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10 Great Green Opportunities

By Brita Belli, Kathryn Gutlebar, Julia Hirsch, Jesica Knoblauch, Shawn Query

Everything’s coming up green. Across every industry, new job possibilities are emerging for those with the skills to bridge the divide between the old, fossil-fuel-based economy and the new, energy-efficient one. Corporations once demonized for their role in creating pollution and exploiting workers are being held accountable; they are partnering with nonprofits and hiring corporate social responsibility managers. They are finding that reducing their impact is as good for future profits as for the planet at large. There’s no secret to getting a job in the new green economy. It’s as basic as applying the job skills you’ve already developed (web design, sales, management) to a nonprofit or sustainable industry, or coordinating sustainable practices from within a corporate entity. Sometimes, as in green building or solar panel installing, these green jobs require a specific set of skills—and classes are organizing to fill the growing need. Other times, as in the organic food industry, ecotourism or sales and marketing of energy-efficient technology, anyone with a good work ethic can get in and create a great green career.

Green Globetrotters: Travel and Hospitality
1) Tourism is the largest business sector in the world economy, so it’s no wonder that people are finding entry-level work greening the industry. Ecotourism is growing at three times the rate of the tourism sector itself, and demanding more knowledgeable workers committed to sustainability. “There is great diversity within the field,” says Ayako Etaka of the International Ecotourism Society (TIES). Green travel employees generally work for private companies, government and public institutions and nonprofits.
Openings are also coming from businesses that are looking to turn over a new green leaf. According to the Green Hotels Association (GHA), “Guidance from an employed ‘Green Team’ can turn hotels into educators, showing us simple steps we can take to be more sustainable.” Working within the ecotourism field also provides employees with the opportunity to travel while communicating the importance of the global environment.
“Giving guests an understanding of ecological changes invites them to participate in protecting the environment,” says Mary Jo Viederman of Lindblad Expeditions. Jobs in ecotourism can be high-risk and adventurous, but also limited by season or temporary. Salaries for ecotourism managers, operators and guides can be difficult to predict, because of vast differences between employers and the tourism market itself. But as Etaka says, “There are always opportunities to extend your experience in the field.” —Kathryn Gutleber
CONTACT: International Ecotourism Society, (202)347-9203; Green Hotels Association, (713)789-8889; Lindblad Expeditions, (800)EXPEDITION

Sustainability Stewards: Planning and Land Use
2) Local governments are increasingly interested in how they can reduce their communities’ carbon footprint, and turning to city planning professionals for direction. Megan Lewis, senior research associate for the American Planning Association, says wetlands restoration, stormwater management, transportation and urban design are coming to the forefront of the profession.
“The planning community is very interested in climate change issues and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions,” she says. “We need to be thinking about our buildings and how they can be carbon neutral.”
New urbanism, which emphasizes sustainable and transit-oriented development is also a growing trend in such places as the Southeast, California and the Pacific Northwest, says Meghan Sharp, assistant project manager for the Livable Communities team at the International City/County Management Association. She says architects and designers are adapting their skills to accommodate this type of city planning.
“There’s a market demand for more sustainable community design,” Sharp says. “As communities change their zoning regulations, there’s a learning curve that architects and planners need to overcome.”
Geographic Information System (GIS) specialists are also assets to planning departments, Lewis says. In the private sector, planning consultants can help communities look at the big picture by connecting transportation lines and designing more sustainable living and working environments. —Shawn Query
CONTACTS: American Planning Association, (202)872-0611; International City/County Management Association, 202-289-(ICMA)

Complementary Care: Health and Medicine
3) According to a survey conducted in 2002 by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), 36 percent of U.S. adults use some form of alternative care. NCCAM is a group of diverse medical and health-care systems, practices and products outside of conventional medicine. Victor Kumar, a licensed acupuncturist at Creative Wellness in Michigan, says his job allows him a great deal of doctor-patient interaction. “There are many practices where MDs just aren’t able to spend the time,” says Kumar. “With acupuncture, you have more time to treat people not just the disease.”
Dr. Matthew Fisel, a naturopathic physician based in New Haven, Connecticut, says you can’t just tap into the built-in network that comes with a traditional medical degree. “This field is a lot more dependent on individual talents,”Fisel says. He offers a range of treatments, from detoxification to nutritional counseling, spinal manipulation to adjunctive cancer therapy. “It’s really satisfying seeing people become their own advocates for health,” he says. While both coasts (and the Northwest) are stocked with natural-care physicians, the need for alt-docs is spreading across the rural U.S. —Jessica Knoblauch & Brita Belli
CONTACTS: Dr. Matthew Fisel, (203)294-9772; National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, (888)644-6226; Creative Wellness, (517)351-9240

