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Table of contents :
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1. Transportation and the Environment
Chapter 2. Travel by Land
Chapter 3. Travel by Air & Sea
Chapter 4. Career Opportunities Related to Green Transportation
Chapter 5. A Greener Future
Further Reading
Find Out More on the Internet
Bibliography
Index
Picture Credits
About the Author
About the Consultant
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New Careers for the 21st Century: Finding Your Role in the Global Renewal

Tomorrow’s Transportation: Green Solutions for Air, Land, & Sea

New Careers for the 21st Century: Finding Your Role in the Global Renewal Careers in Green Energy: Fueling the World with Renewable Resources Environmental Science & Protection: Keeping Our Planet Green Freelance and Technical Writers: Words for Sale Green Construction: Creating Energy-Efficient, Low-Impact Buildings Media in the 21st Century: Artists, Animators, and Graphic Designers Medical Technicians: Health-Care Support for the 21st Century Modern Mechanics: Maintaining Tomorrow’s Green Vehicles The Pharmaceutical Industry: Better Medicine for the 21st Century Physicians’ Assistants & Nurses: New Opportunities in the 21st-Century Health System Social Workers: Finding Solutions for Tomorrow’s Society Tomorrow’s Enterprising Scientists: Computer Software Designers and Specialists Tomorrow’s Teachers: Urban Leadership, Empowering Students & Improving Lives Tomorrow’s Transportation: Green Solutions for Air, Land, & Sea 21st-Century Counselors: New Approaches to Mental Health & Substance Abuse Therapy Jobs in Educational Settings: Speech, Physical, Occupational & Audiology

New Careers for the 21st Century: Finding Your Role in the Global Renewal

Tomorrow’s Transportation: Green Solutions for Air, Land, & Sea by Malinda Miller

Mason Crest Publishers

Tomorrow’s Transportation: Green Solutions for Air, Land, & Sea Copyright © 2011 by Mason Crest Publishers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. MASON CREST PUBLISHERS INC. 370 Reed Road Broomall, Pennsylvania 19008 (866)MCP-BOOK (toll free) www.masoncrest.com First Printing 987654321 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Miller, Malinda, 1979Tomorrow’s transportation : green solutions for air, land & sea / by Malinda Miller. p. cm. — (New careers for the 21st century) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4222-1824-2 ISBN 978-1-4222-1811-2 (series) ISBN 978-1-4222-2045-0 ISBN 978-1-4222-2032-0 (series ppb) 1. Transportation—Environmental aspects—Juvenile literature. 2. Transportation—Vocational guidance—Juvenile literature. I. Title. HE147.65.M55 2011 363.73’1—dc22 2010021833 Produced by Harding House Publishing Service, Inc. www.hardinghousepages.com Interior Design by MK Bassett-Harvey. Cover design by Torque Advertising Design. Printed in USA by Bang Printing.

Contents Introduction…6 Chapter 1: Transportation and the Environment…9 Chapter 2: Travel by Land…21 Chapter 3: Travel by Air & Sea…31 Chapter 4: Career Opportunities Related to Green Transportation …41 Chapter 5: A Greener Future…53 Further Reading…58 Find Out More on the Internet…59 Bibliography…60 Index…62 Picture Credits…63 About the Author/About the Consultant…64

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Introduction Be careful as you begin to plan your career. To get yourself in the best position to begin the career of your dreams, you need to know what the “green world” will look like and what jobs will be created and what jobs will become obsolete. Just think, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the following jobs are expected to severely decline by 2012: • word processors and data-entry keyers • stock clerks and order fillers • secretaries • electrical and electronic equipment assemblers • computer operators • telephone operators • postal service mail sorters and processing-machine operators • travel agents These are just a few of the positions that will decrease or become obsolete as we move forward into the century. You need to know what the future jobs will be. How do you find them? One way is to look where money is being invested. Many firms and corporations are now making investments in startup and research enterprises. These companies may become the “Microsoft” and “Apple” of the twenty-first century. Look at what is being researched and what technology is needed to obtain the results.

Introduction

Green world, green economy, green technology—they all say the same things: the way we do business today is changing. Every industry will be shaped by the world’s new focus on creating a sustainable lifestyle, one that won’t deplete our natural and economic resources. The possibilities are unlimited. Almost any area that will conserve energy and reduce the dependency on fossil fuels is open to new and exciting career paths. Many of these positions have not even been identified yet and will only come to light as the technology progresses and new discoveries are made in the way we use that technology. And the best part about this is that our government is behind us. The U.S. government wants to help you get the education and training you’ll need to succeed and grow in this new and changing economy. The U.S. Department of Labor has launched a series of initiatives to support and promote green job creation. To view the report, visit: www.dol.gov/dol/green/ earthday_reportA.pdf. The time to decide on your future is now. This series, New Careers for the 21st Century: Finding Your Role in the Global Renewal, can act as the first step toward your continued education, training, and career path decisions. Take the first steps that will lead you—and the planet—to a productive and sustainable future. Mike Puglisi Department of Labor, District I Director (New York/New Jersey) IAWP (International Association of Workforce Professionals)

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A [hu]man is related to all nature. —Ralph Waldo Emerson

ABOUT THE QUOTE During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, many people lived in cities and worked in factories. They forgot that human beings depended on nature for their lives. Today, problems with pollution and climate change have reminded us all of how dependent we are on nature. Many twentyfirst-century careers reflect this new awareness. Jobs in green transportation offer you opportunities to do your part to protect our planet.

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Chapter Transportation and the Environment Words to Know

global warming: The average increase in temperature of the atmosphere near the Earth’s surface, which can contribute to changes in global climate patterns. Increasingly, the term climate change is preferred because it conveys that there are other changes occurring besides rising temperatures. ecosystems: Places having unique physical features, encompassing air, water, and land, and including habitats that support plant and animal life. Industrial Revolution: The increase in machine use and factory production that began at the end of the eighteenth century. emissions: Substances that are discharged into the air. ozone layer: An upper region of the atmosphere that contains high levels of the molecule ozone, which is composed of three oxygen atoms. The ozone layer serves to absorb solar radiation, preventing it from reaching the Earth’s surface. combustion: The rapid combination of a fuel with oxygen, leading to the production of energy in the form of heat and light. particulate: Referring to tiny particles. biofuels: Fuels derived from recently dead biological material, most commonly plants (vs. fossil fuel, which is derived from longdead biological material).

