| With the green revolution now a part of the | | | | the green industry. |
| mainstream consciousness, Americans are not only | | | | Wind/Turbine Technician |
| seeing the benefits of green energy and technology, | | | | Although a power source in its nascent stage, the |
| but also the benefits of green jobs. Across the | | | | American Wind Energy Association reports that the |
| American business and industrial landscape, new | | | | wind industry grew by 45 percent over the past year. |
| employment opportunities are emerging for those with | | | | Professionals with a background in mechanical and |
| skills ranging from farming to finance, and engineering | | | | electrical engineering will find work on wind farms as |
| to ecology. Universities and colleges are expanding | | | | turbine technicians and operators. |
| degree programs to include areas of study such as | | | | Environmental Lawyers |
| sustainable design, environmental engineering, and | | | | According to the Yale School of Law, "the |
| renewable energy technologies. To some, this new | | | | opportunities to practice environmental law on a global |
| field may seem impenetrable for individuals without the | | | | scale are growing". The green revolution has put into |
| "green" education offered by these progressive | | | | motion a plethora of federal acts and corporate and |
| colleges and universities. However, this is not the case. | | | | industrial regulations. Environmental lawyers are |
| A great advantage of the green jobs industry is that | | | | needed in the legal field to enforce these policies. |
| many experienced professionals - scientists, engineers, | | | | Environmental lawyers are transitioning into the |
| lab technicians, installers, architects - are finding that it is | | | | corporate world as environmental compliance officers, |
| no different from the traditional ways of transitioning | | | | and into public and private practice representing clients |
| from one industry to the next. Some analysts and | | | | ranging from activist groups to local construction and |
| supporters of the green job industry feel that is the | | | | design firms. |
| best feature of the green jobs industry, especially | | | | Architects |
| since most green businesses - being that the industry | | | | Architects are finding the transition into the green |
| is in its infancy - are offering in-house training to | | | | building industry a relatively smooth one. With green |
| professionals who are new to the field. | | | | building practices becoming the standards in the |
| Environmental law is opening paths for lawyers | | | | industry, and the development of federal standards for |
| concerned with the current state of the planet. | | | | construction and design, many architects are finding it |
| Engineers are finding pathways into the alternative and | | | | necessary for their business to transition into this |
| renewable energy fields, as well as the air and water | | | | burgeoning green industry. A LEED (Leadership in |
| quality and pollution studies fields. | | | | Energy and Environmental Design) certificate from the |
| A great illustration of this is the Blue-Green Alliance. An | | | | U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is the first step to |
| organization founded by the Sierra Club and the U.S. | | | | entering this field. Following that, it takes many |
| Steelworkers, the Blue Green Alliance focuses on | | | | measures in adopting and conforming to green policies |
| "greening" their respective industries as well as the | | | | enacted at the local and national level. |
| transition of experienced workers into "a future ... in | | | | Science |
| which good, high paying American jobs will be created | | | | Environmental "Green" Chemistry |
| with the onset of a green economy" (Leo W. Gerard, | | | | Green chemistry applies scientific solutions to |
| International President of the United Steelworkers). | | | | environmental problems such as air, water, and soil |
| Their recent conference in Pittsburgh, Pa., "Good Jobs, | | | | pollution. |
| Green Jobs" drew 1,000 participants and examined the | | | | Chemists who now don a green lab coat study the |
| green industry as a whole, and how to meet their | | | | effects of toxic chemicals on the environment. They |
| "green" standards. Below is a group of "green" | | | | work on reducing, or eliminating, the use of these toxins |
| industries that experienced professional of all collar | | | | and find chemical substitutes and alternatives. Some |
| colors are making the transition into. | | | | chemists are transitioning into positions as air and |
| Alternative and Renewable Energy | | | | water quality analysts, while others work in the |
| While renewable energy degree programs are now | | | | ecological or farming realm as soil scientists. |
| offered in universities and community colleges, those | | | | Environmental Biology |
| with traditional engineering, technical, and installation | | | | Environmental biology focuses on the effects of |
| experience wanting to make the transition can also | | | | environmental conditions on various ecosystems on |
| give their career a greener slant by taking a one- to | | | | the planet. Studies are focused on individual organisms |
| two-year wind technology degree program at a | | | | (or species) and their interaction with the environment. |
| community college. | | | | Biologists going "green" are working with and as |
| Solar Installer Jobs | | | | ecologists, pollution specialists, and natural resource |
| For a position as a solar panel installer, a background in | | | | conservation professionals to help sustain the earth's |
| construction (roofing is a plus), mechanical and/or | | | | environment and natural resources. In addition, |
| electrical engineering is all that is needed. | | | | environmental biologists are taking the global warming |
| According to the American Solar Energy Society, and | | | | crisis seriously, and investing time into preventing |
| due to the increase in solar energy use, installers for | | | | sudden shifts in climate and weather that can have |
| the newly developed PV solar panels are projected to | | | | serious negative effects on the human population. |
| be one of the most demanded service professionals in | | | | |