Is your job bad for the Earth?

It's Earth Day, and I've done what I can to mark the occasion - dug up a concrete slab in my garden and planted up the soil beneath, joined an informal local food-buying cooperative to get organic produce at wholesale prices, and attended a consciousness-raising film club (that bit took place last night, but hey).

I daresay that many others will have done as much, possibly more. But are such gestures worth anything if, in our day jobs, we continue to create the conditions that have led to global warming, and unsustainable economic growth? It's a question that we should all ask ourselves, disturbing though all too many of us, in "developed" countries, may find it.

On that basis, I've come up with a poll asking which jobs, or rather work sectors, are the least earth-friendly. (I know that the earth will carry on revolving whether or not we inhabit its surface, but the term provides a useful shorthand for keeping-the-earth-in-a-condition-that-permits-humankind-to- survive.)

Obviously, within each sector, there will be some people who do invaluable work to address the problems we face. But I strongly suspect that those are exceptions that prove the rule. So if you had a chance to shut down an entire sector, for the planet's sake, which would it be?

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Comments

[Robin]

In some producer countries, the manufacture of cement consumes up to 30% of the total energy bill in that country.
The manufacture and distribution of construction materials consume a further 10% with the actual construction of large projects themselves use huge amounts of energy.
Why is the construction industry not in the list?
Spurious and misleading journalism spring to mind.

[Paul Sharp]

I'm a driving instructor, and I'm aware of the issues.

I suppose that makes me a hypocrite, but frankly, stopping what I'm doing would cause me a lot of hardship, and would not make any difference. There are no shortage of instructors. At least this job gives me the option of teaching people how to drive more economically. I'm getting well over 50 miles to the gallon from my little fiesta diesel.

[Chuck K]

Well that proves it then. A vote on what industries are least Earth friendly. So the Chemical industry is all right then?

[Ben]

Interesting to read the other posts. Seems to be quite alot of sceptical comments... maybe you guys are right. Maybe there is too much enviro-hype going on... and maybe it is all a big con to get us to pay a green tax. But it bothers me alot when I read the rubbish that some of you guys have written. Do you not understand the shear scale of how much stuff we consume and throw away. Do you not have the ability to recognise the destruction that we cause liveing the way we currently live? Even if there was no massive issue with the concentration of CO2 in the air what about the other major environmetnal issues? What about all the rain forests that are being cut down? What about the pollution that is caused for the communities that live near oil extraction sites (or down stream of them)? What about the routine poisioning of the soils with petrochemical based agricultural inputs? What about the state of the planets dwindling fish stocks? It's not all about the god damn CO2 people! For those of you that have children that are still in nappies: Does it not bother you that the disposable nappies that you most probably buy for your children will sit in the ground for 500 years before they rot down properly? Does it not also bother you that there are toxic chemicals in those nappies that come into contact with your childrens skin? I think most of the idiots that have posted comments here have forgotten just how many people live on this planet and in this country. eg, The land resource in England can only support a population of around 20 million people. That means that if we were in a position where the costs (energy) of importing food were so prohibitively high that the majority of us simply couldn't afford to buy them then we have a major problem. Just answer me one question - What the hell are all you guys gonna do when the CHEAP energy (ie. the fossil fuels) runs out?

[king]

media is the dirtiest job because it creates global warming lies,hoaxes

[J Bailey]

IT aint on the list, its in every industry and our carbon footprint makes Aviation look like a drop in the pond!

We use more electricty than any industry and therefore burn more fossil fuels and use more paper for all our documents.

Oil is the cleanest, it only produces the stuff its the rest of us that uses it :)

Jon.

[Husain]

OIL is the fuel of global warming which is the largest issue on the world which is not acted on, we need to take action to this issue...Its a global issue which most people dont understand.
I think everyone needs to see this video (even skeptics):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDsIFspVzfI

[Karen]

Banking is the lifeblood that focuses the financial resource of the nation into activity. Whilst it does not patently pump out the carbon like aviation, the military, & the petrochemical industries, it does provide the hidden means for those businesses to do their "best" & worst. A refocus of finance into "greener" activities (i.e. lower rates of interest for non-polluters or carbon-neutral) could incentivise the move over to more appropriately constituted industry.

[Jaap den Haan]

The whole concept of labour should be broadened, and a distinction made between work and just earning money.
The means are all there, they just have to be reoriented.

[Jaap den Haan]

The whole concept of labour should be broadened, and a distinction made between work and just earning money.
The means are all there, they just have to be reoriented.

