Have a ‘green’ career

Is it idealistic to plan for a green career? Whether your working day is spent at home, in an office, studio, or on the road, there are steps you can take to ensure you’re being as environmentally conscious as possible.

You don’t necessarily have to be a visual artist using recycled materials. Whichever creative sector you’re in, think how you can stand out as a green role model. Here are some considerations you may want to take on board. Hopefully they’ll inspire you and give you something to talk about with your friends and colleagues.

Greening your workspace

Think green for your career. Reducing your printing is one of the most common suggestions for a green workspace. It’s not necessary to stop printing altogether, just print the essentials. Reduce the number of handouts you make for meetings, get people to share and distribute them by email afterwards. Reduce posters by restricting them to board spaces and use up all scraps, especially the backs of print jobs that may have gone wrong etc. You can even tear bits off to use as page markers rather than reaching for the post-it notes.

When it comes to refreshments, bring in your own glass or reusable mug. Opt for water coolers or even tap water over bottled. If you bring in your own lunch, pack it in a lunchbox or Tupperware rather than cellophane wrapping.

If you’re leaving your computer, even if it’s just to nip to the loo, hibernate it. You never know who you may bump into for a quick gossip, or find another distraction and before you know it, half an hour has passed. It’s much easier than turning it off completely, but still makes a difference to the amount of energy saved.

Check that your employer uses sustainable stationery suppliers. Asking about the green policies of your suppliers encourages others to think about their environmental impact.

Green team bonding

Act local, think global. Events, training days and team bonding sessions are great ways to get your colleagues inspired to think green. These types of session are often work-related, but there’s no reason why you can’t suggest an environmental angle. They can be quite low-cost too, such as cleaning litter from rivers, a clothes-swapping event or planting trees in the community.

We Are What We Do is a movement inspiring people to change the world one small action at a time. Their book ‘Change The World 9-5’ offers lots of advice on how you can make small changes to your life for the benefit of the environment and the people around you.

They are strong believers in ‘acting local and thinking global.’ and are advocates of social activities:
“Having a common aim really helps to bring people together in a team. You could set yourselves a challenge. For example, one of our supporters was inspired by action 42 'recycle your specs', and has collected over 5000 pairs from their workplace.”

Choosing a green job

Find work in the environmental sector. Have you considered a job in the environmental sector? There are creative jobs connected to the environmental sector, such as advertising, PR, graphic design and copywriting. All organisations have their creative departments. If there’s a particular cause or group that interests you, contact the department you want to work in and find out about their opportunities.

When applying for jobs, consider the specific green elements you can bring to it. In such a competitive job market, perhaps your green credentials will make you stand out among your peers. Don’t be afraid to make your interests known within your application, the chances are, employers haven’t come across these strengths before.

And remember to reduce your printing. Most employers put application packs and forms on their websites with an option to email them. Where possible, apply for jobs online.

During the interview stage, ask about the company's sustainability practices. This demonstrates interest and support and gives you a challenge to implement in your new role.

Maybe this aspect of career development will only stay personal to you. Perhaps your employers will never notice the lengths you go to on a daily basis to invest in the future environment. But one thing is certain, you will feel better about yourself and enjoy your work life more.