Ahead of the Curve: Green-Collar Specialist

Green-Collar Specialist. The effort to control climate change and become energy-independent has become the cause of the decade. This wave of environmentalism, bolstered further by President-elect Barack Obama's promise to create 5 million green jobs is creating a bonanza of research, corporate, government regulatory, and consulting jobs. Some specializations: industrial carbon footprint reduction, green new construction and retrofits ("LEED-certified" is today's building buzzword), solar and wind energy, municipal and corporate sustainability/energy-efficiency manager, wetlands delineation and restoration, ecotourism, and "smart growth" land use planning. Of course, if the scientific consensus on global warming breaks down or politicians and voters lose interest, jobs may become more scarce.

Cautionary note: The New York Times reported on Oct. 16, 2008, that while there remains "a scientific consensus about global warming, there is also a significant minority of skeptics about one portion or another of the theory, and the issues are notoriously complex." This detailed Wikipedia entry documents the sources of skepticism. If the science behind the computer-modeled predictions breaks down, many green-collar workers, especially in the solar and wind energy space, could find themselves without a job. Many movements are noted by irrational exuberance that—as we've learned from the stock market—often lead to painful losses. When considering whether or not to pursue a green career, let scientific scrutiny trump religious zeal.

Learn more: Environmental Careers Organization