Happy Earth Day, Crusaders! In the spirit of environmental sustainability, we decided to feature the top 5 environmental jobs in the current marketplace, some green trends in business and a couple of at home tips to show your Earth some love.
TOP TIER ENVIRONMENTAL JOBS
[via Investopedia, Updated Salary Stats from Indeed.com]
1.) Physicist: Work to improve green technology—especially solar panels. (Median Annual Wage: $106K)
2.) Engineer: This position can factor into a number of disciplines including civil, materials, chemical, industrial, electrical, mechanical and other engineers and revolves around green technology and the creation of green architectural structures. (Median Wage: $79-92K)
3.) Construction Manager: With the popularity of constructing green buildings, this position has the potential to rake in a greater income than some engineers. (Median Wage: $84K)
4.) Biochemist (or Biophysicist): As a broad field, this job can relate to many environmental agendas. As an example, a biochemist might look at the effects of environmental toxins and pollutants on human health. (Median Wage: $74K for Biochemist, $167K for Biophysicist)
5.) Geoscientist: As masters of the physical Earth, Geoscientists are key in locating natural resources and figuring out the most environmentally friendly ways to extract them. (Median Wage: $91K)
6.) Environmental Lawyer: As a growing field within the legal realm, environmental lawyers can work with a number of different clientele—including construction firm or businesses looking to adopt greener methods. (Median Wage: $93K)
LEED CERTIFICATION: Changing the Place of Business
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has been providing third-party certification to buildings shaped around green design, construction and everyday operation since its creation in 1993 by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
The Benefits of Businesses aiming for LEED Standards: [via USGBC]
1.) It’s Economically Savvy: Decreases in operating costs & increases in occupancy and rent… Music to business’ ears!
| Operating costs | Building value | ROI | Occupancy | Rent | |
| New construction | drop 13.6% | rises 10.9% | improves 9.9% | rises 6.4% | rises 6.1% |
| Existing building projects | drop 8.5% | rises 6.8% | improves 2.5% | rises 1% | rises 19.2% |
2.) It reduces Risk: Certification requires standards above the minimum building code requirements, which may help decrease the chance of building quality problems and subsequent lawsuits in the long term.
3.) LEED attracts Customers: Going Green is trendy. It may sound like a lesser point for argument’s sake, but clients or tenants care about sustainability.
4.) It’s Cost Effective: “On average, an upfront investment of 2 percent in green building design results in life cycle savings of 20 percent of the total construction costs — more than 10 times the initial investment.”
The Empire State Building, a US cultural icon, is currently the largest LEED Gold certified building in the United States & Western Hemisphere!
10 Easy Ways to Be Green [via Our Earth]
As college students running on college budgets, I think it’s safe to say most don’t have the economic capital to construct a LEED skyscraper…at least right now. Although it’s important for us to see the movement of the corporate world towards more sustainable practice, some of you might ask “What can I do now to be more Green?” Your wish is my command….
1.) Reduce – Turn off the lights when you leave the room, Take shorter showers, Print Double-sided, Walk when you can, Drink more Tap water and less bottled etc.
2.) Unplug Unused Electronics – 25% of electricity used to power home electronics is consumed when the device is turned off
3.) Recycle – As of today, Holy Cross uses Single Stream Recycling … so now you don’t even have to sort!
4.) Look for the ENERGY STAR Label – If it has the label, the product has a few baseline energy efficiency standards.
5.) Used Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) – They use 75% less energy!
6.) Fix Leaks – A leaky toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water every day.
7.) Buy Recycled – Even some new school supply products derive from recycled materials
8.) Computer Power Management – Turn on Sleep Mode or turn off computers over night
9.) Properly Dispose Hazardous Waste – Don’t send old light bulbs, batteries etc. to the landfills… properly dispose of them at a local free collection box
10.) Fresh, Local, Organic – Support the local economy & eat healthier while helping the environment!
Lastly, here is this… just because it’s Earth Day:
