A Green Job Is More Than Installing Panels On The Roof

August 9, 2010

What counts as a green job?

Recently, I was at a dinner party when the conversation turned to green jobs. Manufacturing jobs in wind and solar power seemed to be on the top of everyone’s minds. Then, the conversation shifted to activists, fundraisers, and campaigners for grass-roots environmental agencies and conservation groups. But, no one mentioned me – what about my job? I work in renewable energy, and I consider my work a green job. I decided to speak up. I told the group that my job doesn’t require me to be up on a roof, or out asking for signatures. Most days, I work at my desk, applying skills I had developed outside the cleantech arena.

Sometimes, I feel like when people hear the term “green job”, they think of someone who either plants trees, retrofits homes and buildings, or has a degree in sustainability management. In reality, a green job means all of that and more. It’s a job that advances green objectives. To have a green job, you don’t need a LEED certificate, a degree in environmental science, training in manufacturing and installing – though all of these are helpful in some green jobs.

But, consider my situation. I am the Brand and Events Marketing Manager at SunRun. It’s a dynamic job in a fast-paced environment. While most of my work is on a project-to-project basis, I am generally working on about five different marketing projects on any given day. Some days I work with artists on creative development, but if I’m on a fast turn deadline, I will produce the creative myself. I develop the set of images used on SunRun’s web and print collateral, and have been working with several photographers to produce a suite of images that can accurately reflect the SunRun brand. I lend interdepartmental support to develop materials, help brainstorm new programs, and manage our event presence. It’s a hands-on kind of job, but I still have the opportunity to be strategic about how our team executes on these projects. And did I mention that I love the job and the folks I work with each day?

I may not be climbing on a roof to install solar panels or heading environmental cleanup efforts, but I am working towards sustainability and a clean, renewable world by helping the public connect to SunRun’s core message of sustainability by creating a consistent brand for my company. That’s a green job.

When she’s not working on SunRun’s marketing endeavors, Allana Helland enjoys watercolor painting, weekend trips, and entertaining.