Power Pushers: Energy and Renewables
4) When Peter Beadle launched the site Greenjobs.com in 2005, he couldn’t charge for the service. “The first year was slow,” Beadle says. Now, with the explosive interest in renewable energy jobs, Greenjobs.com is getting noticed.
With his background in the solar industry, Beadle knows the career potential in renewables. “Solar and wind are already multibillion-dollar industries,” he says, “and hydrogen and fuel cell production are still in the nascent stages.” Industries like hydropower and geothermal tend to recruit engineers from conventional fields, he says. But it’s in marketing and sales where job-seekers will have the easiest time breaking in to the renewables industry. There are also those who install and maintain the solar panels and wind turbines. Installers are in high demand, says Beadle, and certification is readily available.
Renewable energy careers have the potential to re-establish America’s lost middle class. “If we’re going to be serious about building a wind program, it should be local,” says Kate Gordon, program director at the Apollo Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to the creation of clean energy jobs. “It’s the same with solar panels and energy-efficiency technology.” Renewable energy requires more manpower than fossil fuel—wind power creates 2.77 jobs for every megawatt produced, solar PV creates 7.24 jobs per megawatt—but the U.S. lags behind Japan and Germany both in technology and jobs in the renewable energies race, according to industry site Solarbuzz.com. “The U.S. used to lead in solar,” says Beadle, “but it lost some impetus because of incentives offered in Germany and Japan.” —B.B.
CONTACTS: Greenjobs; Apollo Alliance, (202)955-5665

Planet Protectors: Legal Careers
5) When a power plant is polluting more than its fair share, or an imperiled mammal needs recognition under the Endangered Species Act, environmental law groups go to court and fight the good fight.
Bill Funk teaches environmental law at Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. “Sometimes you need to go to court to make sure that going green happens,” he says.
Students at Lewis and Clark can get environmental law certification with their degree, and most go on to work in government at the state and federal levels or private practices with an environmental bent. But you don’t need a law degree to help win big cases for the environment.
Earthjustice, a nonprofit which started as the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund in 1971, employs more than 150 people including lawyers, communications specialists, fundraising and general support positions, says Shelie Luperine, Earthjustice human resources generalist. Earthjustice keeps an online list of job openings, and Luperine says most employees have one thing in common—their passion for the environment.
“People seek out this type of job because they want to tackle issues about the air they breathe or the water they’re drinking,” she says.
Earthjustice was instrumental in the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that says greenhouse gas must be regulated under the Clean Air Act. It has fought against mountaintop removal mining, and for endangered species listings. The organization is also always looking for volunteers to help with mailing and fundraising, Luperine says. —S.Q.
CONTACTS: Lewis & Clark Law School, (503)768-6600; Earthjustice, (800)584-6460

Green Geeks: Information Technology (IT)
6) Joe Kosisek, IT specialist for the Washington State Department of Ecology, is trained to work in any type of corporate situation; he just happens to be environmentally inclined. With a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology, a master’s in systems management and extensive electronics training, Kosisek uses his skills for a “green” cause. “People think there is some kind of mystery, ‘Where are the ‘green’ jobs?’” says Marie Kerpan, founder of consulting practice Green Careers, “There are a bazillion companies where you can take your skills and put it to work in a ‘green company.’”
In the nonprofit sector, IT work may not require extensive training. “I fell into the IT side of things by working for a small nonprofit in which people wear many hats,” says Megan Hill, program coordinator at EcoVentures International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of sustainable communities and livelihoods. For global organizations like EcoVentures, the Internet is a valuable tool. “The idea that the web can be used for outreach, fundraising and political awareness is very powerful,” says Kerpan. But finding the funds to pay for IT or technical services is a challenge for these organizations. “We must be economically sustainable as well as environmentally sustainable,” says Hill.
For those looking to apply their technical skills toward a “green” career, Hill offers a word of advice. “Be open to starting with little to no pay. It will give you the experience you need to be able to be hired by those few organizations and businesses that can afford to provide the salary that you want.” —Julia Hirsch
CONTACT: EcoVentures International, (202)667-0802

