CAREER AS AN ENVIRONMENTALIST

Most countries today face environmental threats. Wildlife habitats continue to be threatened. Water contamination and air pollution are critical problems that need immediate attention. In this scenario, opting for a career as an environmentalist can prove to be a good decision.

Global effort towards an environment which is clean and free of pollution is noticeable. The jobs in this field relate to technical inputs for environmental engineering.

Environmental engineers come from various disciplines - chemical, geological, petroleum and mining. There are professionals from basic sciences, ecology, economics, social sciences, recovery experts, radiological scientists as well as traditional civil, mechanical and electrical engineers.

The Job

There are various roles that an environmentalist could perform –

Environmental Scientists

• Treatment of waste - From industries, refineries, distilleries, mines, and other industries (fertilizer, food processing and textiles). Toxic wastes hazardous to the environment have to be detected and treated.
• Solid Waste Management - Chemists, engineers, and hydrologists, geologists, radioactive waste experts and industrial waste managers are concerned with cutting down the dangers from solid wastes.
• Air Pollution Management - Acid rain, ozone depletion, green house gases are threats to the environment. Analytical chemists, toxicologists and air quality specialists analyse the effects of various harmful gases which are emitted as a result of fuel or garbage combustion. They also study the effects of these on human as well as plant life.
• Water quality Management- Marine life is critical for survival of sea animals and for human consumption. Botanists, oceanographers, marine scientists, wildlife scientists, ecologist and people working in water–shed management are concerned with the preservation and purification of water in rivers, lakes, streams, and all surface and ground waters.
• Land conservation - This area of work overlaps that of forestry and wildlife managers and also incorporates planning for better use of land and water. Conservation of parks, outdoor recreation sites, regreening of urban areas needs professionals from a background in geology, landscape architecture, wildlife management, forestry etc.
• Environmental Planners
• Planning preservation of natural habitats, planning of transport systems, general planning of urban expansions
• Implementation
• Environmental Activist
• Designing and implementation of policies to ensure animal’s right to life and prohibition of torture
• Developing strategies for rights of animals by working on areas to prevent commoditisation of animals through animal testing, food, entertainment and scientific research.

Learn what is radioactivity in more detail.
Environmental Engineering

• Designing, constructing, and maintaining systems to control waste streams produced in urban and rural areas or by the industries.
• Develop strategies for protecting areas under environmental threat.
• Impose regulations for the protection of the environment.
• Management of water and land resources i.e. dealing with public health, terrain and water management.
• Management of air pollution by dealing with air quality management and other special bodies that deal with emissions.
• Management of hazardous waste.

Environmental education and communication

• Teaching in college/ school - awareness programmes
• Coordinating community awareness programmes
• Working as guides for wildlife parks and sanctuaries
• In public communication

Eco - Tourism

• Development and preservation of flora and fauna in different parts of the country.
• Education linking tourism and environment protection.
• Study of tribal cultures, folk artforms, artifacts, temples, forest wealth
• Archaeological restoration

Environment journalism

Growing public awareness has generated enthusiasm for environmental protection. People's voices are heard and repeated in the media. Reporting environmental issues such as nuclear tests, construction of dams etc., making of documentaries concerning the environment, production of films on environmental issues are areas environmental journalists have been exploring.


Personality Traits

• Passionate concern for the environment
• Clarity in ideas
• Logical mind
• Scientific acumen
• Working knowledge of subjects like geography, geology, botany, chemistry and zoology
• Good communication skills
• Ability to put your ideas into words and action
• Decision–making skills

Salary

Typical starting jobs in these areas are in the forms of internships and are thus between Rs. 10,000 – 15,000 per month.
Subsequently based on area specializations salaries would differ ranging from Rs. 30 – 40,000 per month.

Job Prospects

Employment opportunities are in diverse fields and offer openings in Government agencies, industries, the manufacturing sector, nuclear stations, waste disposal organisations, consultancies, research organisations, NGO's offer opportunity to environmental scientists. An Animal Activist has options to work in NGOs such as PETA, animal sanctuaries and zoo.
Study Route
Environment related education can be pursued through different disciplines.

• Biologists study the effect of changes in the environment on living things.
• Bacteriologists, biochemists, botanists, horticulturists work on developing safer pesticides and herbicides.
• Microbiologists, mycologists and toxicologists look at the chemical and biological aspects of the environment.
• Chemists, ecologists, soil scientists, foresters, aqua culturists, may all work in areas related to management.

The following section details some study options for specialists in the field of environment.
Entry routes

Class XII. Graduate/Postgraduate courses in environmental studies are pursued after studying science at +2 level at school.

