Bucket 5

Bucket Summary

This bucket involves creating more sustainable practices and cultures in various industries, especially those known to be unsustainable or contributing greatly to the climate crisis.

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​Pathways

5a. Green Infrastructure, Urban Resilience, & Green Transportation Pathway

Pathway Summary

With sub-pathways such as Sustainable & Biophilic Urban Planning, Green Infrastructure & Climate Resilience, and Sustainable Transportation & Mobility, the Green Infrastructure, Urban Resilience, & Green Transportation Pathway focuses on developing sustainable and resilient infrastructure systems in urban areas. Professionals in this field work on designing and implementing green infrastructure projects, such as parks, green roofs, and stormwater management systems, to enhance urban sustainability and climate resilience. They also promote and develop sustainable transportation options, including public transit, cycling infrastructure, and electric vehicles, to reduce carbon emissions and improve urban mobility.

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Sustainable & Biophilic Urban Planning

This sub-pathway focuses on creating sustainable, resilient, and biophilic cities by incorporating principles of smart growth, green infrastructure, biophilia, and equitable development. Jobs in this area can include urban planners, biomimicry and sustainable design consultants, transportation planners, and community development coordinators.

Green Infrastructure & Climate Resilience 

This sub-pathway focuses on designing and implementing green infrastructure solutions, such as green roofs, permeable pavement, and urban forests, to enhance urban resilience and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Jobs in this field can include green infrastructure engineers, urban resilience planners, landscape architects, and stormwater management specialists.

Green Building & Sustainable Architecture

This sub-pathway focuses on designing and constructing buildings with high energy efficiency, utilizing sustainable materials, and incorporating renewable energy systems. Jobs in this area can include sustainable architects, green building consultants, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) specialists, and building energy modelers.

Sustainable Transportation & Mobility

This sub-pathway focuses on developing and promoting sustainable transportation systems, including public transit, electric vehicles, cycling infrastructure, shared mobility services, disability services, and active transportation. Jobs in this field can include transportation planners, sustainable mobility specialists, urban designers, electric vehicle specialists, transit system designers, transportation engineers, and logistics managers.

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Sample Job Positions

• Urban Planner: These planners decide how to best make use of land for public benefit. They develop land use plans, inspect land conditions, build and repurpose infrastructure, and work to provide healthy and safe spaces for their communities.

• Landscape Architect: These architects improve community conditions for both humans and the environment. They design urban and natural environments, manage outdoor facilities, and plan outdoor infrastructure projects.

• LEED/Green Building Sustainability Specialist: These specialists improve the sustainability of buildings through efficient energy usage and environmental design. They plan the construction and remodeling of buildings, working together with architects and engineers to complete their projects with the needed requirements.

• Transportation Engineer: These engineers work on projects to improve the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of current and future transportation systems. They analyze traffic data, develop models, plan new projects, and design new methods and systems of transportation.

 

Organizations

• Sectors: Government, Business

• Industries: City Planning, Transportation, Infrastructure, Engineering, Energy

• Organization Examples: Local City and State Governments, Tesla, US Green Building Council

 

5b. Sustainable Tourism Pathway

Pathway Summary

The Sustainable Tourism Pathway involves promoting and managing tourism practices that prioritize environmental conservation, cultural preservation, and community well-being. Professionals in this field work on developing sustainable tourism strategies, implementing responsible tourism practices, and engaging local communities to ensure that tourism activities have a positive impact on the environment and society.

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Sustainable Tourism Development & Management

This sub-pathway involves promoting sustainable practices in the tourism industry, including eco-tourism, community-based tourism initiatives, destination management, and responsible travel initiatives to minimize environmental impacts and maximize local socio-economic benefits. Jobs in this field can include sustainable tourism developers and managers, tour operators, destination planners, eco-tourism coordinators, tourism impact assessors, and sustainable hospitality consultants.

Sample Job Positions

Sustainable Tourism Developer/Consultant/Manager: These experts work with organizations in the tourism industry to make their practices and offerings sustainable both for the environment and local communities. They evaluate current practices, engage and train stakeholders, and develop more sustainable tourism policies.

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Organizations

• Sectors: Business, Government

• Industries: Tourism & Travel, International Relations, Hospitality

• Organization Examples: SouthWest Tourism (UK), Three Camel Lodge, Tourism Product Development Company under Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism

 

5c. Green Chemistry & Sustainable Materials Pathway

Pathway Summary

With sub-pathways such as Sustainable Materials Science and Sustainable Fashion & Textiles, the Green Chemistry & Sustainable Materials Pathway involves developing and implementing innovative chemical processes and materials that are environmentally friendly and promote sustainability. Professionals in this field focus on minimizing the use of hazardous substances, reducing waste and pollution, and finding renewable and sustainable alternatives in manufacturing, research, and development.

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Sustainable Materials Science

This sub-pathway focuses on developing and implementing sustainable chemistry practices, including the design of environmentally-friendly materials, processes, and products and solutions utilizing materials. Jobs in this area can include green chemists, sustainable materials researchers, chemical engineers specializing in sustainability, and product life-cycle analysts. 

Sustainable Fashion & Textiles 

This sub-pathway focuses on promoting sustainable practices in the fashion and textiles industry, such as ethical sourcing, fair trade, and circular fashion initiatives. Jobs in this area can include sustainable fashion designers, textile recyclers, supply chain managers in the fashion industry, and sustainable fashion consultants.

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Sample Job Positions

• Sustainable Materials Researcher: These researchers use their knowledge of chemistry and environmental science to design solutions to environmental challenges. They propose and run research projects, analyze chemical substances, read other scientists’ findings, and present their own through written reports and presentations.

• Carbon Capture and Sequestration Engineer: These engineers use scientific principles such as materials science and electrical engineering to develop carbon capture and sequestration technology. They design and optimize current grid systems and capture techniques, evaluate the performance of current systems, and supervise the launch of new technologies.

• Life Cycle Analyst/Manager: These specialists improve the sustainability of products, services, and processes of their organizations. They analyze current life cycle management practices, optimize systems of reporting and monitoring, and ensure compliance while managing risks.

• Textile Recycler: These experts use their knowledge of textile materials and current textile demand to repurpose used textiles into new and useful products. They process the used textiles into raw fibers, design methods of re-spinning the raw fibers into new textiles, and produce new and sometimes unforeseen results.

 

Organizations

• Sectors: Business, Academia

• Industries: Fashion, Consumer Products and Packaging, Industry, Manufacturing, Energy, Materials

• Organization Examples: University of Georgia New Materials Institute, Climeworks, CarbonFree, Blue Jeans Go Green