BEST GREEN JOBS

Ten Best Green Jobs for the Next Decade
Anya Kamenetz, January 15, 2009 (Fast Company)

“Massive investments in clean energy promise to keep farmers, urban planners, and green-tech entrepreneurs in business for the next decade. This guide to sustainability focused career paths will help…retrofit and solar-charge your work life…

“Farmer…Since sustainable agriculture requires small-scale, local, organic methods rather than petroleum-based machines and fertilizers, there is a huge need for more farmers -- up to tens of millions of them…[See article for] Schools…degree…Related careers…

“Forester…According to the World Bank, a staggering 1.6 billion people depend on the forest for their livelihoods…[See article for] Schools…Companies/organizations…

“Solar Power Installer…Making and installing solar power systems…is a relatively high-paying job--$15 to $35 an hour--for those with construction skills. And opportunities are available all over…[See article for] Companies…Schools…

“Wind Turbine Fabricator…Turbines are 90% metal by weight, creating an opportunity for autoworkers and other manufacturers to repurpose their skills…[See article for] Companies…"

Illustration by Erika Schneider in Fast Company (click to enlarge)

“Conservation Biologist…The urgent quest to preserve the integrity of ecosystems around the world -- and to quantify the value of -- ecosystems services -- leads to opportunities in teaching, research and fieldwork for government, nonprofits, and private companies…[See article for] Schools…

Green MBA and Entrepreneur…business services like legal, research and consulting account for the majority of all green jobs…[See article for] Schools…

“Recycler…The total number of recycling jobs in the United States is at more than 1 million… recycling remains the economical alternative to high disposal fees…[See article for] Companies…

“Sustainability Systems Developer…a cadre of specialized software developers and engineers who design, build, and maintain the networks of sensors and stochastic modeling that underpin wind farms, smart energy grids, congestion pricing and other systems substituting intelligence for natural resources…[See article for] Companies…

“Urban Planner…a linchpin of the quest to lower America's carbon footprint. Strengthening mass transit systems, limiting sprawl, encouraging use of bicycles and deemphasizing cars…[and] contingency planning…projected to grow 15 percent by 2016, and the jobs are mainly in local governments…[See article for] Schools…”