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umans evolved to walk. Our bodies are constructed so that walking is a very efficient way of getting from place to place; we can walk without using too much What Is a Green energy and are therefore able to walk Job? longer distances than many other Any occupation can be a animals. However, walking has a green job, if it contributes downside: it is slow. So, throughout to the fight against global warming and helps to build history, humans have been finding a green economy (in other and developing ever-faster modes of words, ways of making transportation—moving from horses money that do not harm to the cars and high-speed jets of our planet). today. We have been very successful in our search for faster transportation, but it has come at a price. Our cars, planes, trains, and boats have all had an effect on the natural environment. Unfortunately, most of the effects have been negative and may have lasting impacts on the planet. Global warming, water and air pollution, and the loss of ecosystems are just a few of the problems facing the environment today. The good news is there are actions we can take to prevent further problems, and hopefully even to correct some of the negative effects. There are even a growing number of people devoting their lives to solving environmental issues related to transportation.

Choosing the Right Career The young adults of today will be the job force of tomorrow, so choosing a career that will best fit with the needs of the chang-

Chapter 1: Transportation and the Environment

ing world will be important to job satisfaction and a successful life. With the vast array of career and job options, young adults need to understand which work will be the best match for their interests, talents, goals, and personality types. Certain job industries are expected to gain importance within the early decades of the twenty-first century. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs across all industries is expected to increase by 11 percent through the year 2018. However, the opportunities for “green” jobs in general are expected to increase at a faster than average rate as the world looks to repair damages already done to the environment and prevent new problems.

Environmental Issues Air Pollution and Climate Change Climate change is one of the major environmental issues facing the world today. Since the Industrial Revolution, human activity, such as the burning of fossil fuels, has resulted in emissions that absorb and emit heat, and reflect light. These emissions increase the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) in the atmosphere. These gases act like a greenhouse, trapping heat and increasing the temperature of the planet. In addition to increasing temperatures, the changes in the atmosphere have likely caused changes in precipitation patterns, storms, and sea level. The temperature and these other features of the climate can vary naturally, so determining what is due to human activity and what is natural can be challenging.

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Tomorrow’s Transportation: Green Solutions for Air, Land, & Sea

The image shows carbon dioxide concentrations around the globe. Dark blue corresponds to lower concentrations, while dark red corresponds to higher amounts.

Air pollution caused by the emissions from cars, trucks, airplanes, and other vehicles not only contributes to ozone layer damage and climate change, but also affects the health of animals, plants, and entire ecosystems. Polluted air also poses a threat to human health. Poor air quality increases the occurrence of asthma. Also, the air pollution causes more damage to the

Chapter 1: Transportation and the Environment

ozone layer, which exposes people to more of the sun’s damaging UV rays. Finally, climate change is expected to impact human health in many ways other than respiratory issues and sun exposure. The changing climate will cause health effects related to changing temperatures, of course, but it will also cause changes in weather patterns, water, air, food quality and quantity, ecosystems, agriculture, and the economy. Many scientists focus specifically on the issues of air pollution and climate change. There are also numerous scientists active in the development of new ways to slow or stop climate change and its effects. Some of these scientists are developing more energy efficient, “cleaner” vehicles, or alternative fuels to reduce emissions released into the atmosphere.

Mobile Source Emissions Cars, trucks, and other transportation vehicles are considered “on-road” mobile sources of emissions and air pollution. Other “non-road” mobile sources include engines, vehicles, and other equipment used for construction, agriculture, or recreation. The non-road category also includes airplanes, boats, and trains. Mobile emission sources pollute the air through combustion and fuel evaporation. These emissions contribute greatly to air pollution worldwide and are the primary cause of air pollution in many urban areas. Mobile emissions sources produce several significant air pollutants, including carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. They are also a major contributor

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of other air poisons and greenhouse gases. Nationwide, mobile sources represent the largest contributor to toxic air pollution.

Reducing Mobile Source Emissions Since cars, trucks, and other vehicles are the source of so many different pollutants, successful pollution solutions involve a variety of approaches. From better engine design to better transit options, programs to reduce mobile source pollution must address

Pollution from cars, trucks, and other vehicles are known as “mobilesource” emissions. The pollution comes from exhaust emissions, evaporation of gasoline during refueling, and evaporation of fuel in general.

Chapter 1: Transportation and the Environment

not only vehicles, engines, and equipment, but also the fuels they use and the people who operate them. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this integrated approach has already reduced emissions from individual vehicles during Did You Know? the past thirty years. However, the The tailpipe emissions emissions problem is still very great. from cars and trucks Fuels, engines, and vehicle technolaccount for almost a third of the air pollution in the ogy will need to constantly improve United States. to keep reducing emissions. This means more people will need to go into the jobs that are working to find better transportation solutions.

Careers Related to Green Transportation Research-and-Development Careers Much of the technology that will be needed to make transport greener in the future is in development today. In the same way, the hybrid cars, biofuels, and other green vehicles that are being used today are the products of the research and development of the past. Research and development (often called R&D) consists of three kinds of work: • basic research • applied research • development

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Ethanol is a renewable biofuel, but compressing hydrogen produced during the process uses a lot of energy. This researcher is part of a team working to develop new and better ways to compress the hydrogen.

Chapter 1: Transportation and the Environment

Research-and-development scientists are vitally important to green industries, and they may help to create future, as-yetunknown technologies that will shape the transportation of the future.

Engineering Careers Engineers use their understanding of science and mathematics to design solutions to human problems. They work to translate the latest scientific discoveries into usable, everyday applications in order to meet the needs of a community or group of consumers. In many cases, these workers are involved in both the research-anddevelopment and the manufacturing sides of industries.

Once scientists and engineers design new vehicles, workers will be needed to build them to be sold to the general public.

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What Kind of Person Are You?