Eco Educators: Green Learning
7) Over the past few years, sustainability coordinators—a job position that didn’t even exist a few years ago—have been joining the ranks of educational institutions looking to “go green.”
“We get calls constantly from institutions looking to hire sustainability professionals,” said Tom Kimmerer, executive director of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). In turn, green educators often find job availability in businesses looking for people who have strengths in some aspect of environmental management. “The demand for these people is sector-wide,” says Kimmerer.
Though there aren’t many schools offering degrees in sustainability, that’s beginning to change. “The schools are either converting existing programs or starting new ones,” said Kimmerer.
Dedee DeLongpre, director of the Office of Sustainability at the University of Florida, was part of a pioneer program at Presidio School of Management in San Francisco, which began offering an MBA in Sustainable Management in 2003. “They wove principles of sustainability into all of the coursework,” said DeLongpre. “It was an amazing opportunity.”
DeLongpre says that the best part about her job is working with the students. “Their world isn’t about obstacles,” said DeLongpre, “It’s inspired by possibilities and innovation.” — J.A.K.
CONTACTS: Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, (859)402-9272; Presidio School of Management, (415)561-6555

Better Builders: Design and Construction
Green builders already have a competitive advantage over traditional builders, according to Ashley Katz, communications coordinator for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). And that advantage will continue to grow as sustainable, energy-efficient building practices become the norm.
“USGBC’s vision is sustainability within a generation,” Katz says. “People who are already involved in the green building market are ahead of the curve—they’ll be the ones who are in demand.” USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system, which once applied primarily to commercial buildings, has now been adapted to homes, retail, schools and healthcare buildings, creating a need for more LEED-accredited professionals (LEED APs) and other green-minded engineers, contractors, architects and designers. There’s also room for more employees in service businesses making green products and materials, from recycled roofing to energy-efficient heating systems.
Montana-based CTA Architects and Engineers employs 47 LEED APs and took on the role of developer for its latest sustainable project, Amsterdam Village. The 350-acre development in Southwest Montana includes sustainable requirements for homes, 50 percent open space, an organic farm, walking trails and wetlands. “There’s a synergy that goes on when your neighbors are doing the same thing you are,” says lead CTA architect Wayne Freeman. “There’s the desire to keep up with the Jones’.” What’s more, says Freeman, “Lots of clients are starting to like this idea. It’s a free market society and that’s where people’s values are shifting.” —B.B.
CONTACTS: U.S. Green Building Council, (800)795-1747; Amsterdam Village, (406)570-9199

Improving Industry: Corporate Social Responsibility
9) In the age of Halliburton and ExxonMobil scandals, the idea of holding corporations accountable for their actions might sound naïve. But with companies working to establish guidelines for social responsibility, the word “corporation” could sill take on new meaning in the 21st century. To make corporations more responsive to environmental, human rights and health issues, corporate responsibility advocates start from business’ bottom line and work their way up. Using the idea of the integrative “triple bottom line,” activists have persuaded some corporations to move from thinking solely about profits to the three P’s—people, planet and profits.
“Triple bottom line is explicit and disseminated in terms of how a business operates on a day-to-day basis,” says Erica Dreisbach of Social Venture Network, a nonprofit designed to educate businesses on social responsibility. “The fact that corporations are starting to talk about reform means that corporate social responsibility is going to become more mainstream in the future.”
To wield some clout, you need knowledge of labor law and human resource management. As corporations link their future to turning green, they are able to recognize the competitive advantage of an environmental edge. —K.G.
CONTACT: Social Venture Network, (415)561-6501

Organic Occupations: Food and Farming
10) The promise of organic’s higher price tags has not been lost on farmers. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, land used for organic crops increased from 48,000 acres in 1997 to 122,000 acres in 2005. That increase has opened doors, especially for students seeking a hands-on experience on a working farm through the likes of WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms). And finding full-time work on an organic farm is not as far-fetched as it might sound.
Some manage organic farms without actually owning the land, leasing it through a land trust. “Other people are starting farms on an acre and a half to two acres,” says Bill Duesing, executive director of the Connecticut Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA). And there is more job potential around farmer’s markets. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) figures, farmer’s markets increased seven percent between 2005 and 2006, to 4,385. “The most successful farmer’s markets have this infrastructure of people who run and promote them,” says Duesing, citing CitySeed in New Haven, Connecticut as bringing area farm stands and community outreach under one umbrella. There are also jobs in farmland protection, education opportunities at on-campus student farms and even a need for chefs specializing in local food.
And the market for organic food has opened channels well beyond the local farm stands. Albert’s Organics is the nation’s leading organic foods distributor and its staff is continually expanding, from warehouse workers to operations and sales staff and administration and computer systems. The company supplies 5,000 supermarkets, natural food stores and restaurants with some 250 seasonal fruits and vegetables. They are always actively recruiting new growers, says Frank McCarthy, Albert’s vice president of marketing. “From farming to harvesting and post-harvest handling, distribution, sales and retailing,” McCarthy says, “almost any food industry career is also available in the organic food industry.” —B.B.
CONTACTS: WWOOF; Northeast Organic Farming Association, (203)888-5146; Albert’s Organics, (800)671-0707

US Department of Labor announces $100 million in green jobs training grants through Recovery Act

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced nearly $100 million in green jobs training grants, as authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). The grants will support job training programs to help dislocated workers and others, including veterans, women, African Americans and Latinos, find jobs in expanding green industries and related occupations. Approximately $28 million of the total funds will support projects in communities impacted by auto industry restructuring.

