Standards from a Sustainable Desk
As you dive in to the vast world of sustainability, you must first recognize there are many applicable sustainability standards depending on the industry you choose to participate in. As with any job interview, one of the main cards you can have in your back pocket is the element of industry standards knowledge. Familiarizing yourself with sustainability standards for your target industry is essential to determining the health of an organization and whether that company compliments your level of environmental ethics.
ASTM International, formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) is an organization that develops standards that address environmental and economic concerns in buildings and construction. These standards focus on measurements for sustainability action impact. This organization offers a virtual classroom to new members which may be of interest to you.
Have an eye for interior design? Perhaps the sustainability standards applicable to furniture may interest you. The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer's Association (BIFMA) have developed the ANSI/BIFMA e3-2010 Furniture Sustainability Standard, which establishes the criteria for evaluating "materials selection and usage; energy; human and ecosystem health; and social responsibility impacts" (BIFMA, 2011). Want to impress the interviewer? Tell the interviewer that the desk they sit behind is not ANSI/BIFMA compliant and rattle off that you can perform an audit that will earn their organization a Certificate of Compliance, BIFMA Quality v9.3.
Interested in fighting Green Washing? Then look at the Green Seal organization. If you're a company that claims to be green, you better make sure it’s true. Green Seal will go in and apply life cycle-based sustainability standards to your company's products, services, and organization. Back up your talk of green and you'll receive the coveted Green Seal. Interested in interning at Green Seal? You're in luck. Here's a link for more information on internships at Green Seal.
The list goes on... LEED, Indoor Environmental Standards Organization, and even Underwriters Laboratories have created UL Environment which will do to environmental products as UL has done for product safety. UL Environment hasn't advertised any internships in their postings as of this entry, but keep this site...in your sights.
The point is that the opportunity to make a difference in this industry is out there. Whatever position you choose to intern with, be sure to have the initiative to learn and maybe even set the industry standards. It can prove to be the anchor that embeds you in the industry for the long run.
Good luck!
Michael
ASTM International, formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) is an organization that develops standards that address environmental and economic concerns in buildings and construction. These standards focus on measurements for sustainability action impact. This organization offers a virtual classroom to new members which may be of interest to you.
Have an eye for interior design? Perhaps the sustainability standards applicable to furniture may interest you. The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer's Association (BIFMA) have developed the ANSI/BIFMA e3-2010 Furniture Sustainability Standard, which establishes the criteria for evaluating "materials selection and usage; energy; human and ecosystem health; and social responsibility impacts" (BIFMA, 2011). Want to impress the interviewer? Tell the interviewer that the desk they sit behind is not ANSI/BIFMA compliant and rattle off that you can perform an audit that will earn their organization a Certificate of Compliance, BIFMA Quality v9.3.
Interested in fighting Green Washing? Then look at the Green Seal organization. If you're a company that claims to be green, you better make sure it’s true. Green Seal will go in and apply life cycle-based sustainability standards to your company's products, services, and organization. Back up your talk of green and you'll receive the coveted Green Seal. Interested in interning at Green Seal? You're in luck. Here's a link for more information on internships at Green Seal.
The list goes on... LEED, Indoor Environmental Standards Organization, and even Underwriters Laboratories have created UL Environment which will do to environmental products as UL has done for product safety. UL Environment hasn't advertised any internships in their postings as of this entry, but keep this site...in your sights.
The point is that the opportunity to make a difference in this industry is out there. Whatever position you choose to intern with, be sure to have the initiative to learn and maybe even set the industry standards. It can prove to be the anchor that embeds you in the industry for the long run.
Good luck!
Michael
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