Nearly 15 years post-Katrina and the effects of this devastating hurricane on Louisiana’s Gulf Coast are still being felt. From the erosion of the wetlands and delta areas to the still-sinking city of New Orleans, Louisiana’s environmental concerns are real. Which is exactly why initiatives like the ones being led by the New Orleans’ Mayor’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability are so vital to the Bayou State.
In particular, the Resilient New Orleans program features a plethora of bold, aggressive strategies for building city resilience, such as improving flood protection provided by the coastal wetlands…complementing traditional drainage systems with green infrastructure to produce comprehensive stormwater management systems…and providing incentives for property owners to invest in storm resilient improvements.
At their core, Louisiana programs like Resilient New Orleans are designed to ensure the safety of residents and the sustainability of cities, infrastructure and natural resources for hundreds of years to come… and this is no easy feat.
With the right education, you can lend your skills and talents to any number of programs and initiatives in private business, nonprofits and NGOs to help make a difference in Louisiana.
Sustainability Jobs Available in Louisiana with the Right Degree
Louisiana is home to many organizations, programs, and initiatives that ensure the health of the state’s environment and the well-being of its citizens, while at the same time providing career opportunities for anybody with the right training and education in sustainable practices.
For example, Common Ground Relief provides relief to victims of hurricanes along the Gulf Coast region and helps provide support for long-term rebuilding efforts. Most recently, this grassroots organization has focused on restoring and preserving Louisiana’s coastal wetlands.
The Delta Chapter of the Sierra Club focuses on the protection of Louisiana’s environment through lobbying state legislature and sponsoring public education campaigns related to climate change awareness.
Louisiana’s Lower 9thWard is home to the Backyard Gardeners Network, a nonprofit organization that seeks to revitalize the community through community gardens and local food distribution. Other programs aimed at food security and sustainable agriculture in Louisiana include the New Orleans Food Cooperative and the New Orleans Food & Farm Network.
Master’s in Sustainability Available Through Schools in Louisiana
Master’s degrees in sustainability provide aspiring and practicing sustainability professionals with a focused course of study in a specific area like business, policy, agriculture, or sustainable development.
Architecture
The University of New Orleans’ Department of Planning and Urban Studies offers master’s programs in both urban studies and urban and regional planning, both of which are focused on the department’s goal of producing social innovators who can solve urban problems.
Sustainable Development
The Master of Sustainable Real Estate Development through Tulane University’s School of Architecture is an interdisciplinary course of study that combines in-depth study in real estate finance, design, and development. Topics of study include sustainable design, economics, urbanism, and legal issues.
Policy
Louisiana State University’s College of the Coast & Environment offers an MS in Environmental Sciences, which features study in three disciplines: biophysical systems, environmental assessment and analysis, and environmental planning and management. Students here study under a faculty of researchers and experts in areas like environmental management, environmental and genetic toxicology, environmental law and policy, resource sustainability, and more.
Energy
The MS in Earth and Environmental Sciences through the University of New Orleans comes with outstanding opportunities for research in areas like geophysics, aquatic ecology, coastal oceanography, coastal and marine geology, and more.
Technology
Louisiana State University’s Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering offers an MS in Civil Engineering and an MS in Coastal & Ecological Engineering. LSU enjoys a long history of academic excellence in engineering, graduating its first students more than 150 years ago.
Sustainability Bachelor Degree Programs in Louisiana
Louisiana offers a fantastic array of undergraduate programs in sustainability, all of which are designed to provide aspiring sustainability professionals with a solid foundation on which to embark upon a career or continue on to graduate school.
For example, Louisiana Tech University in Ruston offers a bachelor’s in sustainable supply chain management, which prepares students to identify and manage any number of social, environmental and economic issues that occur during the production of products and services.
LSU offers a nice selection of undergraduate programs in environmental science, such as agriculture business, coastal environmental science, disaster science and management, and environmental engineering, while Tulane University’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences offers bachelor’s degrees in both geology and environmental earth science.