The gap is closing between business practices and the environmental sciences as sustainability becomes a watchword for the future. And a Sustainability Degree could be your ticket to employment as green goes mainstream. According to a 2012 poll conducted by Gibbs & Soell, 88 percent of business leaders support their company “going green” in order to reduce global climate change, conserve resources, and meet customer and shareholder demands. That translates into a huge number of companies searching to balance the “three e’s”: the environment, the economy, and social equity.
As a result, the position of Sustainably Coordinator is becoming more common in the corporate, nonprofit, academic, and government sectors. According to Arizona State University student Drake Hoffman “A friend of mine who graduated in May 2010 [with the major in sustainability] was offered a job almost immediately for a company in Seattle that had just created a ‘Sustainability Director’ position.”
A Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainability Studies focuses on environmentalism, alternative energy, biodiversity, waste disposal, water and air quality, and resource management. Graduates in this discipline are qualified to work in agriculture, natural resources, energy, biology, environmental consulting and law, international development, and local, state, and federal government. Alyssa Bisanz explained her reasons for pursuing a minor in sustainability: “Sustainability interests me because it is a field that impacts everyone. It recognizes each person can make a difference, and collectively many people can witness true positive impact.”
Sustainability is one of the critical issues of the twenty-first century and demand is strong for those with experience to meet the challenge. Working in the sustainability field allows you to create solutions today to make the world a better place tomorrow and preserve the environment for generations to come.