With the state of the environment becoming an increasing concern, the problems associated with global warming, pollution, and organizations adhering to environmental standards are becoming more apparent. So is the creation of jobs and careers associated with mitigating these concerns. Jobs are being created to help enforce regulations, develop technologies, and even teach others about the importance of saving the environment. This is paving the way for potentially lucrative career options.

The first step in striving for an environmental career, like many other careers, is education. The EPA, or Environmental Protection Agency, offers a few options for high school, college, and university students to gain experience in environmental fields. For college students, it offers the Student Career Experience Program in which, along with taking related courses at an accredited school, a student can work in the EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance or the Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances. Also, the National Network for Environmental Management Studies enables undergraduate and graduate students to enroll in research fellowships in 4 distinct categories.

The U.S. Green Building Council is another place to check out. It offers its own independent courses, both in-person and online, which focus on environmentally conscious construction, or green building. Courses in LEED certification can lead to an accreditation known as LEED Accredited Professional. The USGBC site also provides information on curriculums and programs for K-12 schools up to high level colleges and universities.

Online education choices are prevalent in the environmental field, but there are programs related to environmental education offered at many colleges in the U.S. and worldwide. A nice resource for finding these is EnviroEducation.com, an offshoot of monster.com. Schools can be found by using the site's integral search system to look by state/country, environmental subject, and degree type. Yale University, Florida International University, and New York University and some online schools come up, listing a variety of opportunities.

There are a large number of jobs one could seek in the environmental field. The LEED Accredited Professional mentioned above is just one of them. Teaching LEED certification or other environmental subjects is another option. This is becoming popular with many people seeking an environment-related career. Other possibilities range from being a nature camp counselor or park ranger to working as a marine biologist, environmental scientist, meteorologist, or construction engineer or consultant.

Another consideration here, besides helping to save the environment, is salary. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that atmospheric scientists have earned a median of just over $77,000 per year in 2006. Government employees can earn even more. Various engineers earn anywhere from $40,000-$50,000 to over $100,000, while urban and regional planners earn in the $50,000-$60,000 range. Various other positions are lucrative as well, such as occupational health and safety specialists. Previously mentioned, LEED certification is helpful. Certified project managers have earned over $76,000, according to a PayScale.com report.

So, earning a living for oneself is an important aspect, but not the only aspect of working in an environmental field. There is also the idea that the work is going directly towards preserving the environment for generations to come. The work may also go toward avoiding the potentially disastrous effects of pollution and global warming.