EnvironmentalCAREER.com - Helping people work for the environment

Leaders in Sustainability Educate and Inspire
A look at the 2009 Rocky Mountain Sustainability Summit Green Careers Seminar

The 12th Rocky Mountain Sustainability Summit (RMSS) held at the University of Colorado at Boulder‘s University Memorial Center from February 11-13, provided a learning and networking forum for academic and industry audiences from across the Rocky Mountain region to advance sustainability. The summit, entitled “Forging Solutions at Colleges and Universities”, brought together over 500 individuals, from 40 universities and numerous industries, to gain knowledge and add to the quick growing environmental, economic, and social sustainability initiatives being implemented in the Rocky Mountain Region.

Jessie Lucier, one of the event coordinators, said the summit was “an incredibly successful event” and that the feedback she received was “incredibly positive, people were engaged and inspired.” The RMSS highlighted the ways and means to initiating, implementing, and institutionalizing sustainability on campuses and their adjacent communities. Participants attended sessions on sustainable transportation, greening curriculum, and off-campus sustainability initiatives in addition to a keynote by Environmental Justice Champion and President of the Apollo Alliance, Jerome Ringo.

On Friday, February 13th, the Green Careers Center hosted the Green Careers Seminar. A diverse group of sustainability professionals provided their valuable insight to the audience on how best to pursue and attain a great career in sustainability. The Green Career Seminar panelists included:

Ben Bressler, Founder and Director of Natural Habitat Adventures
Michael Cassio, President and CEO of e²M
Beth Chacon, Environmental Policy Relations Manager at Xcel Energy
David Johnston, Founder and President of What’s Working

Ben Bressler of Natural Habitat Adventures, an eco-tourism company dedicated to sustainable and carbon neutral travel, emphasized the importance of pursuing a career that you are passionate about. Mr. Bressler started his company over twenty years ago with the vital goal of helping the International Fund for Animal Welfare create an ecotourism industry to provide the people of the Magdalen Islands with an alternative economy to harp seal hunting. Since then the company has grown to include sustainable travel to 30 different countries, and has helped the locals of the Magdalen Islands see March as “Seal Watch Season” as opposed to seal hunt season. He cautioned students in the audience to do more than study, “get involved there are lots of opportunities.” And impressed upon them the realization that in the sustainable travel industry you will not start out as a guide, that you will have to work your way up.

e²M provides high quality environmental and engineering consulting to a range of clients. The company is active in countries all over the world. President and CEO, Michael Cassio said that although e²M employs a lot of engineers and scientist, “everyone that works with me has to know how to balance a budget.” He emphasized the importance of taking some basic business courses in addition to getting a degree in any of the “ology’s”. Mr. Cassio told attendees that he projects growth in the next five years for individuals trained in environmental project/program management, science with a background in sustainable use of resources, and engineering of all disciplines. “Show your motivation. Be positive, upbeat and outgoing,” he suggested when applying for a position and interviewing.

As the Environmental Policy Relations Manager at Xcel Energy, Beth Chacon has contributed to customer energy efficiency programs and was responsible for the development of Xcel Energy’s solar rewards program. “Although there are not many designated green jobs within Xcel, sustainability is often an extension of the traditional jobs,” she told audience members. This was echoed by other panelists as well. Your job title may not include the word “sustainable” but most companies like Xcel are looking to reduce their own impact and that requires the collective effort of all of its employees. Ms. Chacon suggested that individuals look at traditional industries that are going through changes to become more sustainable, or even find employment with a supplier or consultant for a company that is involved in sustainability efforts. She noted, “Get in [through] the back door.”

“The opportunities lie with you,” David Johnston stressed to the students attending the Green Careers Seminar. As someone who self-proclaimed never having had a job interview, Mr. Johnston an author and green building expert, told attendees that it is up to them to look at the conditions in their environment and see what they can do to make a positive impact or change. As much as Mr. Cassio stressed some basic business knowledge, Johnston exclaimed that study in “systems is fundamental.” To be successful in the evolving career world of sustainability, “you must understand eco” he said, “as in ecosystem”.

All of the presenters had great advice for ultimately getting a position in sustainability. Mr. Johnston emphasized that job seekers should figure out “who and where you want to work and go to them.” Instead of simply applying to job descriptions that match your background, actively seek out companies that you would want to work for. Mr. Cassio added that you should be able to “clearly relate your experience to the position” that you ultimately apply for. Resonant across the panel was telling the employer that you actually want the job. All of the panelists agreed that a common mistake of job seekers is that they do not emphasize enough that they actually want the job that they have applied to and are interviewing for.

During the question and answer period, an attendee asked the panelists of any obstacles that they have faced in their careers. Mr. Bressler noted his lack of accounting skills as his obstacle, highlighting again Mr. Cassio’s point of making sure that you have some basic business skills. Noting that higher education has programmed us to always get the “A” and not make mistakes, Mr. Johnston told attendees that “if you’re not making mistakes, you’re not learning.” He continued, “get the mistakes out of the way. Try not to make the same mistakes twice, but makes lots of them.” This is how you learn and advance your career.

The one piece of advice that all of the panelists emphasized was that you follow what you love. Not only was this there advice, but from their presentations it was obviously what they had done themselves.

The RMSS was the place to be for individuals across the sustainability board. It was buzzing with energy from the individual sessions to the product expo, which featured items that help becoming sustainable simple. Held every other year, the next Rocky Mountain Sustainability Summit will take place in 2011. So make a mental note and don’t miss out on this outstanding event!

	DAVID JOHNSTON PRESIDENT WHAT’S WORKING Author and green building expert, David Johnson, is a leading thinker behind the green building movement in the US. His work has been embraced by municipalities, homeowners, building professionals and sustainability advocates internationally. Mr. Johnston is the president of What’s Working, a company that provides visionary solutions for green building.

	MICHAEL A. CASSIO PRESIDENT AND CEO E2M For the last 13 years Michael Cassio has served as President and CEO of e2M, a company which provides environmental science and engineering services to the public and private sectors. Mr. Cassio has developed environmental compliance assessment and sustainability processes implemented by many Department of Defense organizations and worked closely with the US Coast Guard on environmental compliance, hazardous waste management programs and pollution prevention initiatives.

	BEN BRESSLER FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR NATURAL HABITAT ADVENTURES Founder and Director of Natural Habitat Adventures, a leader in worldwide nature travel and the first carbon neutral tour company in the U.S., Mr. Bressler is dedication to being an industry leader in sustainable travel. With 20 years of unwavering environmental commitment, Natural Habitat Adventures continues to look for new ways to practice and encourage sustainable tourism around the globe.

	BETH CHACON POLICY RELATIONS MANAGER XCEL ENERGY Beth Chacon is the Environmental Policy Realtions Manager with Xcel Energy. She has been with Xcel Energy for over 10 years. In her tenure with Xcel she has worked in marketing, assited with customer energy efficiency programs, and was responsible for the development of Xcel's solar rewards program.

For more information about the Rocky Mountain Sustainability Summit check out http://ecenter.colorado.edu/rmss2009