Young people are becoming more aware of current environmental crises. Thanks to movements targeted and involving the youth, children develop a deep concern for the natural world and seek to help preserve it. This passion can be exciting to parents who, as early as now, are dreaming about what kind of profession their child will venture into, and how their work will impact the entire planet.
But what exactly can someone who loves the environment do for society? There are numerous jobs available to those who want to work in the environment. The following list contains a multitude of potential careers for young environmentalists:
Environmental Engineer
They use their knowledge and expertise in civil engineering and other sciences to help protect the environment. Some engineers might focus on preserving water resources, while others might focus on recycling and reusing. Their goals are to prevent further pollution of the environment and restore nature as much as possible.
Conservation Biologist
These professionals protect wild animals from becoming extinct, they work to prevent deforestation, and may advance certain environmental projects aimed at protecting endangered species. They also monitor the condition of the environment in certain regions, for example to assess the deforestation rate of an area. They are hired by organizations such as The World Wildlife Fund.
Arborist
Arborists play an important role in protecting trees, one of the world’s best defenses against climate change. Trees capture and trap carbon dioxide in the ground, preventing the greenhouse gas from floating into the atmosphere and contributing to the planet’s rising temperature. This career involves maintaining trees in parks, school grounds, and along streets. Arborists are responsible for the health of entire tree populations, ensuring that they do not get damaged by disease or pollution.
The role of an arborist can be exciting. There are those who climb tall trees to study them, a task that also gives birth to another profession: aerial rescue. When tree climbers get stuck, especially a tree as high as California’s Hyperion, rescuers have to get them down safely.
Environmental Educator
A person who teaches others about ways to preserve the environment can have a positive impact on society. Environmental educators teach people how to clean up pollution as well as minimizing their own impact on the environment. In addition, they educate children about the importance of green practices such as recycling and using public transportation instead of cars.
Zoologist
Zoologists will always be relevant as long as animals walk the Earth. They study the behavior and biology of various species of animals, both in captivity and in their natural habitat.
Their profession will become more important in the future as the world grapples with dwindling population of certain creatures. They also work to protect certain animal species from becoming extinct.
Environmental Photographer
In this day and age where everybody is a photographer with a cell phone camera, the need for environmental photographers is not as great as it was before. However, there will always be those who want to take pictures of earth’s natural beauty and those pictures can help raise awareness about the environment.
This can be an extremely rewarding job. Environmental photographers travel to remote places in order to capture the beauty of nature, often for famous magazines like National Geographic. They live out their dreams while contributing to society’s consciousness about environmental issues.
Environmental Lawyer
Environmental lawyers work not outdoors with nature but in the court room, keeping corporations out of protected lands and conserving places with rich bio-diversities. These professionals are especially important as the world gets more crowded and pollution worsens. They can help clients with legal matters involving new environmental legislation. Some lawyers might specialize in cases involving green energy, helping their clients find ways to be environmentally friendly while also running a successful business. Others might be representing plaintiffs who need help with lawsuits involving toxic contamination.
Inventor
The world needs new technology that can solve current problems that plague society and the environment. This is where inventors come in. They work on developing the next big thing that will help solve problems related to environmental issues, such as more environmentally friendly modes of transportation and a device that can capture greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Billionaire Elon Musk has already announced a $100 million prizee to any inventor who can create a machine that will help solve climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. That person could be your child.
These are just some opportunities available to someone with an environmentalist mindset. Ultimately, what matters is passion and creativity when it comes to making a difference for the environment. Finding one’s niche is also important if one wants to bring about real change.
