On the campus of Maine’s Unity College stands the Unity House, a symbol of what the school represents: environmental leadership and teaching tools for a more sustainable future. Absent of natural gas and fueled by solar power, the house is a marvel of modern science. It has achieved net-zero status, which means that it produces more energy than it consumes. It recently earned the highest possible Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating in energy efficiency.
This house is only the beginning of a greater national and worldwide effort to educate future generations about the importance of developing a more sustainable environment.
In the coming years, more industries will emphasize the value of sustainability by creating new jobs in this area. And to fill this upcoming need, many schools will likely take their cue from Unity, self-proclaimed as "America’s Environmental College."
As more funding becomes available and a greater pool of green jobs is created, there will be more students like Unity’s Jamie Nemecek and Thomas Ianello. Nemecek enrolled at Unity to study environmental consulting after becoming aware of the effects of global warming, and Ianello came to the school to earn a degree in sustainability design and technology, a program that was formalized in 2008.
"The future job market will have a high demand for sustainability experts," said Ianello, whose goal is to oversee a sustainability program for a city or college campus. "The energy security of our country is at stake, and I believe that the Obama administration understands the necessity of bold climate legislation and positive energy policy decisions. The 'green revolution' has begun, and I'm excited to be fighting at the front lines."
And this revolution doesn't just affect universities and homeowners; it transcends into the business world as well. Savvy industry leaders are realizing the importance of a multi-skilled workforce, and many organizations are doing their part to provide educational training in sustainability. Whether that means reaching out to universities and community colleges, or simply providing training for their current workforce, companies are investing not only in a sustainable environment, but a sustainable future for their organization.
For example, IT vendor Fujitsu is striving to be a guiding force in the green movement for its clients and educators across the globe.
"Customers come to us for advice on how to build new environmentally friendly computers," said Richard McCormack, Fujitsu’s senior vice president of marketing. "We have a program built around educational products and environmental control. We help [educational] institutions both educate and lower their running costs."
When it comes to the job market, McCormack said there’s significant value in computing and environmental management degrees. He said that having knowledge of virtualization — including the ability to consolidate servers into fewer, more energy-efficient machines — is critical.
"Throughout the entire organization," he said, "a lot of jobs are being created for people who know how to drive down costs in the data center."
His advice on how educators should move forward with the green movement?
