Boom of Green Jobs: Career as an Environmentalist

Boom of Green Jobs: Career as an Environmentalist

With ongoing sustainability debates in top gear and rise of green revolution in the industry, green jobs are high in demand. Hence, there are bright job opportunities available for an environmentalist in almost all parts of the world.

With population explosion and ever growing demands, environmental degradation such as deforestation, wildlife habitat destruction, pollution etc. took place in leaps and bounds. As a result, Mother Nature has started showing its rage in the form of global warming, soaring temperatures, melting glaciers, tsunamis etc. Hence, global efforts intended to keep environment in sound state can be witnessed now.

Most of the green jobs available pertain to varied aspects of environmental engineering. Environmental engineers are from different disciplines such as mining, petroleum, mechanical, electrical, chemical, geological, civil etc.

Green Jobs

There is a wide array of green jobs, which an environmentalist can pursue.

Environmental Scientists--Waste management is to be dealt with. Toxic wastes released by industries, refineries, food processing industries etc. are detrimental for the environment, and thus need to be identified and then treated adequately.

Solid Waste Management—Solid wastes released by industries are screened, treated by hydrologists, radioactive waste specialists, industrial waste managers etc.

Air Pollution Management—The levels and effects of different toxic green house gases emanated by anthropogenic causes such as fuel combustion, automobiles, acid rain, ozone depletion etc. are estimated by toxicologists, air quality experts, analytical chemists etc.

Water Quality Management—Since marine life is essential for sea environment and human consumption, the water flowing in rivers, streams etc. must be pure. The preservation and purification of surface as well as ground water is performed by botanists, water shed managers, marine scientists, oceanographers etc.

Land Conservation—Careful strategic planning for optimized use of land and water calls for afforestation, preservation of recreational sites such as parks, grounds etc. This requires services of environmental specialists from disciplines such as forestry, wildlife management, landscape architecture, geology etc.

Environmental Planners—These environmental professionals are involved with planning, implementation and preservation of natural habitats, expansion of urban areas etc.

Environmental Activists—These environmental experts devise and implement policies for preserving animal rights, and perform scientific research to avoid commoditization of animals. In addition, they work on prohibition of torture on animals.

Environmental Engineers—These environmental experts deal with management of toxic wastes, pollution measurement & management, water & land resources management, environmental protection by imposing regulations. Also, environmental engineers are involved in designing and maintenance of systems to control waste emission into the water bodies and land by different industries.

Environmental Educationists—These environmentalists conduct different eco awareness programs in schools, colleges, community areas etc. These professionals also work as guides for national parks, wildlife sanctuaries etc.

Eco-Tourism—This environmental discipline deals with archaeological restoration, preservation of varied flora and fauna, establishing a link between tourism and environment, study of forest biodiversity, tribal cultures, artifacts etc.

Environmental Journalists—These environmentalists are concerned with reporting varied environmental issues, production of movies and documentaries on different environmental concerns.

Personality Characteristics

• Passion for environmental protection
• Clear ideas on different environmental issues
• Analytical bent of mind
• Scientific approach
• Decision-making ability
• Excellent communication skills
• Go-getter attitude
• Knowledge of varied disciplines like geology, botany, chemistry, geography etc



Salary

• Entry-level jobs as interns in the range of Rs. 10,000—15,000 per month
• Based on areas of specialization, salary ranging from Rs. 30,000—40,000 per month

Job Prospects

Environmental job opportunities are available in different Government agencies, research organizations, NGOs, waste disposal organizations, nuclear power stations, animal sanctuaries, PETA, zoos etc.

Study Routes

There are multiple disciplines, which offer environmental education.

• Biologists—pursue the study of effect of environmental changes on living organisms.
• Botanists, Horticulturists—work on safer herbicides, pesticides etc.
• Microbiologists, Toxicologists—Work on biological and chemical environmental aspects.
• Foresters, ecologists, soil scientists—work on environmental management practices.

