“It’s our collective and individual responsibility to preserve and tend to the world in which we all live”, – Dalai Lama
Does this quote sound familiar to you? It emphasizes the need for us to take up the task of
preserving the world around us. The demand for professionals across various environmental fields is steadily rising in response to the inclining environmental issues that are happening across the globe. It is devastating to see our beloved Earth deteriorating in front of our eyes and we are the ones who are at fault. It is time we do something about it. Whether you are an animal lover, a home-based recycler, or a climate activist, there is a wide range of career options out there for you to be able to turn your passion into a professional pursuit.
1. Zoologist
For animal lovers with an interest in wildlife, this job is for you. Zoologists spend their time studying animals in their natural habitats; investigate their behavior and how they interact with the ecosystems. As animal adjust to climate change and human impact, zoologists play a crucial role in protecting endangered animal populations. Their job duties include collecting biological data, monitoring wildlife populations, overseeing conservation programs for endangered species and analyse how humans’ activities impact different species.
2. Conservation scientist
This career is for a nature lover that is passionate about protecting natural habitats. The main duties of a conservation scientist are to manage the land quality of forests, parks and rangelands. This involves oversee conservation activities and ensure that environmental protection regulations are being followed. They also work with governmental agencies and private sectors to safeguard natural resources.
3. Environmental Engineer
Environmental engineers helps to identify and use their expertise to come up with sustainable solutions that can reduce environmental problems for example, pollution and waste by optimising the usage of natural resources, utilising renewable energy and designing new technologies. Environmental engineers use the principles of engineering, soil science, biology and chemistry to develop solutions to environmental problems. They are involved in efforts to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health and water and air pollution control.
4. Environmental Health Officer
Environmental health officers work within their community and investigate various environmental health incidents, including pollution, noise problem, toxic contamination and pest infestations or an outbreak of food poisoning.
Their main responsibility is to enforce health and hygiene legislation, which could also include filing reports, serving legal documents and investigating complaints made by members of the public. Meanwhile, they may also be tasked with advising organisations, providing feedback on their policies and processes and proposing changes that could prevent air, noise, water and land pollution.
5. Agricultural & food scientist
Agricultural and food scientists work towards improving agricultural processes for the commercial farming of plants and animals. Their research allows them to find new techniques and innovative ways to increase agricultural output or improve the quality of our food supply.
Some professionals in this field centralise their work around innovation and ethical sourcing, which can drastically improve animals’ safety and well-being as well as improve the quality and quantity of crops whilst encouraging more environmentally conscious operations. A more experienced agricultural and food scientists may create a team of researchers.
These are just 5 examples, there are a lot more career opportunities out there. We won’t have a society if the environment is destroyed hence we need people to help revive the environment and rekindle its magic. So don’t hesitate to pursue in this line because you only can exists if the environment sustains!