Home › Renewables - Business › From Guest Blogger Dimitris Papadopoulos: Green Career Switch in the UK— Four Exciting Environmental Organisations

From Guest Blogger Dimitris Papadopoulos: Green Career Switch in the UK— Four Exciting Environmental Organisations

Dimitris PapadopoulosPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

methode%2Ftimes%2Fprod%2Fweb%2Fbin%2Fce5cd0a4-0147-11e8-9de1-e6776d524215If you’re feeling frustrated in your current job, you’re not alone.

According to a recent YouGov poll, 37 per cent of British people say their job’s not making a meaningful contribution to the world and 33 per cent don’t believe it’s personally fulfilling.

But if you’re passionate about green causes, there’s no reason you can’t contribute to your cause and get paid — routes into the sector range from volunteering with The National Trust to studying online with Anglia Ruskin Distance Learning for a third sector leadership qualification.

In order to keep motivated, it’s important to get a feel for the types of places you might end up making a valued contribution — here are four exciting environmental organisations you could work for.

  1. UK Green Building Council (UKGBC)

The UKGBC is a member-based charity organisation that campaigns for a sustainable built environment.

Most of its 400 member organisations are from the private sector but there are also some from the third and public sector. It designs and hosts learning and development resources and organises networking events aimed at empowering members to lobby government on green building policy issues.

So if you’ve got a background in training provision, marketing or policy analysis, there’s a good chance you can adapt your existing skills towards working for UKGBC.

  1. Bristol Natural History Consortium (BNHC)

BNHC is a third sector group that works with stakeholders in local and central government, environmental activists, universities and the public to protect and enhance the natural environment in and around Bristol.

Helping communities to plant trees with BNHC as part of their #TalkingTreesBristol project might feel more fulfilling than your current office job — but alternatively, you might also use your communication skills to convince high-profile business partners to sponsor events and pledge their support for campaigns.

If you’re based elsewhere, The Woodland Trust has a register of similar groups nationwide.

  1. National Energy Action (NEA)

Thanks to continuing austerity, increasing self-employment and the rise of the gig economy, more Britons are joining the precariat.

And fuel poverty is no longer the exclusive concern of social groups traditionally classed as vulnerable, like the elderly.

So campaigning for more warm homes with the NEA means you’d be contributing to the health and wellbeing of families that struggle to provide the basics to keep themselves safe and well.

NEA was created by Durham University students in 1981 and now has offices across Wales, England and Northern Ireland.

  1. Friends of the Earth International (FoEI)

In 1971, four organisations from Sweden, France, the USA and England joined forces to found FoEI.

It’s since grown to a worldwide federation of 75 environmental groups who campaign together on issued like nuclear energy, land rights, green transport infrastructure and much more.

For instance, if you’re an economist or political theorist who believes equality and ecology should be at the heart of economics, you might focus your skills on challenging corporate power and neoliberalism with FoEI — sounds far more dynamic than your average nine to five.

After learning a little bit more about these four exciting organisations, you might feel more motivated to grab a green career switch and work towards something genuinely worthwhile.

Have you switched to a green career? Share your tips in the comments sectio

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