Environmental engineering is a relatively young branch of the engineering profession, but is projected to be among the fastest growing. It has developed in response to the serious problems of environmental contamination caused by the activities and waste products of our modern society. The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that jobs for environmental engineers will grow by 30% for 2004-2014. Pollution has many sources and is found in the land, air, and water around the globe. Environmental engineers usually specialize in dealing with certain types of pollution or a particular resource. So let’s start with what interests you and see how you might be able to make a difference in our environment through a career in environmental engineering:
- Interested in breathing freely? Environmental engineers design chemical and mechanical means of preventing pollutants from being discharged into the atmosphere.
- Want to get a handle on hazardous waste? From chemical neutralization to genetically engineered “waste-eating” bacteria, environmental engineers devise better ways to clean up hazardous wastes.
- Believe prevention is the solution? Engineers specializing in industrial hygiene help design efficient industrial and manufacturing processes that minimize waste and hazardous by-products.
- Wonder about water? Water resource engineers plan and design water delivery systems. They ensure that municipal water supplies are safe to drink.
- Care to talk trash? Environmental engineers lead the way in solid waste management, from designing landfills that won’t contaminate soil or groundwater, to reducing the amount of trash through better recycling processes, to understanding how various materials biodegrade.
- Flushed about wastewater? Treating sewage and other wastewater is vitally important, not only for aquatic habitats but for human health as well. Engineers design facilities and processes to minimize the environmental impact of wastewater treatment.
To meet the threats posed by pollution, environmental engineers are being called upon to design solutions that are workable and cost-effective for our society. They are therefore often drawn to related areas of business, law, public administration and policy, and urban planning. But whatever their specialty, environmental engineers can rest assured that they are working to protect the health of the Earth and its inhabitants.