Career-counseling experts know that certain kinds of people do best in certain kinds of jobs. John L. Holland developed the following list of personality types and the kinds of jobs that are the best match for each type. See which one (or two) are most like you. The more you understand yourself, the better you’ll be able to make a good career plan for yourself. • Realistic personality: This kind of person likes to do practical, handson work. He or she will most enjoy working with materials that can be touched and manipulated, such as wood, steel, tools, and machinery. This personality type enjoys jobs that require working outdoors, but he or she does NOT enjoy jobs that require a lot of paperwork or close teamwork with others. • Investigative personality: This personality type likes to work with ideas. He or she will enjoy jobs that require lots of thinking and researching. Jobs that require mental problem solving will be a good fit for this personality. • Artistic personality: This type of person enjoys working with forms, designs, and patterns. She or he likes jobs that require selfexpression—and that don’t require following a definite set of rules. • Social personality: Jobs that require lots of teamwork with others, as well as teaching others, are a good match for this personality type. These jobs often involve helping others in some way. • Enterprising personality: This person will enjoy planning and starting new projects, even if that involves a degree of risk-taking. He or she is good at making decisions and leading others. • Conventional personality: An individual with this type of personality likes to follow a clear set of procedures or routines. He or she doesn’t want to be the boss but prefers to work under someone else’s leadership. Jobs that require working with details and facts (more than ideas) are a good fit for this personality.

Chapter 1: Transportation and the Environment

Manufacturing Jobs Once scientists and engineers have researched, designed, and perfected a new technology, it must then be made real by workers in the manufacturing industry. Though, taken as a whole, manufacturing employment is projected to decline in the United States in the near future, manufacturing jobs will need to supply the green transportation solutions that an increasing number of consumers are demanding. In addition, aerospace and motor vehicle parts manufacturing will increasingly need workers who can build engines that can take advantage of greener power, such as biomass, electric, and fuel cell technology.

Other Careers Related to Green Transportation Greener modes of transportation will also create other careers in the future. For example, the hybrid, electric, or other alternatively powered vehicles on the roads will need mechanics who are trained to repair and maintain them. Biofuels will create jobs for a variety of workers, from the farmers who will grow and harvest the plants, to the truck drivers who will be required for transport of the biofuels around the country. In addition, there will be a need for new service stations and workers to build them, which will create jobs in the construction industry.

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You must be the change you wish to see in the world. —Mahatma Gandhi

ABOUT THE QUOTE The time has come to change the way we live, for the sake of our planet, for the sake of future generations, and for the sake of our own lives and well-being. You can talk about how things ought to change—or you can be a part of the change. The job you choose to do in life is one of your most powerful tools for bringing about change in the world around you. If you choose a career in green transportation, you will be contributing to a new and better world for us all.

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Chapter Travel by Land Words to Know

hybrid: Something that involves two different kinds of things that are blended together to produce one result. A hybrid car uses both the typical internal combustion engine (which burns gasoline) and an electric motor to power the car. controversial: Something about which many people disagree with each other.

W

e spend most of our time on the ground, so it is no surprise that most of the transportation used in the world today is land-based—cars, trains, buses, motorcycles, and other wheeled vehicles. The environmental impact of these modes of transportation has been immense, with emissions from cars and trucks creating one-third of the air pollution in the United States. Because the pollution produced by our vehicles is such a problem, many scientists, engineers, mechanics and other workers are devoting their careers to developing solutions in the form of cleaner fuels, and new technology.

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Tomorrow’s Transportation: Green Solutions for Air, Land, & Sea

Alternative Cars and Trucks Hybrid Vehicles A hybrid car, or a hybrid-electric vehicle, has a gasoline-fueled engine and an electric motor. The engine provides most of the power, but the electric motor helps the engine, and allows for improved fuel economy. Different levels of hybrid vehicles

Did You Know? The Toyota Prius is the world’s top-selling hybrid car, with cumulative global sales of 1.6 million units by early 2010.

The Toyota Prius, a popular hybrid car, tells the driver whether the car is running on electricity or gasoline. This allows the driver to adjust her driving style to become more fuel-efficient.

Chapter 2: Travel by LanD

How Can I Make My Car Greener? Due to high prices, many people cannot afford to purchase a green car yet. Therefore, many people still have to buy conventional gasoline-powered cars. If this is the case, choose the most fuel-efficient car you can afford to buy and follow these simple tips to make it a “greener” car: • Drive less: Instead of driving your car everywhere, take public transportation, carpool, ride a bike, or walk whenever possible. • Refuel wisely: Never refill your tank beyond the automatic shut-off point, and refuel when the temperature is cooler. Both actions will reduce fuel evaporation (a factor in the production of smog). • Maintain your vehicle properly: A car performs best (and produces lowest emissions) when it is cared for properly. Check your owner’s manual for maintenance instructions.

Did You Know? Ferdinand Porsche developed a hybrid car in 1900!

are available; some always need to use the engine to power the car, some are capable of driving using battery power alone, and some can be plugged in to recharge the battery.

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Green Transportation in the Big Apple New York City uses a fleet of hybrid buses to green its public transportation system. The city claims that the buses keep about 700,000 cars off the road, and reduce emissions of soot, carbon monoxide, and other substances by 400 million pounds each year.

Green Transportation in California The Clean Energy Workforce Training Program in California is designed to train workers to work in green industries, including green transportation. The state has invested $75 million to promote jobs in renewable energy development and vehicle fuel technology, among other things. The program’s goal is to make thousands of people ready for well-paying, enjoyable jobs that will help rather than harm the environment.

Other Green Vehicles Electric cars, hydrogen cars, biodiesel cars, and fuel cell cars are other green vehicles that are not yet as common on the roads today. Only an electric motor and a battery give power to electric cars. Hydrogen cars burn hydrogen, instead of gasoline, to fuel the motor. Biodiesel cars are powered using biodegradable biodiesel fuel, which is oil made from vegetables or animal fats.

Chapter 2: Travel by LanD

A fuel cell car uses a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to generate the electricity that runs the car.

Biofuels Biofuels are currently one of the most popular ways of making cars and trucks greener. Biofuels are liquid alternatives to gasoline, made from natural materials such as corn, soybeans, some types of grasses, and even algae. Ethanol is one well-known biofuel; ethanol made from corn is blended into almost all the gasoline that Americans use today. Biofuels are controversial because they often take up land and water used for food crops, even though they reduce our dependence on oil.

There are many possible sources of plants besides corn that could be used to produce biofuels.

