What is a Green Job? Margy Goodman INTRODUCTION As our economy continues to struggle, and while job loss is on the rise, Americans are in dire need of new sources of employment. Green jobs will ultimately make the American economy more competitive in the international market, curb climate change, fight outsourcing, and rejuvenate manufacturing in the U.S. 1 The following activities will introduce students to green jobs by defining the sector and outlining what qualifies as a green job and will help students to understand why green jobs are important. LESSON OVERVIEW Grade Level & Subject: 9-12: Economics, Science, Social Studies, Technology, Vocational Education Length: Two class periods Objectives: After completing this lesson and extension activity, students will: Understand what qualifies as a green job. Know why green jobs are becoming increasingly important in our economy. Begin thinking about their own career pathway and how it can be more green. National Standards Addressed: This lesson addresses the following National Education Standards 2 Content Standard: NS.9-12.6 PERSONAL AND SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop and understanding of: Personal and community health Natural resources Environmental quality Natural and human-induced hazards Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges Materials Needed: Chalk board, whiteboard, or equivalent 1 http://solis.house.gov/list/press/ca32_solis/wida6/greenjobscomm.shtml 2 http://www.education-world.com/standards/
Computers with internet access Reproducible One - Green Job Career Pathway Assessment: Students will be assessed through the following activities: Participation in class discussion. Completion, thoroughness, and quality of green job research assignment and brief presentation. Completion, thoroughness, and quality of Green Jobs Career Pathway extension activity. LESSON BACKGROUND Relevant Vocabulary: Energy Efficiency: Percentage of total energy input to a machine or equipment that is consumed in useful work and not wasted as useless heat. Saves money and energy as compared to non-energy efficient products. Green job: "It has to pay decent wages and benefits that can support a family. It has to be part of a real career path, with upward mobility. And it needs to reduce waste and pollution and benefit the environment." 3 Phil Angelides, Apollo Alliance Outsourcing: When a company purchases goods or subcontracts services from an outside supplier or source in order to cut costs. Renewable energy: Any naturally occurring, theoretically inexhaustible source of energy, as biomass, solar, wind, tidal, wave, and hydroelectric power, that is not derived from fossil or nuclear fuel. Sustainability: Ensuring that the needs of the present are met so that the needs of the future can also be met. Information: Traditionally, there has been a dichotomous relationship between industry and the environment. However, with an increasing concern for climate change, the environment and with the decline of the global economy, there has been an influx of jobs in various business sectors which have an environmentally conscious aim. In early 2009, Christina Romer, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, estimated that the green jobs provisions of the recovery package will save or create 3.5 million jobs over the next two years. 4 Not only will the implementation of green jobs provide millions of jobs, but it will bring about numerous other benefits as well. Such jobs include those in sustainable building, manufacturing energy efficient products, implementation of renewable energy infrastructure, along with various others. In order to sustain the growing green jobs sector, it is imperative that students receive an education about green jobs and the environment in general. Environmental education encompasses a variety of areas for all ages. From implementing lessons about endangered species in 1 st grade classes, to teaching 12 th grade students about climate change policies, to hands-on renewable energy research at 3 Apollo Alliance, http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1809506,00.html. 4 http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/feb2009/2009-02-20-02.asp
the undergraduate and graduate levels, environmental education is beneficial for numerous reasons. First of all, introducing environmental education in classrooms has been proven to: improve students scores on class work and standardized tests, increase students feelings of responsibility for the environment, decrease the presence of Nature Deficit Disorder; and decrease discipline problems. 5 Moreover, environmental education s benefits to the green jobs sector are substantial; students with a background in environmental education will be better equipped to enter and understand this burgeoning job field. Although manufacturing plays a large role in the green jobs sector, there is a plethora of other positions which can be considered green. This includes jobs in: health care, the government, environmental organizations, waste management, environmental education, and many others. Because the green job sector encompasses so many sources of employment, it is important for students to receive environmental education that covers and prepares them for such jobs. Our environment and economy will rely on bright, driven students entering the green jobs sector to maintain and increase its strength. Resources: Apollo Alliance, http://www.apolloalliance.org Blue Green Alliance, http://www.bluegreenalliance.org/home Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education, http://www.sustainabilityed.org/ Environmental Defense Fund, http://www.edf.org/documents/8489_green%20jobs%20guidebook%20final%20with %20cover.pdf Environmental Protection Agency EE Department, http://www.epa.gov/enviroed/index.html Green for All, http://www.greenforall.org/ National Environmental Education Foundation, http://www.neefusa.org/ North American Association for Environmental Education, http://naaee.org/ Planet Connect, http://planet-connect.org/ Project Learning Tree, http://www.plt.org/ Preparation: 1. Create green job title cards and corresponding green job description cards so there are enough cards total for all of your students (for example, for 20 students, create 10 job title cards and 10 matching descriptions.) Be creative with these! 2. Some examples include: Solar panel installer An individual who installs thin panels consisting of an array of solar cells to generate electricity from the sun. Recycling plant worker An individual who reprocesses used or abandoned materials. Environmental educator A person who teaches about how natural environments 5 Campaign for Environmental Literacy, http://www.fundee.org/campaigns/nclb/brief2b.htm, http://www.fundee.typepad.com/
function and how humans can manage their behavior. Environmental scientist A scientist who studies human interactions with the environment. Climatologist A scientist who examines the meteorology of climates. Park ranger A person who protects and preserves parklands. Green designer An individual who creates sustainable designs. Green builder An individual who develops and builds sustainable and green structures. Green landscaper An individual who helps reduce negative impacts that land development may have on land, water, and air. Wind turbine manufacturer A person who creates structures used to exploit wind energy. Organic farmer A farmer who relies on crop rotation, manure, compost, and biological pest control to produce food free of synthetic material or feed additives. Hybrid car designer A person who creates automobiles that use two or more forms of power. Mass transit operator A person who transports a large number of people via bus, train, or boat. Bicycle constructor A person who builds bicycles. Green business owner An individual whose business has little or no negative impact on the global or local environment, society, or economy. Congressperson A politician who uses their power and connections to implement environmental protection policies. LESSON STEPS Warm-up: Introduction to Green Jobs 1. Pass out green job titles and green job descriptions so each student has one card. Have each student find the partner with the corresponding match. 2. Once students have found their match, ask each pair to introduce their job and share their definition. 3. After hearing each of these jobs, tell students that these are all examples of green jobs. Ask students if they have heard of green jobs. What are they? Where have they heard of them? Activity One: Discussion - What Qualifies as a Green Job? 1. In this activity, you will challenge students general ideas of what a green job is. Your students would hopefully agree that someone in the sustainable building sector has a job that s considered green, but would they be quick to agree that teachers can be included in the green job sector? What about health care providers, waste management workers, car manufacturers, scientists, farmers, politicians, non-profit organization worker, etc.? Discuss the following with your students. a) What did all of the jobs on the cards have in common? b) Encourage a class brainstorm. On the board, write down words and ideas associated with green jobs.
