects. While licenses and certification requirements may vary by state, it’s beneficial to have a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
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3. Agricultural Engineer
Agricultural engineering is a very broad field and includes sub-branches such as soil science, environmental science, plant bioengineering and so much more. Essentially, an agricultural engineer uses up-to-date technology to ensure that current agriculture practices are efficient and productive and resolve agriculture problems.
As a future agricultural engineer, you may find yourself working at farms or laboratories finding solutions to expand the lifespan of a tomato for example! Agricultural engineers are involved with the whole production process, starting with planning, and planting to harvesting and processing.
Median annual salary: $72,500 ($34.86/hour)
Education: Bachelor’s degree in agriculture engineering or agricultural science. If you want to increase your job opportunities, earning a master’s degree in a similar field can be advantageous.
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4. Natural Scientist
When you think about natural science, what comes to mind? Did you think of a wide variety of topics? Well, then your head is on the right track.
Natural science is concerned with understanding, predicting, and researching things that occur naturally on earth and in the universe. Natural scientists use gathered data and observations from experiments to draw provable conclusions.
This is important because we humans rely on the earth for both wealth and health, so it’s important that natural scientists monitor and analyze our impacts on the world and how we go about using natural resources.
As a prospective natural scientist, you can expect a wide variety of career choices. Natural science plays a part in science as well as management, marketing, policy, sales and beyond.
Median annual salary: $71,784 ($36.81/hour)
Education: Bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD in a scientific discipline or related field, such as engineering. If you want to progress into a natural scientist manager, a master’s in a management-related field is beneficial.
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5. Urban Farmer
Urban farming activates innovative thinking which in return provides sustainable solutions. Unlike a typical farm set up in the middle of nowhere with hundreds of crops and animals to keep alive, urban farming is making its presence known in cities. Growing food in the city has its challenges as we generally don’t have enough space for it. That’s why you find farms now in the form of a backyard, roof-top, balcony gardening, vertical gardening, community gardens and sometimes even at vacant lots or parks.
Urban farming eases access to food, reconnects communities to grow their own food and becomes more self-sufficient in that area. Moreover, it promotes healthier lifestyles as it enables people to have more affordable fresh foods.
As a potential urban farmer, you may find yourself working for governmental institutions, non-profit organizations and profit organizations or simply for personal consumption.
Median annual salary: $50,500 ($24/hour)
Education: High school diploma or equivalent. Although an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in farming or agriculture are available, aspiring urban farmers are better off learning through hands-on experiences like internships.
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Do you feel like working in the Sustainable Industry? Click here to find your dream job and have a positive impact on our Planet. ????