Through the Energy Training Partnership Grants being administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, 25 projects ranging from approximately $1.4 to $5 million each will receive grants. These grants are built on strategic partnerships â€” requiring labor and business to work together.

“Today’s announcement is part of the administration’s long-term commitment to fostering both immediate economic revitalization and a clean energy future. It’s an investment that will help American workers succeed while doing good,” said Secretary Solis. “Our outstanding award recipients were selected because their proposed projects will connect workers to career pathways in green industries and occupations through critical, diverse partnerships.”

Training activities funded through this grant program will be individually tailored based on occupations and skills identified as in demand in local areas around the country. Training programs will seek to prepare workers for a range of careers including: hybrid/electric auto technicians, weatherization specialists, wind and energy auditors, and solar panel installers.

Grant recipients are expected to work in conjunction with a diverse range of partners, including labor organizations, employers and workforce investment boards. Bringing together the workforce expertise of these groups will allow grantees to develop programs that are responsive to the needs of both workers and employers, and that provide participants with the support needed to successfully complete training. The grantees will utilize these partnerships to design and distribute training approaches that lead to portable industry credentials and employment, including career opportunities in registered apprenticeship programs.

These grants are part of a larger Recovery Act initiative â€” totaling $500 million â€” to fund workforce development projects that promote economic growth by preparing workers for careers in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. The Department of Labor expects to release funding for two remaining green grant award categories over the next several weeks.

For a full listing and project description of each grant recipient, visit http://www.doleta.gov. To view a video or listen to radio actualities (in English and Spanish) with introductions to the green jobs training grants by Secretary Solis, visit http://www.dol.gov/dol/media/webcast/grants.

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Tackling climate change nets 4.5 million jobs

ASES/MISI analysis shows that renewable energy and
energy efficiency can reduce U.S. carbon emissions 60-80%,

generate millions of jobs and are revenue neutral or better

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 10/22/2009) – A new report suggests that tackling climate change will be a major net job creator for the U.S. economy. According to the report, aggressive deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency can net up to 4.5 million new U.S. jobs by 2030 and provide the greenhouse gas emission reductions necessary to tackle climate change.

The report entitled, Estimating the Jobs Impact of Tackling Climate Change, was released today during a news conference in Washington, D.C. The study was released by the nonprofit American Solar Energy Society (ASES) based in Boulder and Management Information Services, Inc. (MISI) based in Washington, D.C.

The report can be found at: www.ases.org/climatejobs

According to the analysis, renewable energy and energy efficiency deployment costs would be revenue neutral or better as costs to implement the technologies are offset by savings from lower energy bills, making total net costs near zero.

“The twin challenges of climate change and economic stagnation can be solved by the same action—broad, aggressive, sustained deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency,” said Brad Collins, ASES’ Executive Director, “the solution for one is the solution for the other.”

This jobs report offers the most detailed analysis yet on the potential role of the new energy economy in tackling climate change.

Report findings show that:

Aggressive deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency can net 4.5 million new jobs by 2030. These jobs are not limited to certain regions or sectors – they are widely dispersed throughout the U.S. in virtually all industries and occupations.
Hot jobs spurred by this new economic growth span a diverse range of skills and experience and include: electricians, plumbers, carpenters, administrative assistants, machinists, cashiers, management analysts, civil engineers, and sheet metal workers.
Renewable energy and energy efficient technologies could displace approximately 1.2 billion tons of carbon emissions annually by 2030 – the amount scientists believe is necessary to prevent the most dangerous consequences of climate change.
Approximately 57% of carbon emissions reductions would be from energy efficiency and 43% would be from renewable energy.
Energy efficiency measures can allow U.S. carbon emissions to remain about level through 2030, while renewable technologies can provide large reductions in carbon emissions below current levels
Industries showing the largest job gains include: construction, farming, professional services, public sector, retail, truck transportation, fabricated metals and electrical equipment.
The construction industry directly benefits from almost all the growing renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors as well as from improvements in overall economic growth due to energy savings. Farming directly benefits from biomass and biofuel technology growth.
Many of these jobs can not be easily outsourced due to the on-site nature required by these roles.
The greatest numbers of renewable energy jobs are generated by solar photovoltaics, biofuels, biomass, and concentrating solar power sectors.

