An Environmental Conservationist, which is also known as a conservation scientist, is an excellent job for anyone who loves nature and wants to preserve all of earth’s natural wonders. As a conservationist you need to, “Find your own ways to make less trash, and help others to learn how to reduce, reuse, and recycle.” (EPA).
The job is a hands-on job which means “spending a major portion of the workday outdoors without regard to weather.” (Easton 35) Though this doesn’t seem like a scientific job to most people it is because it involves calculating the outcome of certain things on the environment. The purpose of this career is to protect the environment and the people and wildlife that live in it.
The profession of environmental conservationist can be narrowed to certain fields. Some people specialize in land water or soil conservation. There are others who live for “addressing ‘environmental racism’, or the tendency to condone poorer environmental conditions (hazardous waste dumps, illegal / abandoned dumps) in areas populated mainly by people of color.” (Morkes 187) It is required that you at least have a bachelors degree to hold this job. Many people have Masters as well.
Generally, your pay depends on which degree you hold. Those who held doctorates has an average pay of 52, 162 dollars. Those who held their Berry 2 doctorate in research for this field had a higher salary which has a median of 61, 451 dollars. “In 2000, the median pay was $47, 140” (Easton 90) This is a career which is neither gender nor location specific.
People with this career tend to travel to where the problem areas are, which is why it isn’t location specific. The problem areas depend on which field someone specializes in. Both men and women hold this job. There isn’t a part of the job which requires either a male or a female to perform its task.
This job involves a lot of “treating, teaching, listening, counseling, problem solving / creativity , designing, inventing, drawing / writing , and developing ideas or programs.” (Easton 35) It obviously requires a lot of hands on work as well as mental work, which is demonstrated in the “problem solving / creativity , designing, inventing” Easton 35) In addition to the required hands-on work, this is not a job for someone who cannot work on a team. You have to be able to work with other people because working as part of a team and working toward a shared goal is mandatory. Environmental Conservation is labeled as a field that is hazardous, because as an Environmental conservationist, you are ” working with infectious materials, or where accidents are common.” (Easton 35) To perform this job, you need a lot of initiative because you need to determine what needs to be done and often it can be a life or death situation for people and / or animals. It is easy to get burned out in this career, due to “enduring long-term stress and strain.” (Easton 35) This is not a job people can have for a short time.
This a career that people commit their whole lives to. Berry 3 People with degrees in this field can be employed by local, state or federal governments. It is also likely to be hired by an organization such as the EPA (the Environmental Protection Agency).
Through 2010, “Growth will be strongest in state and local government thanks to efforts to protect the environment.
Growth will probably be less at the federal level, despite growing need in areas of soil and water conservation.” (Easton 89-90) It is estimated that “2, 200 new jobs (will be established) between 2000-2010.” (Easton 36) The federal government currently employs most of those in his field. There are agencies set up and people are hired by these agencies which are branches of the federal government. “Such agencies Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service.” (Morkes 190) Even though the economy is failing and jobs are diminishing in most careers, this is a career that will still have jobs. This is a considerably young career. People have only held jobs in these fields since the 1970’s. “On April 22, 1970, more than 20 million people participated in demonstrations, attended teach-ins, and listened to speeches about the environment.
It was, at this time, the largest demonstration in history.” (Morkes 189) Since 1970 there have been a lot more demonstrations. The numbers of participants are increasing due to the growing awareness of increasing dangers to our environment. “The watershed event, called Earth Day, inspired our country to recognize the importance of environmental issues.” (Morkes 189) Every year on April 22, we celebrate Earth Day. Many cities and towns have huge celebrations to celebrate the earth and demonstrations to continue the spreading of awareness.
Berry 4 All of Earth day and its festivities were inspired by one man, one of the first environmentalists, Gaylord Nelson. “The annual event, which continues to change the world today, grew out of one man’s frustration with federal government’s inattention to environmental issues. That man was Gaylord Nelson, a Senator from Wisconsin.” (Morkes 189) Senator Nelson proved that one person can get things started. He has inspired thousands.
Though he was the brain child behind Earth Day, he isn’t alone in his environmental ideals. There have been many before and after him, that share the same ideals. One of the very first environmentalist, and the very first female environmentalist was Rachel Carson. She lived was born in 1907 and died 6 years before Senator Nelson’s first earth Day.
Ms. Carson “helped launch the environmental protection movement with her book Silent Spring, which changed how many Americans thought about pesticides.” (fact monster. com) After researching this career and finding out as much as I could about it, this is still the career I would like to have. I would like to specialize this career into the field of Environmental Racism.
I care deeply about the environment and about preserving our natural recourses. I feel especially strong about Environmental Racism because I feel it is something I have been subjected to all of my life. This is a job for me because I enjoy using things that the earth provides, like water and snow and I want to protect it because ‘there is a need to ensure that the cleanliness and environmental safety… are not compromised.’ (Manila Bulletin) Works Cited 1. Easton, Thomas. Careers in Science.
New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. 20042. “Environmental Conservationists.” Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guide. 20033. “Women and Work” Fact Monster.
(c) 2000-2004 Pearson Education, publishing as Fact Monster. 15 Dec. 2004 web 4. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Solid Waste and Emergency response (5305 W).
Washington: September 2002.
5. DoT promotes environmental conservation in surfing tilt. Jase r A. Marasigan. Dec 15, 2004. web.