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Motorcycles: Getting Greener Motorcycles are already much more fuel efficient than cars, although they can be relatively much dirtier, with high levels of emissions. Some companies, such as Zero Motorcycles, are trying to change that. Zero Motorcycles has produced a series of zero-emissions bikes that run entirely on electricity, not on petroleum-based fuel. They’re currently pretty pricey, but models such as these might pave the way for greener motorcycles of the future.

Public Transportation Public transportation is a great way to make land travel greener. The potential benefits of public transportation are twofold. First, more people traveling via public buses, trains, and subways mean fewer cars on the roads. Moving large numbers of people in the same vehicle is generally a lot more efficient than moving one or two people in each of many cars. Additionally, the vehicles

Chapter 2: Travel by LanD

used in public transportation can be green themselves. The same categories of alternative designs for cars and trucks have also been applied to mass-transit systems.

Bicycles Bikes are perhaps the greenest method of getting around on land, excluding walking. Bikes don’t release any emissions—except those released in the manufacturing process—and are a healthy way to travel short distances. Sharing the road with cars and

In the United States, the use of public transportation saves about 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline each year. As more buses are replaced with alternative fuel buses, (and if more people ride them), the country could save even more!

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Using a bike to commute to and from work is good for the environment, but it may not seem possible depending on your distance from work. A good option for longer-distance commuters is to combine biking with public transportation—ride your bike to a bus stop, transport the bike with you on the bus, and then ride the bike the rest of the way to your job.

pedestrians can be dangerous, so be sure to always wear a helmet and to follow traffic rules. Many cities such as Portland, Oregon, are known for their bike-friendly designs, but not all cities and towns are designed well for safe and efficient bike travel. If you want to make your hometown into a better place to bike, talk to your town council, the mayor’s office, or the local department of transportation.

Greening Railroads Cars, trucks, and buses have generally taken center stage in the move to green land transportation systems. Railroads and trains,

Chapter 2: Travel by LanD

especially trains used to transport goods rather than people, have so far been left behind. Most trains run on diesel fuel, but a few are now powered by a battery or by electricity, reducing train emissions and limiting railroads’ dependence on nonrenewable energy, in this case petroleum. Green railroad systems will likely require many R&D positions to create greener trains and railroad operations procedures. There is a lot of room to research and develop applications of alternative fuels for trains, alternative types of locomotives, and more efficient, environmentally friendly ways of running railroads.

If You Have an Investigative Personality . . .

You may be happy in many green transportation jobs where you will have opportunities to understand and solve problems. Your skills in math and science, as well as your curiosity, will make you a particularly good match for research-and-development jobs.

If You Have an Artistic Personality . . .

Green transportation jobs may not be the best career choice for you, since careers in this field might not give you enough opportunities for creativity and self-expression. The future will need people who can think outside the box, though, people with creative ideas that will generate new ways to get around, so don’t automatically assume you can’t find a place where you’d be happy in this career field.

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If you see in any given situation only what everybody else can see, you can be said to be so much a representative of your culture that you are a victim of it. —S. I. Hayakawa

ABOUT THE QUOTE Learn to think outside the box. If a car designer assumes that because engines have always run on gas they must ALWAYS run on gas, she will never be able to adapt to a new world where cars run on clean energy. The demand for green transportation has just begun—who knows where it will lead during your lifetime? If you want to be a part of the new greener world, you must be able to be flexible, to be open to new ideas. When you approach life with that mindset, you may even come up with new ideas of your own to help change the world!

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Chapter Travel by Air & Sea Words to Know

globalization: The process of increasing the connectivity and interdependence of the world’s markets and businesses. biodiesel: A fuel that is similar to, and can replace, diesel fuel and is derived from vegetable sources. dirigible: Lighter-than-air aircraft with steering and propulsion systems. prototype: An original, full-scale, and usually working model of a new product or new version of an existing product. passenger mile: A unit of measurement performed by a mode of transportation during a given period, usually a year.

A

ir travel is not a green choice of transportation. Total trips on aircraft accounted for somewhere between 3 and 13 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions in the late 2000s. A single flight from the East Coast to the West Coast in the United States emits 3 tons of carbon dioxide, which is about the same as driving a car for six months. Despite that, air transportation isn’t going to go away any time soon. International cargo delivery by air is increasing

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rapidly because of globalization. Goods and materials need to be shipped around the world, fast, to keep the global economy going. Additionally, although you might not travel by plane or helicopter very often, it’s hard to avoid air travel when you need to visit relatives in a distant country, travel for work, or take that dream vacation. However, if you care about traveling with as small an environmental footprint as possible, but can’t avoid air travel, there are some solutions.

Green Air Travel Options: Planes and Helicopters Carbon Offsets Some of the advances in greening air travel don’t directly have anything to do with planes or helicopters. Carbon offsets are an option for travelers who feel guilty about their impact on the environment. Individuals can buy assurances that the emissions from their flight will be offset by another, emission-saving activity elsewhere, such as planting trees or funding climate change research. Carbon offsetting is controversial: many companies offer offset options, but few actually have been found to work. As a result, many consumers are wary of carbon offset systems if they don’t know exactly how their money is being spent.

Alternative Planes Land vehicles are well ahead of aircraft when it comes to alternative models such as biofuels, electric, or hybrids. However, alternative aircraft may be a reality in the near future. In 2007, the first electric plane was flown a short distance, and in 2008,

Chapter 3: Travel by Air & Sea

Do Carbon Offsets Cause More Harm Than Good? Responsible Travel is one travel company that used to offer carbon offsets for guilty air travelers. It recently discontinued the program, saying that it wasn’t actually working. It is even possible that people who felt less guilty about flying after purchasing offsets actually flew more, leading to more environmental damage than otherwise! It might be a better idea to try your best to find alternatives to flying.

airliner Virgin Atlantic made news with a Boeing 747 flight from London to Amsterdam, powered partly on biodiesel. While these are only two examples of an emerging industry, it is easy to imagine better technology that allows for larger electric planes, the creation of hybrid aircraft, and more common use of biofuels in all aircraft.

