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91 Comments
- CrikeyMike, on 02/25/2009, -0/+20I got my Environmental Studies degree in 1994, following after the Earth being the person of the year on Time in 1988 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Person_of_the_Ye ... and all the hype about environmental jobs. The only job I could have pursued after getting a degree from UC Santa Cruz, then one of the leading ES degree programs, was in city planning or crafting environmental impact statements, and the pay was very poor. I do not regret getting the degree and any liberal program that teaches critical thinking is worthwhile and meaningful, but I would not count on getting a dream job right out of an ES program. I really think core engineering and other degrees are better suited to the future needs of the environment, designing next-gen energy systems etc. And in other harder sciences such as biology and chemistry. I don't want to discourage people, but I think they need to think hard hard about school and program choices. I am a tech journalist now and my wife, also an ES and Biology major, is an RN.
- Pxtl, on 02/25/2009, -3/+15Of all the environmental studies majors I know, not a single one was working in their chosen field. The environmental engineers are a different story, but sewage processing isn't the glamorous planet-saving job that I think a lot of young idealists have in mind.
- gemlarin, on 02/25/2009, -5/+14In other news, droves of Environmental Studies students graduate and find themselves competing against Art History and Philosophy students for Walmart jobs.
- lead2thehead, on 02/25/2009, -5/+13Good luck getting a job with that. You may as well major in philosophy.
- cluckcluck, on 02/25/2009, -1/+7I think some of you are being a little hard on a program that you know nothing about.
At a lot of schools, including mine, Environmental Studies has several majors under its umbrella, including intensive science majors.
Just because a science degree focuses on the environment and future concerns with pollution doesn't mean it is easy or useless. - inactive, on 02/25/2009, -0/+4Same deal in Australia. If you are lucky you can work in the DSE or Primary industries at best. ($60k) Or get stuck in a lab testing production line chem samples and documentation. (EPA) boring....
Most people will end up working for some engineering firm pumping out Environmental impact statements for a road engineering or mining contract ($35k) or worse, volunteering. A kind of "stock take" and profiling effort that will be ignored anyway..
I gave up after 6 years and moved into web design and multimedia. I don't regret doing it though as I have an understanding of "how it all works" that far exceeds the average Joe and its nice to know the name of just about every genus, how they got here, traits and habits, geology, chemical transports and progressions etc in local forests.
Mebbe one day I can produce some software to help farmers make wiser choices about techniques and impacts.
Stay tuned. - vulpescry, on 02/25/2009, -5/+9I'm taking Climate Change at USU. It's the first time the school has ever supplied this class and I love it!
It fascinating and a bit scary but very useful knowledge. - Vance9281, on 02/25/2009, -0/+4I agree completely. I got an ES master's in 1983 and, while I learned a lot, it did not pan out so well for jobs. I ended up doing computer work and have had a great career in IT. ES is good for those who want to work in policy or planning jobs, but it is not a real science degree and potential students need to look at where the jobs are going to be in the environmental milieu.
- peacelvr, on 02/25/2009, -2/+5Sewage and HVAC. Almost got rope-a-doped into the major myself.
- Nickolassc, on 02/25/2009, -3/+6Haha, the dumbest engineers I know dropped out of chemical engineering for environmental engineering. They even merged the departments together and dumbed down the chemical engineering curriculum so the environmental engineers can keep up.
- MrSlumberjack, on 02/26/2009, -0/+3To you people who think the class would be based on global warming and that it's something new, it's not. I took a grad level climate change course and it barely talked about global warming. It was based on paleoclimatology- it talked about Milankovitch cycles, carbon dating, atmospheric composition and all the different kinds of climatic proxies (ice cores, tree rings, marine sediments, coral cores, speleothems, pollen fossils...) and applied them to peer reviewed papers on various climatic phenomena. Only some of the papers we reviewed had to do with certain feedback mechanisms that are associated with a warming Earth.
I hate it when people assume that climate change is an area of study that was started because of global warming. This is completely false- there are many other things to study in terms of climate other than global warming (although it does relate and cause feedbacks in many other climatic systems). - chriskn, on 02/25/2009, -1/+4Literally and figuratively.
- cissystrut, on 02/25/2009, -1/+4we're floating in space
- plecostomus, on 02/25/2009, -2/+5It would be wonderful to have more people who knew about conservation science (read: not environmentalism)-- even just taking an upper-level elective in Conservation Biology taught me a lot about practical applications of studies in the field and potential careers.
- vidalsasoon, on 02/25/2009, -3/+5*crickets*
- MrSlumberjack, on 02/26/2009, -0/+2...Yea, maybe 10 years ago. Recent graduates from my env. sci. program get hired at EPA, DEC, NYSERDA, AMS, NOAA, renewable energy companies, etc...
- gemlarin, on 02/25/2009, -5/+7Useful for what?
