Earth Day Founder's Death Marks Need for Environmental Engineering Students
by Kelly Richardson
kelly.richardson@careerschool.com
Career School Columnist
On Sunday, July 3, the man credited with starting the modern day environmental movement died of cardiovascular failure. His legacy is a call to environmental engineering students everywhere to continue the work he started and establish even greater environmental standards for the world to follow.
Often folksy and entirely determined, environmentalist and politician Gaylord Nelson did more for the modern day environmental movement than any person in history. Nelson was considered one of the world's foremost environmental leaders and earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom from then-President Bill Clinton. Here are just a few highlights from Nelson's illustrious career.
Gaylord Nelson: Master Environmental Engineer
- Penny-a-Pack Tax. Nelson used a penny tax per pack of cigarettes to purchase thousands of acres of park lands, wetlands, and open space in his home state of Wisconsin.
- Appalachian Trail Preservation. He championed conservation policies that preserved a 2,100 mile track of the Appalachian Trail and created a national hiking system.
- Active Politician. Nelson served two terms as a state governor and three terms as a senator in which he pushed for environmental reform and preservation laws at every turn.
- Earth Day. And, of course, Nelson began Earth Day in 1970 and started a revolutionary "teach-in" that educated millions.
If Gaylord Nelson's story teaches us anything, we learn that environmental engineering is a vital degree for the preservation and environmental improvement of our Earth. You can earn your credentials in environmental engineering and make your mark on history in the same way. Environmental engineering is an exciting science and a promising career choice.
Earn Your Environmental Engineering Degree:
- Program Concepts. Environmental engineering graduates spend their days creating environmentally friendly systems that allow for progress without destroying the environment.
- Length of Study. Your environmental engineering program will be a four-year degree program offered from a local college or university.
- Career Outlook. The demand for environmental engineering degree graduates will see an above average employment growth outlook in the next 10 years.
About the Author
Kelly Richardson has the inside track on all of the hottest careers paths and resources. His articles appear in a variety of career journals, periodicals, and e-zines. Kelly holds a bachelor degree in English and master degree in education from Georgia State University. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Walden University.
Posted on July 8, 2005 at 11:10 AM
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