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Air Travel Alternatives Blimps aren’t necessarily the first things that jump to mind when thinking Silent Planes about green air travel, but there are ElectraFlyer Aircraft a number of green dirigible designs. Corporation has developed Several solar powered blimp protoa range of small electric planes for individual luxury types have appeared in the last few use. They have silent years, some of which are unmanned, motors and smooth rides, and others that are designed to and are charged by simply carry passengers across the ocean. plugging them into an outlet. The company claims While they’re far from replacing that they can be recharged airplanes as the main mode of air for only $0.60. travel, improvements on preliminary designs could take them a long way.

Test instrumentation is set up behind the inboard engines of a plane during alternative fuels emissions and performance testing at NASA’s Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, California.

Chapter 3: Travel by Air & Sea

Solar Blimps Blimps could potentially replace airplanes in both domestic and international travel. One company from Spain, called Turtle Airships, wants to build a blimp-like aircraft that will take passengers all the way from New York to Paris. It will be able to rest on land and water, as well as travel the 3,600 miles (5,800 kilometers) between the two cities. Solar power means that blimp travel would substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions during airplane travel.

Green Sea Transportation Sea travel, like air travel, is a very polluting mode of transportation that leads directly to climate change. There are various sorts of water travel, which have various environmental impacts. According to Responsible Travel, a travel agency focusing on socially and environmentally responsible tourism, one cruise ship emits almost twice as much carbon dioxide emissions per

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Tomorrow’s Transportation: Green Solutions for Air, Land, & Sea

passenger mile as airplanes. Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to avoid cruises if you’re concerned about green transportation. Some Cruise It’s less easy to avoid the effects Statistics of cargo ship transportation. OceanA weeklong cruise usually going vessels carry over 80 percent generates about 50 tons of all goods shipped in and out of of garbage, a million tons the United States. This translates of wastewater, 210,000 gallons of sewage, into thousands of ships used on a 35,000 gallons of water daily basis. Shipping releases polcontaminated by oil, and luting chemicals into the water, but 3.5 kilograms of garbage also emits many tons of greenhouse per person per day. gases into the atmosphere. Shipping is in fact one of the major contributors of greenhouse gases today.

Personal water crafts (PWCs) are small, fast, and fun, but they can potentially produce high amounts of polluting emissions. Since new emissions regulations were implemented in 2006, companies have been working to create PWCs that produce less pollution.

Chapter 3: Travel by Air & Sea

Greener Boats If you own or use a small, motorized boat for individual use, there are ways you can limit its environmental impact. • Keep the bottom of your boat clean. Clean your boat using things like scrub brushes, vinegar, and baking soda, instead of harmful chemical cleaners. • Make sure the engine is always in good shape to keep it burning fuel efficiently. • Keep all trash on board rather than throwing it into the water.

Transforming Water Transportation People are taking several steps to make water transportation more environmentally friendly. Making boats more efficient is one such option, including modifying and manufacturing new engines to reduce emissions and use fuel more efficiently. Using lowsulfur fuels also reduces emissions, as does having regulations

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Solar-Powered Boat The world’s largest solar boat, called PlanetSolar, is a 102-foot catamaran powered exclusively by highefficiency solar cells manufactured by SunPower Corporation. The craft began its testing in late March 2010, about a year in advance of a planned round-the-world journey in April 2011. Constructed in thirteen months, the boat is powered by about 38,000 deck-mounted solar cells, each with a 22 percent solar conversion efficiency. The cells cover about 5,382 square feet of the boat’s surface.

concerning engines and other boat parts. One of the most promising advances is introducing electric power to boats and shipping. Providing onshore electric power to docked boats has been shown to be one of the best ways to reduce the environmental damage of water transportation.

Chapter 3: Travel by Air & Sea

Air & Sea Career Opportunities If you want to tackle the greening of modern air or sea travel yourself, you might consider a job in one of the industries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2008, the air transportation industry employed almost half a million employees, while water transportation workers held more than 81,100 jobs in 2008. Air transportation jobs include mechanics and technicians, pilots, flight engineers, cargo and freight agents, flight attendants, ticket agents, and travel clerks. Water transportation occupations include captain, mates, pilots, sailors, ship engineers, and motorboat operators.

If You Have a Social Personality . . .

You may enjoy working in a green transportation job where you will have direct contact with customers. These jobs will give you opportunities to help people who need you. Your helpful, friendly nature will be an asset for you, and you can know that your job makes an important contribution to the well-being of the entire world.

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Technology is destructive only in the hands of people who do not realize that they are one and the same process as the universe. —Alan Watts

ABOUT THE QUOTE Technology has gotten a bad name. We talk about “getting back to nature,” as though if we could all do so we would solve all the Earth’s problems. But the reality is that we need technology to solve the problems we have created (such as climate change and pollution). If you choose a career in green transportation, you will be using technology in harmony with nature.

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Chapter Career Opportunities Related to Green Transportation Words to Know retrofitted: Substituted new or modernized parts or systems for older equipment. apprenticeships: Method in which trainees learn a craft or trade by hands-on experience while working with a skilled worker, usually under a written or implied agreement. GED: General Equivalency Diploma; a substitute for a high school diploma. bachelor’s degree: An academic degree conferred by a college or university upon those who complete the undergraduate curriculum. master’s degrees: Academic degrees conferred by a college or university upon those who complete at least one year of prescribed study beyond the bachelor’s degree. PhD: Doctor of Philosophy; A degree usually based on at least three years graduate study and a dissertation; the highest degree awarded in graduate study; also known as a doctoral degree, or a doctorate. infrastructure: The basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society, such as transportation and communications systems.

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C

urrently, no one keeps track of exactly how many green jobs are out there. It is difficult even defining what a green job is, much less counting how many there are. However, it is certain that in the transportation sector, more and more green jobs will be needed as North Americans seek to reduce the environmental impact of all modes of transportation.

Career Opportunities Research and Development Research and development is going to be an important component of the future of all types of green transportation. Chemists, engineers, physicists, mathematicians, environmental scientists, and other types of specialists might all be part of the R&D process. At labs across the country, funded both by private companies and by government agencies such as the Department of Transportation, researchers are busy coming up with new green technologies and new ways of applying these technologies to land, air, and sea travel and transportation. Many of the innovations in transportation over the next several years will come from these labs.