- Hetman, on 02/25/2009, -7/+9Whats wrong with kids these days? All I ever wanted to be was a greedy corporate business man that shat on the enviorment. People lack priorities these days.
- 2of8, on 02/26/2009, -0/+2Dugg because it made me feel better.
- lovemorgul, on 02/25/2009, -2/+4I had this sense that environmental issues got a lot more press.
- MrSlumberjack, on 02/26/2009, -0/+2It's true... I'm studying env. sci. w/ a concentration in atmospheric sci... and I don't even have time for a part-time job between studying. Thank jebus for the federal SMART grant.
- inactive, on 02/25/2009, -0/+2Invent a film that can transport water but not Salt. ie pour in sea water and get potable water without the solids.
Must be simple, no energy input, it must be scalable, durable, chemically stable, heat resistant, UV tolerant and transportable. - MrSlumberjack, on 02/26/2009, -0/+2I'm majoring in Env. science with a concentration in Atmospheric science... and between calc, physics, chem, atmospheric chem and rigorous research based grad level classes in paleoclimatology, it's not that east at all. It's just as hard, if not harder than a basic physical sciences program (ie. physics, chem, bio).
Graduates from my program have been hired at EPA, DEC, NYSERDA, AMS, NOAA, renewable energy companies, etc...
There are a LOT more jobs in the field than many people think.
It's a great field to be in right now, with an exceptional career outlook. - daonlyfreez, on 02/25/2009, -2/+4Ah, the not-really-all-that-successful "money makers" flock digg again.
Students/youngsters: if your only purpose in life is to make as much money as possible, get at the top of the pyramid(scheme), you need only a couple of traits:
- Be a man. If you are a woman, forget it, you'll never reach the top.
- Be a gigantic *****. This is essential. If you happen to be a sociopath/psychopath, the chances of success are even greater.
- Act tough. The standard defence mechanism to survive between the sharks. You don't necessary have to be tough, but you'll have to become it if you want to reach the top.
- Be prepared to do anything to anyone. Only if you are willing to extort, blackmail, or worse, in short: do anything, only if you are willing to use every possible trick in the book, you'll get to the top.
- Be prepared to be compromised. On the way up, if acting like the first three points mentiones, you too will become the victim of extortion, blackmail etcet.. Only through "compromises" with your aversaries, will you be able to challenge all, this inevitably leads to mutual compromising options and dependencies.
- You will have to carefully maintain a "normal" lifestyle, you will have no choices in life. To the outside world you'll have to keep up the appearances, so be prepared to marry a dull, submissive woman that will put up with your crap, going to diners/occasions more than you'd like, acting "social and lovable" even though the sociopath in you detests it.
- Be prepared to think and act like a child if you are "loosened", because a sociopath never reaches a higher level. Make "funny" pee, poo and fart jokes, and be as racist, paternalistic and female-hating as you really like to be.
- Reread the previous points, and try to fantasize about how the persons at the top probably tick.
- Remember, there can be only one at the top, all others "fail", so be prepared to stay stuck in "middle-management" forever, hating your wife and children, and living a general miserable life, missing out on all the good things. You'll have a bit more money, sure, but you'll be one of the many "useful idiots" the ones at the top abuse. You might not realize it, but you will become a slave, a slave to "Mammon".
If you think your life should consist of being a good little boy or girl: go to church, join the football/rugby team, study law or business, marry and get a couple of children, buy a house, be as "normal" as possible.
If bending your personality into all kinds of directions, just because you have to keep up with what is expected from you means nothing to you, those really are the safest choices.
If you want to make money in business, you need no skills apart from a little math. You just need the necessary amount of traits mentioned above. It's about who you know, especially at the top. Do you think those "top-managers" have actually any idea what they are talking about or doing? You're sadly mistaken, they run from advisor to advisor, from seminar to seminar, they only cost so much because of the contacts they have, not because of what they can.
Making money as a sportsman or artist is much more difficult, it depends on talent and hard work.
If there is something that interests you, and you would like to make your job out of it one day: go ahead! If you can make a lot of money by doing it: even better!
Environmental studies/science is not a bad choice, if you are passionate and learn to be good at it, you'll find a good paying job, *even* in that field, or better: *especially* in that field now.
Most commenters are apparently still living in the Dark Ages (or want to?).
/reality check - MaxxusFlamus, on 02/25/2009, -0/+2It heavily depends on the university offering the major. It's not an established major like EE or ME where you learn the same things wherever you go. Environmental is a very new field and a lot of schools will throw together some BS degree to increase enrollment, but some have a very methodical and rigorous program that will actually be worth something in the market.
- daonlyfreez, on 02/25/2009, -0/+2The mere fact that you did some studies in *environment* is apparently for most enough reason to call you a "lazy bleeding-heart-liberal-hippie fool".