The report suggests that policy can play a significant role in both generating jobs and mitigating carbon emissions.

“For job growth the status quo is no match for innovation,” said Mr. Collins. “Congress can help get the economy back on track with smart energy policy – reduce energy consumption in buildings by 50%; adopt an aggressive national renewable portfolio standard; commit to end dependence on foreign oil by 2025; and implement an upstream cap and auction system to manage greenhouse gases at the points where they first enter the energy economy.”

This report analyzed the job potential of improving energy efficiency in buildings, transportation, and industry, and assessed six renewable energy technologies: concentrating solar power, photovoltaics, wind power, biomass, biofuels, and geothermal power. Estimates in this report refer to net jobs since advancing new energy technologies can both create new jobs and displace jobs from less efficient industries. This report suggests that, in total, more than 4.5 million more jobs can be created by tackling climate change than would be lost.

This new report builds on the findings of ASES’ groundbreaking 2007 report Tackling Climate Change in the U.S.: Potential Carbon Emissions Reductions From Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by 2030, edited by Chuck Kutscher.

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Steady, Steady

What an incredible situation we find ourselves in…California, the nation, the world. To quote famous author Charles Dickens from, A Tale of Two Cities” It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of enlightenment, it was the age of foolishness.” Thomas Paine in a series of pamphlets, The American Crisis in late 1776 wrote, ” These are the times that try men’s soul.”

One morning several weeks ago while surfing the net I came across a recording of Earl Nightingale. For those of you who are unfamiliar with him, he is the author of the Strangest Secret, Acres of Diamonds and he did the audio version of Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. I guess you could sort of think of him as the; graveled voiced Godfather of the modern day motivational speakers. But there I was, listening to him again. It has been many years since a mentor of mine, Dan Yacht turned me on to his words… it was early in the wee hours of the ‘mornin’ that I was listening….he said and it hit me hard…“YOU BECOME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT!”

These thoughts really aren’t so secret because they show up in just about every religion in the world. So it comes as no surprise when these principals resurfaced as the “Laws of Attraction” as artfully delivered by Michael Beckwith and others as, The Secret. Today I hope career seekers and employers gain some perspective…because as funny as it seems listening to that program Nightingale wrote over 40 years ago …What he said then, rings true today….”mankind is living in the golden age that we have been praying for, for centuries.

What should we think about? How about the remarkable job opportunities that surely will come in all aspects of renewable energy including solar. Can’t find a job? Has the dream of one day running your own business found it’s way back into your spirit? Think about the alternative ways we communicate now which didn’t even exist just 5 years ago. Think about how finding a job has changed and hasn’t changed? And yet the human element still exist, a person still needs to agree to hire you. Remember classified job advertising? And what’s this thing called social networking, what’s up with that? Is the hidden job market still hidden? Haven’t you always known someone who, knows someone who used to be married to that woman who was the president of? Well you get the message.

The job finding tools offered here are just that! Tools. You’ll still need to connect on a human level with those hiring and offer your productivity, your valued skills! Just maybe we the job seekers, employers, managers, owners and investors can… steady, steady focus on the rewards of success. We’re all in this thing together!!!

by Richard Andrews

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Obama’s Stimulus Package Is Bringing Back Jobs
by Abby Taylor

For tips and facts about how you can benefit from Obama’s Home Stimulus Plan – or to find out if you qualify, visit our no nonsense home stimulus guide: http://ObamasStimulusPackage.net

President Obama’s Stimulus Package is bringing back jobs and changing lives in the process. Who knows where we would be if he hadn’t stepped in and spoken up for change? Take a look around your city and notice the work that is being done. Roads, bridges, parks, and buildings are going up, up, up and it’s all due to President Obama’s Stimulus Package.
You may know someone who has gotten a good job back because of the stimulus package. If not, you know someone who knows someone. The stimulus package is greatly improving our country and pulling us out of the recession. This package is not just about jobs, it’s about improving our country’s infrastructure and putting us back on top as a world leader.
While President Obama’s Stimulus Package is helping us immediately with jobs and infrastructure improvements, it’s also helping us long-term by investing in green technology and energy. We have so many amazing resources at our disposal and President Obama’s Stimulus Package aims to harness these resources to fuel our country while saving our environment. It’s a win-win situation.
Take a moment to really reflect on President Obama’s Stimulus Package and you’ll see the wonderful advancements we can make. Our country is better off, coming out of the recession, and we as individuals are going to be better off as well. It’s time to stop worrying and focus on the positive things the President’s Stimulus Package will do for us and for our country.

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