"There's no better time to learn environmentally responsible habits and put them to work in the marketplace," says McNamee. "Green jobs are plentiful and demand for green things is on the rise. New fields are emerging as a result: a few years ago, there was no such thing as someone who brokered carbon trades, for instance, and very few builders who used terms such as 'green buildings'."
From research and engineering to all manner of skilled trades, renewable energy jobs can be found, even in traditional fields of sales, customer service and project management. Solar and wind energy are the obvious industries, and several others, including bioenergy, hydrogen energy and fuel cells, geothermal energy, hydro power, green building, energy management, and green transportation, have become exciting career avenues.
Community colleges and universities are starting to offer new courses and cross-platform degrees. One such program, Life-Cycle Engineering, takes a "cradle-to-grave" approach: engineer products to leave a minimal environmental footprint.
Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico says, "The clean energy economy is booming across the United States and around the world. Careers in Renewable Energy is a sophisticated and user-friendly guide for finding meaningful job opportunities in the renewable energy sector."