- inactive, on 02/25/2009, -0/+2Skills are transportable. Science degree's give you skills any business would find useful. You just can't do what Business graduates do, learn how to legally ***** on everyone and everything and appear to be ethically correct just get a buck. I think the difference is science understands what ***** is and what happens to it. Buisiness understands what value can placed on ***** and do not care what happens after the payment is made.
- norman619, on 02/25/2009, -4/+6As soon as hey realize there isn't much fun ,glory , or money in the feild I predeict a record number of students switching majors. Hell there aren't that many jobs in their field either. The media does a great job of making really boring jobs look exciting and plentiful. Hell, look at what they do to hacking.
- Rockyn, on 02/25/2009, -1/+3I have a BS in in Environmental Science and the whole industry is BS. There are about 12 jobs in the world and they pay *****. Good luck suckers!
- MrSlumberjack, on 02/26/2009, -0/+2@ DestroyFascism,
Weather =/= climate.
"Climate encompasses the temperatures, humidity, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorological factors in a given region over long periods of time, as opposed to the term weather, which refers to current activity."
-wiki - brutedog, on 02/25/2009, -0/+1Please, students, keep majoring in Business and Liberal Arts so that when I get my Mechanical Engineering (ie. useful) degree, I won't have you guys competing with me for jobs.
- MofugginPaulrus, on 02/26/2009, -0/+1I'm going to be your boss.
- MofugginPaulrus, on 02/26/2009, -0/+1Don't blame the free market for the government's *****-ups.
- THEchemisTREE, on 02/25/2009, -2/+3Well Crikey, the thing about the environmental field (or almost any scientific field) is that a B.S. is the most rudimentary step. You really need a masters to have any proficiency and raise your employability.
- Mullinator, on 02/26/2009, -1/+2It's a sad society we live in when gaining an understanding of the planet we live on is looked down upon as useless. This really goes along with arts degrees as well. Since when does understanding some of the most powerful and greatest achievements of humanity an activity meant only for social rejects?
We should all be so lucky to have a greater understanding of the world we live on and the qualities that define us as human beings. - tomarocco, on 02/25/2009, -2/+3Isn't "Envronmental Engineering" really just Civil Engineering with a concentration on sewage, for the most part?
- rda1441, on 02/25/2009, -5/+6Great...more unemployable people sucking my income into their fat faces.
Get a real degree hippie. - eesparkee, on 02/25/2009, -0/+1Of course, the assumption being that a business major is at all useful. In fact, if the assumption is that many responsible for the mess we're in had business degrees, one might conclude that they're even harmful.
What?! I kid, I kid (kinda). - tehxen3, on 02/26/2009, -0/+1That's a retarded major, it pisses me off for some reason when I hear about people choosing it. I guess it's because their paychecks will be funded by my tax dollars.
- inactive, on 02/25/2009, -0/+1Sort of..
Most in my class group did anyway. That and Makers Mark.. - pumanegra2012, on 02/27/2009, -0/+1It's the new fad
- Nudar, on 02/27/2009, -0/+1Today's equivalent of the philosophy major.
- AriseNow, on 02/25/2009, -0/+1Yeah, being the middleman, now that's a dream job!
- tidu, on 02/27/2009, -0/+1If anything Electrical and Chemical Engineering are gonna explode when we finally get things rolling on alternative energy
- tidu, on 02/27/2009, -0/+1better than Starcraft class...
- tehxen3, on 02/26/2009, -0/+1That made sense.
- inactive, on 02/25/2009, -2/+3Yes, because it is a ***** major.
- tomarocco, on 02/25/2009, -1/+1Yeah, all the money to be made "Environmentally" is still via the traditional professions. Physics is physics. There ain't no principals of "Green Statics" or "Green Dynamics". The "Environment" is fashion, not science.
- tomarocco, on 02/25/2009, -4/+4I left a Chemical Engineering track to pursue Environmental Studies when I was in college and have regretted it ever since. I ended up getting into IT and finishing up school with some dumb-ass trade school Bachelor's, but I get paid well and at least I'm not a lazy bleeding-heart-liberal-hippie fool with an Environmental Studies degree driving a Prius while naively thinking I'm saving the planet by wiping my ass with 50% post consumer fiber toilet paper just because the label says "green" on it. (BTW: I voted for Obama...he has a degree in Law, not Environmental Studies).
- inactive, on 02/25/2009, -2/+2What do they study? Weather systems and impacts and how it all gets amplified and severe? How it will alter the composition of Forests and permanently alter the biology and chemical profiles of any land. How it will turn dryland soils potentially (more often so) acidic and therefore toxic? How it will reduce arable lands and make farming an ad hoc adventure with "hit and miss" climate changes. How it impact on the west by making infrastructure vulnerable to costly damage and increase the cost of living to break point?
With any luck we won't have a year where storms (Wet, wind, rain, ice, snow, fire or lack of etc) wipe out farms from every scrap of Earth making food impossible to acquire and drought? that will make cities rely on desal compounding the climate change and air con doing the same.....
Sounds familiar?
House of cards.. -
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