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This guide to sustainability-focused career paths will help retrofit and solar-charge your work life. Below is a list of the 5 Best Green Jobs for the Next Decade.
- Farmer – With only about two million farmers in the United States who are aging (average age of 55) there is a strong demand. Since sustainable agriculture requires small-scale, local, organic methods rather than petroleum-based machines and fertilizers, there is a growing need for more farmers, potentially up to tens of millions of them, according to food guru Michael Pollan.
- Solar Power Installer – For those with construction skills, installing solar-thermal water heaters and rooftop photovoltaic cells can result in a successful career. Making and installing solar power systems already accounts for some 770,000 jobs globally.
- Energy Efficiency Builder - Buildings account for up to 48 percent of US energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Greening the US building stock will take not only skilled architects and engineers, but a workforce of retrofitters who can use spray foam insulation and storm windows to massively improve the R-value (thermal resistance) of the draftiest old houses.
- Green MBA and Entrepreneur - The concept of the triple bottom line has migrated from the margins to the mainstream of the business world. This includes everything from marketing to the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) segment, to serving as a VP of sustainability within a large company, to piloting a green startup like Method or Recyclebank.
- Eco Consultants – As more and more homeowners gain interest in living healthier and “greener” the growing demand for Eco Consultants will continue to rise. These individuals provide invaluable services to homeowners by reviewing their home and providing a means to saving money, energy and the environment. This job is accessible to individuals with varying degrees of skill and education.
