The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes many provisions designed to boost the nation’s green economy, including a $5.5 billion investment in more than 250 construction projects supporting clean energy, creating jobs and reinvesting in public buildings. As renewable energy projects and manufacturing facilities expand, the organic and natural foods movements grow, and the nation shifts from depending solely on fossil fuels to relying on alternative modes of transportation, millions of green collar jobs will be created. Some of them include:

Conservation Scientists/Biologists: The pressing need to manage, improve, protect and preserve the world’s ecosystems and natural resources employs conservation biologists. Through research, fieldwork and teaching, these scientists work with landowners and government bodies to come up with ways to use and improve the land while shielding the environment. For example, they may help ranchers attain optimum livestock production by determining the number and kind of animals to graze, the grazing system to use, and the best season for grazing. At the same time, however, range managers maintain soil stability and vegetation for other uses such as wildlife habitats and outdoor recreation. They also plan and implement revegetation of disturbed sites. Conservation biologists research and educate on the trends and process of biodiversity loss, species extinctions, and the negative affect this is having on our capabilities to sustain the well-being of human society.

Environmental Lawyer/Consultant: Environmental law is a body of statutes, common law, treaties, conventions, regulations and policies which regulate the interaction of humanity and the natural environment, in order to reduce or minimize the impacts of human activity. Environmental law is influenced by principles of environmentalism, including ecology, conservation, stewardship, responsibility and sustainability. Areas of environmental law include air quality, water quality, global climate change, agriculture, biodiversity, species protection, pesticides and hazardous chemicals, waste management, remediation of contaminated land, smart growth, sustainable development, impact review, and conservation, stewardship and management of public lands and natural resources. Environmental lawyers and consultants specialize in environmental law and typically advise companies, organizations and private clients in order to adhere to existing environmental laws.

Wind Turbine Fabricator/Manufacturer: According to the American Wind Energy Association, the U.S. wind energy industry installed more than 8,500 megawatts in 2008, expanding the nation’s total wind power generating capacity by 50 percent in a single year and injecting an investment of more than $17 billion into the economy. Although the current economic crisis has slowed this growth for 2009, wind power installations are expected to remain strong and within a few years they are expected to return to and exceed 2008 levels. Wind industry companies all along the supply chain will definitely need part suppliers, workers and contributing businesses.

Sustainability Officer: Whether labeled as the Chief Sustainability Officer and assuming the role of a company vice president, working full-time as an employee, or contracting services to multiple companies as an independent consultant, a sustainability officer acts as a compliance officer to establish and uphold environmental standards for a business. In recent years, large corporations have hired sustainability officers. Whether these corporations are truly committed to environmental causes or they are attempting to appear socially responsible doesn’t matter. A person in this 21st century position forces a company to examine and often reestablish its environmental aims for the better.

The green collar economy has been praised as the new middle-class, pairing skilled, knowledgeable workers with livable and often high-paying wages. Many regular jobs and skills can be easily transferred into the green economy, as well, including sustainable information technology, green management and sustainable marketing. The jobs listed here are just a sample of green careers.