What does the future hold as far as alternate energy sources are concerned?
Alternative energy can have a profound impact on the quality of our lives and how we view the world's resources. It is definitely an area of growth that will provide opportunities to conquer new frontiers, create new technologies, and increase our potential to develop sustainable communities. Our future will only be as good as our ability to prepare a generation of critical-thinking, ecologically-minded problem solvers. These skills must be fostered in a learning environment that nurtures creativity and inquiry, rather than rote learning and standardized curricula. Alternative energy will require a new cadre of professionals and will open up a whole new area of green careers. Are we preparing our students for the environmental challenges that lie ahead? What experiences are required to develop ecologically minded citizens? What curricula will bring about universal environmental literacy? These are the questions we need to ask in thinking about schools of the future.
For students interested in Environmental Studies, what are some possible career opportunities in the field?
In the years ahead, environmental experts will be needed in virtually every market sector, especially sectors like energy, environmental health and safety, transportation, education, law, and urban development and renewal. There are jobs in government, business and non-profit organizations. Traditional careers in the environment include ecologists, foresters, urban planners, landscape architects, naturalists, wildlife managers, and meteorologists, just to name a few. There are also many opportunities for educators in schools and non-formal settings, which include botanic gardens, aquaria, nature centers, museums and environmental organizations. Green architecture and green businesses are also a growing area in the job market. Students interested in technology also have many new career options that require specialization in GIS technology, disaster management, human health, risk management, recycling, and numerous other sectors of the economy.
How effective are our nation's recycling programs at cutting down on waste and moderating the use of our natural resources?
Recycling programs have provided incentives for communities to cut down on solid waste and have opened up opportunities for post-consumer products. More incentives are needed to continue the progress that recycling initiatives have made thus far. Bottles bills have proven to be an effective sustainable method of reclaiming bottles and cans resulting in a dramatic reduction of beverage container litter and the amount of solid waste going into landfills. This is one way we can conserve natural resources while creating new markets and jobs.