Entry Routes
Class XII—After studying science at +2 level, different graduate/post graduate courses available.
After Class XII (PCB)—Graduate degree available in biological, chemical or physical streams followed by post graduation (M.Sc) degree in Environmental science, marine biology, oceanography, wildlife studies etc.

After XII (PCM)—Graduate degree in chemical, environmental, mechanical, civil, mining for being employed as environmental engineers.

After class XII (PCBM)—Graduate and postgraduate degrees available in Geology, Hydrogeology etc.

Environmental Study Venues

Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad—The institution, affiliated to the Nehru Foundation for Development, offers 9 months of training pertaining to different environmental issues such as wasteland development, water conservation, forest management, economic development, and strategies for effective management.

Eligibility criteria: Post graduate degree in any discipline

Environment Technology

Different institutions offer different courses:
• Government Engineering College, Ujjain 456010.
Course: M.E. in Civil Engineering with specialization in Environmental Engineering and Pollution Control.
• Maulana Azad College of Technology, Bhopal 462007
Course: Environmental Engineering & Planning is a part of Public Health Engineering
• Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012.
Course: M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences
• Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067
Course: Graduate, Postgraduate, M.Phil & Ph.D. courses in Environmental Sciences.
• Centre for Pollution Control & Biowaste Energy, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry
Course: Ph.D degree in Environmental Engineering
Ecotourism
The Adventurers Wilderness School, 142, 69th Cross, 5th Block, Rajaji Nagar, Bangalore 560010, offers course in Ecotourism.
Environmental scientists
Environmental Scientists are from different disciplines such as botany, zoology, oceanography, ecology, chemistry, engineering, environment studies etc.

Environmental Activists

Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad offers short-term programs on Environmental and Animal conservation.

Environment engineering

Post graduate courses in environmental engineering:
• College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai 600025.
• Shri G S Institute of Technology & Science, 23, Park Road, Indore 452003.
• P E S College of Engineering, Mandya 571401, Karnataka.
• KLE Society's College of Engineering & Technology, Udyambag, Belgaum 590008
• HKE Society's Poojya Doddappa Appa College of Engineering, Gulbarga 585102
• Jamia Milia Islamia, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025.
Diploma courses in environment engineering/science and communication studies
• University of Rajasthan, Gandhi Nagar, Jaipur 302004 - Environment Studies after post graduation.
• Purvanchal University, Jaunpur 222001- Environment Science after B.Sc.
• University of Mysore, Mysore 570005 - Environmental Planning after post graduation.
• Manonmaniam Sundaranai University, Tirunelveli 627008 - Environmental Ecology after B.Sc.
• University of Madras, Chennai 600005
• Jamia Milia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025 - Environmental Management after B.Sc./M.Sc.
• Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli 620024 T.N - Environmental Science after Post graduation
• Anna University, Guindy, Chennai 600025
• M S University, Vadodara 390002, Gujarat
• National Institute of Environment, 1/169 Vikas Nagar, Kursi Road, Aliganj, Lucknow 226020, offers through correspondence the following courses :
Course I : Postgraduate Diploma in Industrial Pollution Management (1 year) for Graduates in science & engineering.
Course II : Postgraduate Diploma in Environment Management (2 years) for Graduates.
Course III : Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Consultancy services (3 years) for Graduates in Science/BE/MBBS.

Australia

• University of Queensland
• Australia Catholic University
• Griffith University
• Charles Darwin University
• The University of Sydney
• University of Melbourne

United Kingdom

• Newcastle University
• Heriot--Watt University
• University of Aberdeen
• South Bank University, London
• Oxford Brookes University
• University of Lancaster
• University of the West of England, Bristol
• Middlesex University

United States of America

• University of Maryland
• University of North Carolina Wilmington
• Audubon Expedition Institute
• Green Mountain College
• Adelphi University
• Arizona State University
• Bard College
• Duke University
• Florida International University
• New York University
• University of Minnesota