Earth is the only planet to sustain several technologies innovated by humans. Many of these technologies have been either treating the environment positively or impacting it with negative impacts. Environmental technology has by far been the prime tool to deal with the altering environment….
What is Environmental Technology?
Often referred to as green technology, Environmental technology is basically the application of environmental sciences for the betterment of environment. These sciences help in the development of new technologies that observe, protect or reduce the harm caused due to the excessive use of natural resources. Environmental technology aims for development that benefits the environment and slows down the depletion of natural resources and reduce the amount of pollution.
How can it be pursued as a career?
Environmental technology is a broad field. It includes anything and everything related to technology that would benefit the environment. In short, it is technology that would help sustain the environment in its natural form. The field has multiple aspects that can be termed as specializations or individual careers. Each of these aspects of the field brings in various ways and methods to conserve the environment. Let’s learn about a few careers that the field offers –
Environmental technician
These technologists inspect and maintain tools, manage waste and look after waste operations by collecting samples and studying them in testing laboratories. They monitor the environment to find the sources of pollution that affect human health and often work under the guidance of an environmental scientist.
Environmental scientist
A scientist collects data from air, soil, water, food samples and perform detailed research. On the basis of their findings, they develop plans to prevent, control or fix environmental problems. They prepare technical reports and presentations to explain their findings.
Environmental engineer
An engineer designs systems or tools and implements measures to prevent, control or fix environmental dangers. They often work on recycling and treating all kinds of waste after studying the data collected by technicians and researched by scientists.
Environmental manager
A manager often supervises environmental activities in private and public organisations. He/she work on plans and observes various strategies to promote environment sustainability. A manager also sees to it that the necessary changes are applied.
Environmental Consultant
A consultant conducts desk-based research. He/she understands data collected by field surveys to check the pollution levels or contamination caused in an area. Through the interpretation, he/she writes reports with the help of software to share the survey findings.
What educational requirements do careers in Environmental Technology offer?
A career in environmental technology usually needs formal education with a bachelor’s degree for entry-level work. To pursue a career in Environmental technology, one needs to hold a bachelor’s degree from science stream. One can enrol for B.Sc. in Environmental sciences or enrol for a B.E. in Environmental technology. He/she would need a study of chemistry, biology, geology and hydrology. To study environmental technology on a post-graduate level, one can enrol for M.Sc or M.Tech. Students can also enrol for two-year skill based degree programs which enable them on-the-job training. Many institutes also offer certificate programmes for undergraduate or post-graduate candidates.
What personal attributes does one need to opt a career in environmental technology?
Careers in environmental technology need technical skills and abilities. One needs to possess excellent reading skills to understand data and survey. He/she also needs to have critical thinking skills. Often one needs to possess good communication skills as one may need to be working as a team member. One thus needs to have strong listening, speaking and writing skills. One must also have good social skills in order to convey facts correctly and clearly. Above everything, one needs to have very good observational skills. He/she must be able to recognise and identify possible environmental issues and try to find appropriate solutions. Candidates should also have excellent maths, science and computing skills so as to plan and design systems and understand the data. He/she should also have a passion for working towards a better environment and conserve natural resources. One should be able to learn new techniques and adapt to newer technologies.
Noel Fernandes
ScienceNow Digital