Green Mechanics The increase in green vehicles on the roads, in the air, and on the water means there will be an increase in the need for mechanics trained to work on all these vehicles. Automotive mechanics will need special training to learn how to maintain and repair hybrid

Chapter 4: Career Opportunities Related to Green Transportation

electric cars and the other green vehicles. Currently, most of the mechanics with this special training work for car manufacturers and dealers. However, with over a million hybrids on the road now and additional green vehicles entering the market every year, independent mechanics will need training to help meet the growing demand for service. As air and sea transportation change, aircraft and marine mechanics will have to be at the forefront of that change. As the green options for planes, helicopters, and boats increase, many will have to be retrofitted, the job of the mechanics who currently take care of maintenance. There will also be an increasing need for mechanics who know how to work with and fix vehicles that run on biofuels, along with other alternative aircraft or marinecraft types. Mechanics who are able to work with new types of transportation entirely may also be in demand in the future.

Biofuel Workers The current popularity of biofuels means that the demand for workers in the biofuel industry is rising. Farmers who grow the materials Did You Know? used for biofuels benefit economiIn 2008, oil provided more cally from the demand, as do workthan 96 percent of the energy in our vehicles. ers at plants that process biofuels. These include plant managers, engineers, chemists, and truck drivers. All these people must work in combination to deliver biofuel material, process the biofuel, and transport it to the consumer.

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Alternative Vehicle Production More new types of vehicles will lead to a need for more people who are involved in their design and sales. Engineers will be needed to create better alternative vehicles, and to improve on the types that already exist. People trained in manufacturing alternative vehicles will also be important, as will business and marketing professionals with the desire and ability to sell green cars and trucks.

Education and Training Requirements Researchers People who want to get involved with any type of R&D will need a lot of education and training. Most, if not all, have at least master’s degrees in science or engineering. Creativity is also a good skill to have, especially in the field of air travel R&D. R&D is involved

Chapter 4: Career Opportunities Related to Green Transportation

not only in modifying existing transportation methods but also in inventing new cars, trucks, aircrafts, and boats that could replace current modes of transportation. The world needs many new, efficient, and imaginative ideas in order to make transportation truly greener.

Mechanics Traditional car mechanic jobs require some formal education, either at the high school or technical school level. Community colleges and apprenticeships are useful steps to becoming a mechanic. In 2008, there were 763,700 mechanics in the United States; many of those people will need to learn how to repair and modify alternative vehicles such as hybrids, electric cars, and biodiesel vehicles. This may take the form of retraining existing mechanics or developing training programs for new mechanics, focusing specifically on working with alternative vehicles. Companies require many qualifications from potential aircraft mechanics. Graduates of mechanic trade schools are generally preferred, as are those who were certified through the military. Health and physical stamina are also important qualities in a mechanic, who may be working in a demanding environment and lifting heavy objects. As advances in green aircraft technology progress, mechanics will need additional training, and new knowledge will be required of those entering the field.

Biofuel Workers Jobs in the biofuel industry generally require more education. However, since biofuels are a relatively new phenomenon, many

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people in the industry have never worked in the particular field of biofuels before. Engineers who work in biofuel plant operations usually have a bachelor’s degree or higher, with coursework in topics such as chemistry, resource engineering, and computer programming. He or she will need extensive experience before gaining top engineering positions. The same is true of other engineers, managers, and technicians at biofuel plants. On the other end, farmers growing the crops used to make biofuels may have had little formal education, or they may have gone to college to get a specialized degree. Training in farming ranges from learning from a parent or family member to getting an agricultural apprenticeship to receiving a degree from an agricultural training school.

Ron Pate is a researcher working to develop algae-based biofuel.

Chapter 4: Career Opportunities Related to Green Transportation

Real-Life Biofuel Researcher Ron Pate is a researcher at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is part of a team working on research and development of algae-based biofuels. Algae is an attractive resource because it reproduces quickly, consumes large quantities of carbon dioxide, and can thrive in non-freshwater, including brackish and marine water, thus avoiding competition with traditional agriculture’s freshwater needs. In addition, algae can produce biomass and oils, and is attractive as feedstock for renewable fuels, with potentially greater productivity and significantly less land use requirements than with other commodity crop feedstocks such as corn, soy, and canola. “Using algae as a feedstock source for biofuels has a lot of potential benefits, but there are also some tremendous challenges. We’ve been working very hard to determine what the needs are, the current state of the technology, and the areas that really need some focused investment and work,” Pate said. Moving from the current analytical stage to fullscale production is challenged by a number of technical hurdles and unknowns, but despite the challenges, Pate is confident that algae has a strong chance of becoming a viable source of transportation fuel in the long-term future.

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Manufacturing The people who assemble and manufacture green vehicles have to go through a variety of training programs, depending on the specific job in question. Assembly workers, electricians, and workers who retrofit automobiles may have attended trade school or completed an apprenticeship in their field of work, though others might have recently graduated from high school or received their GED. These types of jobs are generally entry level, and may lead to higher positions after a few years. Some positions require more education and training. People who design and engineer cars have generally gone to school for a long period of time, and have very specialized degrees. Most workers with these jobs have been working in a similar field for several years. An automotive power electronics engineer, for example, must at least have a bachelor’s degree in engineering, preferably with a higher degree (master’s or PhD) and ten years of automotive engineering experience.

Railroad Jobs and Related Training There are a number of jobs associated with railroads, including locomotive engineers who operate the trains and conductors who coordinate train activity. There were 130,500 rail transportation jobs in the United States in 2008. All workers must have at least a high school diploma or GED, plus some formal training usually provided by the railroad company. Both engineers and conductors require licenses to work in the industry. Little is likely to change as greener methods of rail travel become more common, but most railroad workers will need some additional training in how to operate alternative trains. New railroad workers will prob-

Chapter 4: Career Opportunities Related to Green Transportation

ably be well versed in how to operate electric trains, in addition to other innovations that will become more established. R&D will be important for the development of the green railroad industry, as well as for land transportation in general. Advances in many fields, including engineering, chemistry, and environmental science will be needed. Scientists who participate in R&D, whether in the public or private sector, usually have education beyond a bachelor’s degree, and have some research experience either at the master’s level or beyond. They use their extensive education to research and test new products and methods for many industries, inventing and discovering fresh ways to approach greening our lives.

