News just in:  You can do anything and there’s never been a better time to do it.

With all of the big issues facing the planet right now like climate change, the pending energy crisis and growing inequality in the developing world, it could be easy to feel quite pessimistic about what’s happening around us.  The reality, if you choose to see it, is that for all of the challenges humanity is facing, we’ve never been in a better position to find solutions for them.

Image By Activedia

Here are the top 5 jobs that can save the planet and get you (s)hero status.

#1 – Environmental Scientists.  Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary field that creates links between earth and social sciences, chemistry, biology, physics and geography.  These are intensely fascinating fields of study and operation and speak to the very core of the problems we’re facing, you’ll get to be a part of something much, much bigger than you are and create a lot of positive change.

#2 – Urban Space Planning.  As our cities continue to expand all around us, we’ll be needing public spaces that operate efficiently and with renewable energy at their cores.  Your job will be incorporating the latest technology to enable fast and smooth communication and business all while making sure that there are green spaces and aesthetically pleasing design and architecture choices.  (All of which will have to be environmentally friendly so, no pressure)

#3 – Food Scientists.  Arguably one of the most exciting and innovative of all environmental industries that will determine how the planet feeds itself in the future.  This field is becoming increasingly important as new generations of children are becoming more prone to childhood food allergies.  Today, food scientists are experimenting with growing crops in desert areas with minimal water and bigger yields or harvests, food that is naturally grown with greater nutrient content as well as food that could potentially be grown at sea or…out in space.

#4 – Environmental Legal Specialists.  This Includes Advocates, lawyers and lobbyists that can ultimately reach politicians and effect real change.  These fields are expanding quickly especially in massive governmental institutions like the European Union and the United Nations where environmental law and the expansion of environmental protections is given top priority.  Universities are expanding teaching in these fields rapidly and are including more research based majors into the academic mix.

#5 – Environmental Journalists.  Fast approaching the same status as journalists that go into battlefields and conflict zones, as much as societies are demanding greater action from governments and local authorities, it remains the duty of independent journalists to play watchdog and whistleblower when situations don’t present as exactly transparent. journalism internships are where you begin to hone your craft.
So there you have it, and these are just some of the career paths available to you, for when you want to indulge your inner “Captain Planet”.  As interesting and exciting as these fields are, the importance of their effective and quality deployment cannot be overstated.  The rewards are awesome, especially when losing is simply not an option.