c) Looking at this list, have students come up with language to use to define green job. As a whole class, use the specific language they brainstormed to create an official class definition of a green job. d) What qualifies as a green job? Refer to the green job cards and list the job titles on the board. Are there any jobs they do or do not think fit the definition of a green job? Why or why not? e) Now challenge students to name careers that are not listed. Encourage them to think outside of the box and see if they can expand this list. f) Ask your students what they want to do for a career or profession. Could any of these careers be considered green? Why or why not? g) Encourage debate and discussion. Be sure to challenge students traditional ideas of what a green job is. h) Another important discussion point is that a plethora of occupations can be green. In addition to vocational education and job skills training, it is important that the ethic and understanding of sustainability and positive environmental impact is imparted. This is why environmental awareness and education are important in all sectors and throughout all grade levels. Discuss this with your class. i. Environmental Education is becoming increasingly important. Why might this be? (Because in today s economy, learning about the environment will better prepare young people to enter the green jobs sector, thus strengthening our economy and keeping America competitive. Also, those who have knowledge on various environmental topics will be better equipped to curb environmental degradation, and may have a greater interest in and feeling of responsibility for protecting our natural surroundings). ii. What are some ways students can be exposed to environmental education from an early age? (In-class environmental lessons across subject levels, hands-on outdoor lessons, field trips to national parks and science museums, articles about the environment in school newspapers, partnerships with green organizations, etc). iii. Ask your students what kind of environmental activities they have done in the past. Have these affected their outlook on the future or the economy? Are there any activities they especially recommend for students as future workers? i) Have students consider if any of the listed green jobs might appeal to them. What do they think the coolest, most interesting, or most important green job is? Activity Two: Green Job Research 1. Choosing a job off the class list, or coming up with another on their own, have students research and write a short paper on a green job that interests them. They should focus on explaining why the job they chose is considered green and should incorporate the definition created in class. Does this job fit the definition? Why or why not? a) Other points for student to consider: Why does this job interest you? How does it help the environment? What sector does it fall into? Why is it important for the economy? How might this career be even more important in the future? 2. Depending on the timeframe of this lesson, have students begin research in class and/or complete their research and papers as homework. Activity Three: Presentation
1. Before turning in their Green Job Research Papers, students will give a short (three to five minute) presentation on the job they researched. They should explain: why it is a green job, why it interests them, why it will be important in the future, etc. Wrap-Up: Discussion Defining Green Jobs 1. As a whole class, return to the definition of a green job. Discuss the following: a) Have your students initial ideas of what a green job is changed during the lesson? Why or why not? b) Based on discussion and research, are there any changes that should be made to the definition? Does the current definition exclude any relevant information or include any unnecessary information? c) If necessary, see if your class can edit their original definition. Extension: Green Job Career Pathways 1. Now that students are more familiar with the variety of green jobs available and their importance in the economy and the future, students should be thinking about their own career paths and how they fit into the category of green jobs. a) Have students think about how they could get a green job or choose a green career. Do they have new career goals after this lesson? Can they reframe their existing career goals to be more green? b) Have students research their career paths and goals. What skills are needed? What kind of education, degree, or training is required? What schools offer these majors? Are there apprenticeships available? What kind of demand is there for this position? Is it regionally dependent? What is the usual pay grade? Etc. c) Have students begin thinking about the most logical steps to take for their career of choice and create a map of this pathway. Use Reproducible One - Green Job Career Pathway as framework. d) To take this even further, you may want to encourage students to find someone in this career and set up an informational interview or bring a few varied experts in to speak with the class. How did this person end up in this career? Would they do anything differently? Do they have any tips or advice for the students? CONCLUSION At the conclusion of this lesson, students will have a strong grasp of what a green job is they will be able to define the term green job, know what qualifies as a green job, understand why green jobs are a growing sector, and know why they are important in today s economy. They will also have considered how a green job could apply to themselves and their own career goals.
Green Job Career Pathway Name: Class: Career: High School: Helpful classes: High School degree required: yes no Training Program: College: Helpful classes: Degree required: Graduate School: Helpful classes: Degree required: Internship, apprenticeship or fieldwork: