If you are passionate about environmental sustainability, green practices, and renewable resources, why not find a job that lets you lead a greener life? There are many ways to make your job more environmentally friendly—so why not try some out?

Green energy, such as wind power, is a growing field.
Green energy, such as wind power, is a growing field.
Image: independentaustralia.net
There are many ways to get on the green boat. The most obvious way is to take a job that is directly related to environmental sustainability. Become an environmental scientist, advocate, lobbyist, sustainability consultant, ecologist, biologist, or an environmental researcher. Your direct contributions to society will be “green” by nature.

More and more companies these days are doing work that is centered on green energy and sustainability. Working for one of these companies allows you to hold what might be considered a “typical” job for a green company.  You can feel good about the work you’re doing knowing that your company is working hard to make the world a little greener.

Or you could work for a company that is in a completely different field, yet highly values sustainable practices. Perhaps they donate money to nonprofit environmental organizations or are housed in environmentally friendly buildings. Maybe they are working hard to make sure their corporate carbon footprint is as small as possible. You can feel good about working for these companies because you share an important set of values and have both made sustainability a priority.

Commuting via bike or walking makes any job greener.
Commuting via bike or walking makes any job greener.
Image: peci.org
Your job can even be “green” if it is one that does not require you to drive or take transit to get there. Telecommuting, working from home, or being close enough to work to walk are all great ways to lead a greener work lifestyle. If you work remotely, you won’t be taking up extra office space, which means your company won’t need to use energy to heat and cool, light, or clean it. You also won’t be using a vehicle to get to work, which means less CO2 released.