After Class XII (PCB) Graduate degree in biological, chemical or physical disciplines followed by post graduation (M.Sc) in Environmental science, post graduation in marine biology / oceanography.

After XII (PCM) Graduation in engineering- chemical, environmental, mechanical, civil, mining for working as environmental engineers.

After class XII (PCBM) Graduate and postgraduate degree in Geology /Hydrogeology

After Class XII (PCB) Graduate degree in Biochemistry / Microbiology; postproduction in environment sciences/ biochemistry/ toxicology/microbiology

After Class XII (PCB) Wildlife studies

Places to study

Environment education

Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad, imparts 9 months training in environment education. This institution is affiliated to the Nehru Foundation for Development. The programme imparts training to develop educators who can identify environment issues and draw up strategies to manage these at all levels.

Eligibility: Post graduation in any discipline.

The course includes training in wasteland development, water conservation, forest management, economic development, development of big and small dams and protected areas.

Environment technology

Courses are offered by the following institutions:

• Government Engineering College, Ujjain 456010.
• Course: M.E. in Civil Engineering with specialisation in Environmental Engineering and Pollution Control.
• Maulana Azad College of Technology, Bhopal 462007
• Course : Environmental Engineering & Planning is a part of Public Health Engineering
• Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012.
• Course : M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences
• School of Planning and Architecture 4, Block-B, Indraprastha Estate, New Delhi.
• Course : Ph.D. in Environmental Planning
• Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067
• Course: Graduate, Postgraduate, M.Phil & Ph.D. courses in Environmental Sciences.
• Centre for Pollution Control & Biowaste Energy, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry
• Course : Ph.D. degree in Environmental Engineering

Ecotourism
The Adventurers Wilderness School, 142, 69th Cross, 5th Block, Rajaji Nagar, Bangalore 560010, offers course in Ecotourism.
Environmental scientists
Environmental Scientists are from many disciplines such as botany, zoology, oceanography, ecology, chemistry, economics, engineering, environment studies etc.

Environmental Activists

Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad offers short term programs on Environmental and Animal conservation.

Environment engineering

Post graduate courses in environmental engineering:

• College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai 600025.
• Shri G S Institute of Technology & Science, 23, Park Road, Indore 452003.
• P E S College of Engineering, Mandya 571401, Karnataka.
• KLE Society's College of Engineering & Technology, Udyambag, Belgaum 590008
• HKE Society's Poojya Doddappa Appa College of Engineering, Gulbarga 585102
• Jamia Milia Islamia, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025.

            Diploma courses in environment engineering/science and communication studies

• University of Rajasthan, Gandhi Nagar, Jaipur 302004 - Environment Studies after post graduation.
• Purvanchal University, Jaunpur 222001- Environment Science after B.Sc.
• University of Mysore, Mysore 570005 - Environmental Planning after post graduation.
• Manonmaniam Sundaranai University, Tirunelveli 627008 - Environmental Ecology after B.Sc.
• University of Madras, Chennai 600005
• Jamia Milia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025 - Environmental Management after B.Sc./M.Sc.
• Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli 620024 T.N - Environmental Science after Post graduation
• Anna University, Guindy, Chennai 600025
• M S University, Vadodara 390002, Gujarat
• National Institute of Environment, 1/169 Vikas Nagar, Kursi Road, Aliganj, Lucknow 226020, offers through correspondence the following courses :

         Course I : Postgraduate Diploma in Industrial Pollution Management (1 year) for Graduates in science & engineering.
         Course II : Postgraduate Diploma in Environment Management (2 years) for Graduates.
         Course III : Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Consultancy services (3 years) for Graduates in Science/BE/MBBS.

• Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism, Bhopal in association with Indian Institute of Ecology and Environment, New Delhi 110030, offers through correspondence the following course.

Course : Postgraduate programme in Ecology and Environment (2 years) for Graduates and Master of Environmental Communication


United States of America

• University of Maryland
• University of North Carolina Wilmington
• Audubon Expedition Institute
• Green Mountain College
• Adelphi University
• Arizona State University
• Bard College
• Duke University
• Florida International University
• New York University
• University of Minnesota

 
United Kingdom

• Newcastle University
• Heriot- Watt University
• University of Aberdeen
• South Bank University, London
• Oxford Brookes University
• University of Lancaster
• University of the West of England, Bristol
• Middlesex University

 
Australia

• University of Queensland
• Australia Catholic University
• Griffith University
• Charles Darwin University
• The University of Sydney
• University of Melbourne

Source: Compass One

Date: 4th Nov., 2009

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