Making lemonade out of lemons - green jobs from oil spills
The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is shaping up to be one of the world’s worst environmental disasters - one that will be with us for months, if not years. It will adversely affect millions of people, sea creatures, and plants. But even as BP struggles to shut down the well, hundreds of people are rushing to fight the spill. In fact, this disaster shines a spotlight on a part of the green economy you may not have considered - environmental monitoring and mitigation. These folks step in when things go wrong.To give you an idea of the scope, BP alone has 22,000 people involved in oil spill cleanup and mitigation!
What types of jobs are these? Let’s take a look:
- Commercial boat operators: to deploy booms, maneuver materials and equipment
- Environmental engineer: to measure and design responses to spills
- Oil spill cleanup workers: to work on and offshore responding directly to site conditions; usually requires OSHA hazardous waste certification and training
- Field technician: monitors water and air conditions prior to and after exposure from oil spill
- Logistics and support personnel: to operate trucks, boats, and other transportation equipment in support of spill cleanup efforts
- Biologist: to assist in collecting and treating soiled birds and other wildlife
- Skilled and unskilled laborer: to remove debris, set up protective barriers, and related activities
- Heavy equipment operator: to erect tents, operate fork lifts, erect barriers, and related activities
Good luck in your job hunt!