Posts Tagged environmental careers

Oldham set to become a green job beacon

March 2, 2009 at 11:49 am · Filed under green jobs ·Tagged , , , , , , ,

When you think “progressive”, you might be forgiven for not immediately thinking “Oldham”. The town’s council, however, is becoming something of an environmental beacon, with surrounding councils visiting the area and taking notes on how to become more sustainable and create green jobs.

Councillor Mark Alcock, cabinet minister for the environment, has proudly revealed the town’s plans to the Oldham Advisor:

“The council recognises the huge challenge facing us with regards to climate change.

“Our aim is to create a local low carbon economy that will provide new jobs and support small businesses while at the same time meeting our obligations on national targets.

“Our aim is to be the greenest council, not only in Greater Manchester, but the whole country.”

The council revealed that a foreign green technology company is considering relocation to Oldham, which could create 500 new environmental jobs in the region. There are further plans to create green jobs through insulating homes, and that a new recycling scheme could create a further 350 environmental careers.

As well as this, the council’s regeneration department has been working hard to ensure sustainability in new developments in the town. The renewable energy policy in Oldham dictates that all new buildings must derive at least 10% of its energy from renewable sources, whilst 84% of Oldham schools are now eco-schools.

Whilst initiatives on a local level such as this are fantastic news, there is still a need for a nationwide, comprehensive green policy from central government ensuring consistency in the UK’s environmental efforts, as well as helping to tackle the rising unemployment with a large blow rather than in small swipes. If Chris Smith, chair of the Environment Agency, gets his way, this could happen sooner rather than later.

Author and resource box
Rachel Charman, a writer for Juicyjobs Ethical Jobs UK – an environmentally friendly green job search board which offers free job listings to Environmental, NGO’s, NFP’s and ethical companies promoting green, fair trade services and support sustainable living.  For job seekers Juicyjobs can help you find the ideal ethical jobs in London.

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Green careers lead to top accolades

December 2, 2008 at 10:40 am · Filed under Environment, Green News, green jobs ·Tagged , , , , , , , ,

The edie awards on 13th November demonstrated the growing visibility of green careers as professional and highly-respected.

The second annual edie Awards for Environmental Excellence took place at London’s Natural History Museum, hosted by comedian and environmentalist Alistair McGowan (of Big Impression fame).

Mr McGowan said: “It is a wonderful pleasure to be in this room with so many top environmental brains.”

The awards are to recognise improvements and ingenuity in environment and business practices. Both green organisations, such as environmental consultants, and companies who had made ethical changes to their production were recognised for their efforts.

Winners included Jonathon Porrit, the founder of Forum for the Future and chairman of the Sustainable Development Commission, who was awarded for raising public awareness of environmental issues.

Mr Porrit said that it is increasingly important to “keep green issues right at the top of the agenda in such difficult economic conditions.”

Environmental consultants were also amongst the award winners. Arup received an award for being the employer those working in the industry would most like to work for, whilst Atkins was named best environmental consultancy overall. ERM took five of the seven consultancy awards available in their sector.

Outside of the environmental sector, awards went to Mitsubishi, for its innovating heating and cooling systems for buildings, predicted to save 3 million tonnes of carbon in the next eight years. Coca Cola was also recognised for using football to promote recycling amongst consumers.

The edie Awards demonstrate a few things. First, how environmental careers are becoming the cutting edge of science, technology, and public policy. If these are areas you already work in, a green career is certainly a great way to get ahead. Second, the awards show that even companies such as Coca Cola, which have had less than perfect ethical and environmental records in the past, are beginning to take the initiative. This in turn shows how environmental initiatives are climbing to the top of companies’ agendas, and that green jobs or ethical careers are becoming possible and available in all sorts of industries. The advice from JuicyJobs.biz on this is; don’t pass over a company when searching for a green job. There could be a great green role for you lurking in the most unexpected of places, and it is in these places that you could really make a difference and build your reputation. Keep checking JuicyJobs.biz for opportunities like this.

Author and resource box
Rachel Charman, a writer for Juicyjobs.biz Ethical Jobs UK – an environmentally friendly green job search board which offers free job listings to Environmental, NGO’s, NFP’s and ethical companies promoting green, fair trade services and support sustainable living.  For job seekers Juicyjobs can help you find the ideal ethical jobs in London.

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Accolades available for green entrepreneurs

October 28, 2008 at 10:47 am · Filed under Environment, ethical jobs ·Tagged , , , , , ,

Working in a green job or slogging away for years at an ethical career for the sake of your principles has been seen in the past as a thankless task, with hardly any opportunities for career progression and no potential to make a decent living.  On the other hand, working in the private sector has been seen as soulless, yet efficient, profitable and professional.  All that is changing, however as the two halves of the working world merge, with businesses turning green, and ethical and environmental careers becoming more professional, high-flying and profitable.  Another sign that the ethical and environmental sector is changing is on the horizon.

Striding Out, the organisation that coaches and supports ethical and social enterprise businesses, will launch the Future 100 scheme in November.  The programme looks for young ethical entrepreneurs, aged 18-35, who show real flair and innovation in their business venture, whilst remaining socially responsible and creating a sustainable business.  If that sounds like you, you can enter through the Striding Out website.

The top 100 applicants will be profiled as poster-children of the sustainable business world within their particular industry or sector, and thus become well-known for their business skills as well as their green and ethical work credentials.

Future 100 events will be held in November, during Global Entrepreneurship Week (17th-21st November), so applications must be handed in by 10th November.

This is just one of a string of awards and awareness raising campaigns that are spreading throughout the business world.  With more and more businesses striving to compete against each other, green and ethical credentials are becoming a serious benchmark to compare companies by, a benchmark that is respected and taken seriously in the business world.

If you are working in a green job and are looking to move onwards and upwards, or have started your own fantastic ethical business, perhaps applying for the Future 100, or other profiling campaigns like it, could boost your business CV.  Keep your eyes on JuicyJobs to stay abreast of the latest developments in the environmental careers market; it could give you the edge you need to start your ethical career.

Author and resource box
Rachel Charman, a writer for Juicyjobs.biz Ethical Jobs UK – an environmentally friendly green job search board which offers free job listings to Environmental, NGO’s, NFP’s and ethical companies promoting green, fair trade services and support sustainable living.  For job seekers Juicyjobs can help you find the ideal ethical jobs in London.

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