Hybrid vehicles are complicated pieces of machinery. The new green transportation industry will need workers who are trained to manufacture these complex parts, workers to assemble them, and workers to maintain and repair the final product.

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Public Transportation Careers People involved in designing and implementing public transportation systems have a wide variety of jobs. They could be construction workers, urban planners, or civil engineers (workers who design and maintain things like roads and bridges). Many people working together are needed to create and run a wellplanned and executed system, which can be quite complicated; making sure it’s a green and environmentally friendly system adds to that complexity.

Urban planning can have a huge impact on transportation. This graph shows that cities that are more spread out use more gasoline per person than cities where people live closer together.

Chapter 4: Career Opportunities Related to Green Transportation

Urban planners, for example, are required to generate plans for the development and maintenance of mass-transportation systems. They must account for zoning laws, promote community growth, and use land efficiently, among many other tasks. Engineers are involved in creating the public transportation system itself, maintaining environmental quality, and designing the vehicles used in the system, such as buses, subways, or trolleys.

Training Different workers in this sector have gone through different degrees of training. The construction workers who build the infrastructure for public transportation systems often jump right into the job, or have received a little training beforehand. Other jobs require more education. Urban planners need a bachelor’s degree, with coursework in civil engineering and urban planning, and will have had some experience in the field before taking on high-level positions. Civil engineers need slightly more education—at least a master’s—and two or more years of experience.

If You Have a Realistic Personality . . .

You will be able to find many jobs in green transportation that will be a good choice for you. Since you’ll probably want a job setting where you work with tools and machines, allowing you to express the practical and mechanical side of your nature, manufacturing or installation jobs may be a good match for your skills and preferences. You might also enjoy being a mechanic that services the future’s new green vehicles.

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Value what you’re doing. Treat it with respect. Learn everything it has to teach you. You might learn practical skills you can transfer to later work. . . . Recognize that there is something to learn from everything and determine to learn it. —Lawrence G. Boldt ABOUT THE QUOTE When you enter the work world for the first time, you may not get the ideal job you’ve always dreamed of having. Very few people are that lucky. But do your best at whatever job you land—and by doing so you will learn valuable skills you’ll be able to use in a better job down the road. You’re also more likely to impress those around you, which could lead to new opportunities. Don’t be ashamed to begin small!

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Chapter A Greener Future Words to Know

mentor: Train and offer advice to a student. prospective: Referring to something that is potential or possible in the future.

Our world is changing quickly, and as a student approaching a major crossroads of your life, so is yours. You have decisions to make about your education, your career, and your future. Keeping informed Did You Know? about changing trends in the econoThe Energy Independence my and the workforce will help you and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) requires that make wise decisions for your future. renewable fuels collectively Choosing an education and career supply at least 36 billion path that will prepare you to be a gallons of U.S. motor fuels part of the new green economy will by 2022. give you more career options and will ultimately help the whole world.

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Tomorrow’s Transportation: Green Solutions for Air, Land, & Sea

A Greener Economy Even before President Barack Obama accepted the office of President of the United States in January of 2009, one of the pillars of his platDid You Know? form was to make American greener. Obama’s plan to increase He has called for “a sustained and vehicle fuel economy by 4 shared effort by our government, percent each year will save our businesses, and the American nearly a half trillion gallons of gasoline and 6 billion people . . . to build a new economy metric tons of greenhouse that is powered by clean and secure gases! energy.” This green energy initiative includes six major goals: • Provide short-term relief to American families facing pain at the pump. • Help create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next ten years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future. • Within 10 years save more oil than we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela combined. • Put 1 million plug-in hybrid cars—cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon—on the road by 2015, cars that we will work to make sure are built here in America. • Ensure 10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025.

Chapter 5: A Greener Future

• Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050. All these goals will lead to a greater investment in researching, designing, building, and implementing new green technologies in the energy industry and in green types of transportation. Specifically, the goals to create five million new jobs and to build more plug-in hybrids here in the United States will lead to an overall increase in career opportunities related to the green transportation industry. For example, the Obama administration plans to provide tax credits and loan guarantees to domestic auto plants and parts manufacturers so that American workers can build fuel-efficient cars in the United States. Also, the administration plans to invest federal money into the research, development, and manufacture of advanced battery technology and sustainable biofuels, both alternative energy sources that will help reduce our dependence on oil.

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Planning for the Future The information in this book is meant to be only an introduction to green transportation and to some of the career opportunities in the field available for scientists, mechanics, and other workers. The few jobs discussed in this book represent only a handful of the jobs that will be created by the increased focus on creating greener transportation. If you think you are interested in one of these careers, it is never too early to start learning your options or to begin gaining experience. • Speak to a school guidance counselor about your career plans, and get advice on the best educational path to help you achieve your goals. • A guidance counselor might also help you find student jobs, apprenticeships, internships, or other educational opportunities in your area. • Learn about alternative fuel options and the different types of green vehicles. Any training or knowledge you can gain about the maintenance of these alternative energy vehicles will give you an advantage over other new mechanics. • If you are interested in the laboratory side of things—developing new fuels, or devising ways to improve existing ones— find a science teacher who is willing to mentor you or offer additional instruction in proper equipment use or laboratory procedures.

Chapter 5: A Greener Future

• Take any automotive or mechanical classes your high school may offer, or find out if your high school offers in-depth vocational training. • Participate in—or start—an environmental group at your school. Perhaps you can devise ways to make your school (or even your town) greener. Everything you do that is related to your interest in a green transportation career will help guide you to the specialization for which you are most suited and will strengthen you in the eyes of prospective schools or employers.

If You Have an Enterprising Personality . . .

Like most fields, green transportation jobs will have higher-level managerial positions that will allow you opportunities to use your leadership skills and express your ambitions. Be aware, though, that most jobs have very few entry-level positions that are managerial, so you need to be prepared to put in your time at lower levels of responsibility, proving over time both your skills and your ability to make decisions and lead others.

If You Have a Conventional Personality . . .

You’ll be able to find jobs within green transportation that will be a good match for you. As a manufacturing worker, you would have plenty of opportunities to work with machines in a set, orderly way. Since you’re good at working with written records and numbers in a systematic way, you might also do well as an inspector in this field.

