Some little boys want to be President, some little girls want to be astronauts, and some kids want to grow up to be super heroes.  The most probable of the three could turn out to be the latter. Here are some environmental careers for those who have a passion for saving the world.

AIR QUALITY SPECIALIST Are you constantly riding your bike to classes and posting flyers for car pools? An air quality specialist works on testing the level of emissions, sources, and new technologies to stop emissions eventually.  Working in this field can range from sciences, technology, to public speaking.

ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGNER Are you front and center at all social functions on campus? An environmental campaigner does the dirty work to get environmentally friendly bills passed, foundations endorsed by famous names, financial loans, and other support for Earth-friendly projects.   Think of this position as a talent manager for Mother Nature.

SAVE THE RAIN FOREST Are you studying abroad? Rain forests have had the world’s attention for decades now, and they still need saving!  Many worldwide foundations like The World Resources Institute have active offices all over the world.  Positions can range from door-to-door petitioning with locals to speaking in court houses with international governments.

If you have an enthusiasm for saving the environment, but have yet to find a major, one of the above could be for you!  If you are already active in the green community, why not get paid for it?  These are ways to turn your hobby or interests into a career!

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Buying organic clothing is one area that isn’t discussed too much, unless you’re highly environmentally conscious. Nevertheless, organic clothing is just as good for the environment as the three Rs. According to farmers, one-third pounds of chemicals are used to grow enough cotton for just one t-shirt. By switching to organic cotton, you reduce the amount of pesticides, insectides, and herbicides used in farming, which can reduce pollution. Herbicides are used for pest control, insecticides kill insects that would damage crops, chemical fertilizers are used to nourish the plants, which can leak into the environment and harm the worker. This does not include the toxic dyes and formaldehyde.

Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have low impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and unrelenting pesticides and fertilizers. All cotton sold as organic in the United States must meet strict federal regulations covering how cotton is grown. Here are 5 reasons to use organic clothing.

1. Reduce allergies to chemicals — Skin can absorb toxic substances from the clothes and  linen sheets for bedding. With organic cotton, the risk of allergies is minimized.

2. Decrease the global water shortage — Cotton not only uses one third the irrigation water worldwide, chemical residues from regular cotton farming pollute rivers.

3. Stop poisoning the food we eat — 90% of the chemicals used in cotton farming goes to the air, water, and soil. These go into the vegetables we eat and to the crops that feed animals  farmed for their meat or milk or eggs.

4. Stop poisoning the cotton workers — Cotton pickers are exposed to harmful pesticides used in regular cotton farming. In third world countries, it is not uncommon for pregnant women and even children to work as cotton pickers. Symptoms can range from headaches to cancer.

5. Guard the eco-system – Plants and animals are affected, when the rivers, airs, and soil are poisoned and vice versa. Plus, pests can develop immunity to the insecticides, causing stronger chemicals to be used. By using natural resources to manage the pests, this problem can be prevented from escalating.

We’re well into Autumn, now, what with Halloween being this weekend. Most people don’t realize it, but this time of year is a key for practicing being ecofriendly with all the parties and festivities going on! Why not celebrate this colorful time the green way? Get the whole family involved and start planning now. Here are few ideas:

1) Throwing a Party – Send out invites via evite.com to cut down on paper. Host the party the pot luck style and reduce the waste of bags, cans, plastic, and paper plates. This also saves you money on food (remember the 3 Rs). Provide beverages in a punch bowl, served with glasses, to reduce bottle waste. Make homemade candy, rather than passing out store brought candy that can leave a long trail of wrappers. This also reduces the clean up time, perfect for busy families everywhere!

2) Trick or Treating – Buy reusable buckets, bags, or pillow cases. These items are eco-friendly and can hold more candy. Save gas and sneak in some exercise by staying in your neighborhood to collect goodies. Get your creative juices flowing and try designing costumes with unused items in the house or patching up old clothes for a unique style. It beats buying new costumes from year to year. In 2008, the National Retail Federation’s Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey predicted Halloween spending to reach 5.77 billion dollars. This year, try something new!

3)  Host a Neighborhood Cleanup – Let’s face it, no matter how much you put into your green efforts, not everyone will follow suit. But their environmental reluctance doesn’t have to result in negative repercussions for the whole community—not if everyone pitches in! After the Halloween and other parties, plan a cleanup team.. Invite the kids to help, this will teach them about community service and give them another chance to see their friends.

Still unsure what you should be this year for Halloween? Green is the way to go!

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Ah, tomorrow is September 1 and while the kids will be gearing up for school, the adults will be bracing themselves for the ever-increasing costs of running a home during the cooler months. With rising unemployment and decreasing job opportunities, everyone will be looking, even more than before, to save month without layering themselves in 12 sweaters. While some of you may like this over-zealous, cash-saving approach, there are other ways of saving money without turning yourselves into a waddling pumpkin.

Try these 5 no-brainer tips this autumn to not only save energy, but save money!

1. Use Energy Star-approved energy-saving light bulbs: According to It’s All Green (www.itsallgreen.wordpress.com), if every home in the US replaced just ONE incandescent bulb with a low-E compact fluorescent bulb our nation could cut the emissions of greenhouse gases to the equivalent of 800,000 cars. Not to mention that the bulbs last more than 9x longer than the standard bulb!
2. Use your ceiling fan to circulate to push down the rising heat and circulating it around you by putting it on the lowest setting instead of turning up the thermostat!
3. Put heavy door jams in front of all the exits, where door seals may not be in the best condition. This will prevent hot air leaving through the imperfections of construction.
4. Close blinds and curtains at night. If possible, hang heavier material during the cooler months.
5. Check the seams of the window to ensure no air is escaping. A simple caulking job will fix this!

The National Wildlife Federation put together this awesome energy-saving video series that helps the average Joe like me save hundreds of dollars every year! From where to plant trees to how to set your thermostat, these videos give you great tips to making a difference!
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