[Sean]

Perhaps someone should investigate the NHS and their distinct lack of recycling facilities. In the small clinic where I work untold units of paper are used but none of it is recycled. Alot of this paper is taken away for secure shredding as it holds confidential patient details, but I am not convinced that once it has been processed that it will be re-used. I appreciate that there would be logistical and financial difficulties for the NHS in resolving these issues but it sickens me to think how many trees are uprooted per day to sustain the demand of one hospital let alone the entire service.

The dismissive attitude of the NHS and society in general is further exemplified by the amount of, especially free, daily newspapers that are left strewn about the train that I catch every morning, which must be collected and dumped in the nearest bin.

Surely if we make our public institutions and private sector bodies assume some sort of corporate accountability for their use and disposal of paper then that will encourage us to recognise and act to counter our superfluous use of such a valuable resource?

[elmlish]

We are in interesting beast who has soiled its nest. On a purely selfish level; a level on which many of the climate change deniers would, no doubt be able to relate on; it is important we find ways to act as proper stewards of our nests, guide the changes that we know are coming in a way best suited to increasing our own comfort, and stop acting like ignorant beasts who defecate on their own food. We've the opportunity to behave like adults here. We've learned enough about the way things work to understand that certain actions have repercussions. Things _will_ get uncomfortable, but if we act with wisdom, we can make this a soft landing rather than an all out crashy one.

[S Morrow]

I'm shocked to see that so few people realize the perilous impact our modern farming ecosystems and industrial enterprises have on the environments. The oil required to harvest the food uses many multiples of the energy grown, the runoff of nitrogen-heavy fertilizer creates untold damage to our waterways, and land is leached of all its nutrients to the point where it becomes unusable. Just because the oil industry and aviation are more visible does not make them necessarily worse.

[Paul]

digg.com is bad for the environment

[James]

Politics??? Doesn't this techinally cover everything on the list anyway.....?

[Just a question]

Are you still breathing? If you even have to consider this question you are wasting precious oxygen...

[SuperDiesel]

What about the "military" sector? Are you implying that they are eco-friendly? I'm sure wiping out footprints all together leaves less "carbon footprints" to worry about!

[Dan Xuereb]

Anyone remember the Dark Ages? Not literally of course, but they were characterised by the most powerful people in the world (the Church) slowing down the progress of the human race and raking in money by making the ill-educated masses afraid of something that doesn't exist. Sound familiar anyone?

Anyway, there's an easy way to sort out this eco-rubbish. Every time you read an article in a newspaper encouraging you to give up your job to save the planet, or stop heating your house in winter so that algae in Canada can breath a little easier, just turn your heating up a notch, or go for an unnecessary drive.

[Andrew T]

STOP WORRYING!!!

It's all a load of rubbish anyway. "MAN MADE GLOBAL WARMING" is a political money spinner... GREEN TAX anyone?

[Gerard]

All part of the "new" religion of Earth Worship. It has all the irrationality of old - indulgences sold in the form of carbon offsets, guilt, hell fire, the works. It's foundation is no more solid than that of the medieval church, and I will have none of it.

[The Remittance Man]

What about the mining industry? Come on, we do our bit for enviro-vandalism too.

[thud]

I feel no guilt what so ever...but in the spirit of the moment I am prepared to mulch any journalists or eco nazis I come across...good enough?

[Toby]

This post and the commetns are embarrassing - ill considered, illogical and warmed over third rate Marxist fluff.

[E. Baylis]

People who work in pharmacology laboratories experimenting on animals and claim that it is for the good of human health. Adverse reactions to drugs are the 4th biggest human killer in the Western world and probably the second biggest murderer of animal life.

The industry encourages the consumption of animal produce which is the sector releasing the most green house gases. Do your bit and go vegan.

Pharmaceutical companies have ruined the balance between humans and our environment, what makes humans sick also poisons the planet, but with the help of animal tested drugs we can continue to rape and murder every life form without feeling the effects on humanity. For those who get depressed with society, there's always a magic pill to ensure you stop caring and keep working.

Human medication goes through us and pollutes the waterways, changing the gender of aquatic life and poisoning the seas.

Pharmaceutical companies prevent the worlds poorest from accessing medication which would reduce suffering, preferring to focus their attention on animal research into medications to help people suffering from diseases of affluence and laziness. Simply because these people can afford to pay.

Researchers who value the rain forest only for the potentially money making medicines which could be hidden with in have no respect for the rich variety of life and the intrinsic value of all species.

If someone can look a beagle in the eye whilst torturing them daily, how can they be expected to show any compassion to the earth, animals or other human beings? Vegans may not be 100% perfect, but at least we are trying.

[Tom]

The only answer is Advertising - As Bill Hicks once said, "Anyone here who is in advertising...go home, and kill yourself, you are the spawn of satan and you are ruining the planet...no I'm not joking...kill yourself!"