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Further REading

Further Reading Boschert, Sherry. Plug-In Hybrids: The Cars That Will Recharge America. Gabriola Island, B.C., Canada: New Society Publishers, 2006. Cassio, Jim and Alice Rush. Green Careers: Choosing Work for a Sustainable Future. Gabriola Island, B.C., Canada: New Society Publishers, 2009. Deitche, Scott M. Green Collar Jobs: Environmental Careers for the 21st Century. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Praeger, 2010. Fuhs, Allen. Hybrid Vehicles and the Future of Personal Transportation. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press, 2009. Lore, Nicholas. Now What? The Young Person’s Guide to Choosing the Perfect Career. New York: Fireside, 2008. Wheeler, Benjamin, Gilda Wheeler, and Wendy Church. It’s All Connected: A Comprehensive Guide to Global Issues and Sustainable Solutions. Seattle, Wash.: Facing the Future, 2005.

Find Out More on the Internet

Find Out More on the Internet Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy www.eere.energy.gov Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov Green Careers Center www.environmentalcareer.com U.S. Department of Energy Fuel Economy Guide www.fueleconomy.gov USA Jobs Student Jobs www.usajobs.gov/studentjobs/

Disclaimer The websites listed on this page were active at the time of publication. The publisher is not responsible for websites that have changed their address or discontinued operation since the date of publication. The publisher will review and update the websites upon each reprint.

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Bibliography

Bibliography Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Air Transportation Occupations,” www. bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs016.htm (21 May 2010). Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Rail Transportation Occupations,” www. bls.gov/oco/ocos244.htm (20 May 2010). Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Water Transportation Occupations,” www.bls.gov/oco/ocos247.htm (21 May 2010). California Energy Commission. “Green Jobs California Clean Energy Workforce Training Program,” www.energy.ca.gov/greenjobs/ (20 May 2010). Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy. “Biofuels Create Green Jobs: Growing Transportation Fuels and the Nation’s Economy.” United States Department of Energy, 2010. Galst, Liz. “A Balancing Act on Emissions,” The New York Times, September 2, 2008. Green for All. “Green-Collar Jobs Overview,” www.greenforall.org/ resources/green-collar-jobs-overview (20 April 2010). International Council of Clean Transportation. “Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ocean-going Ships: Impacts, Mitigation Options and Opportunities for Managing Growth,” www.theicct.org/ documents/0000/0969/48_06_ICCT_OceanReportComplete_04-4_ taiwanRev.pdf (21 May 2010). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. “New York City Transit and the Environment,” www.mta.info/nyct/facts/ffenvironment.htm (20 May 2010).

Bibliography

Obama, Barack and Joe Biden. “New Energy for America.” www. barackobama.com, 2009. Pollin, Robert, and Jeannette Wicks-Lim. “Job Opportunities for the Green Economy.” The Political Economy Research Institute, 2007. Rosenthal, Elisabeth. “Paying More for Flights Eases Guilt, Not Emissions.” The New York Times, November 17, 2009. Sandia National Laboratories. “Fueling the future with fish tank residue: Sandia scientist discusses use of algae as a biofuel,” share.sandia. gov/news/resources/news_releases/fueling-the-future-with-fish-tankresidue-sandia-scientist-discusses-use-of-algae-as-a-biofuel/ (21 May 2010).

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Index

Index air pollution 11, 13–15, 21 air travel blimps 34–35 planes and helicopters 32–34 apprenticeships 41, 45–48, 56 bikes 23, 26–28 biodiesel cars 23–24, 31, 45 biofuel workers 43, 47 education 45–46 Bureau of Labor Statistics 11, 39 Clean Energy Workforce Training Program 24 cruise 36 economy 13, 20, 32, 53–55 ecosystem 9–10, 13 electric vehicles 23–24, 43, 45 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) 53 engineering 17, 46, 48–49, 51 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 15 ethanol 25 fuel cell 19, 23–24 GED 41, 48 globalization 31–32 global warming 9–10 greenhouse gases 11, 14, 31, 54–55

hybrid vehicles 15, 21–23, 54 hydrogen cars 23–24 Industrial Revolution 9, 11 manufacturing education 48 jobs 17, 19 mechanics 42–43 education 45 mentor 53, 56 mobile source emissions 13–15 motorcycles 21, 26 Obama, Barack 54–55 ozone layer 9, 13 personality traits 18, 29, 39, 51, 57 PhD 41, 48 public transportation 23–27 careers 50-51 railroad 28–29 careers 48–49 research and development 15–16, 42, 47 education 44–45 retrofit 41, 43, 48 Responsible Travel 33, 35 sea travel 35–39, 42 careers 39

Picture Credits

Picture Credits Argonne National Laboratory: pp. 16, 52 Creative Commons Attribution It’s Our City: pg. 22 mastermaq: pg. 27 Fotolia.com adisa: pg. 36 ElaKwasniewski: pg. 40 hfng: pg. 49 Jean-Paul Bounine: pg. 14 jeff gynane: pg. 30 radoma: pg. 8 svlumagraphica: pg. 28 Vasily Smirnov: pg. 17 NASA: pg. 12 Tom Tschida: pg. 34 Oak Ridge National Laboratory: pg. 20 Sandia National Laboratories: pg. 46 To the best knowledge of the publisher, all images not specifically credited are in the public domain. If any image has been inadvertently uncredited, please notify Harding House Publishing Service, 220 Front Street, Vestal, New York 13850, so that credit can be given in future printings.

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About the Author and Consultant

About the Author Malinda Miller lives and works in upstate New York. After earning a graduate degree in anthropology, she found work at a small publisher, where she enjoys the opportunity to research and write on a variety of topics.

About the Consultant Michael Puglisi is the director of the Department of Labor’s Workforce New York One Stop Center in Binghamton, New York. He has also held several leadership positions in  the International Association of Workforce Professionals (IAWP), a non-profit educational association exclusively dedicated to workforce professionals with a rich tradition and history of contributions to workforce excellence. IAWP members receive the tools and resources they need to effectively contribute to the workforce development system daily. By providing relevant education, timely and informative communication and valuable findings of pertinent research, IAWP equips its members with knowledge, information and practical tools for success. Through its network of local and regional chapters, IAWP is preparing its members for the challenges of tomorrow.