Green is the New Black
Do you go green with envy when you’re stuck inside and see other people frolicking in the great outdoors? Do people say you’ve got green fingers when it comes to growing vegetables and flowers in your garden? Are you part of the green revolution –recycling your household waste and riding your bike instead of taking the car? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you may find the grass is greener exploring a career as a Plant Scientist.
Green is really the new black, and not just when it comes to fashion. With global challenges such as…
- Feeding a growing population
- Preventing the loss of biodiversity
- Dealing with the impacts of climate
…choosing a career involving plants has never been more important for our future.
Plants are the world’s primary source of food and oxygen – thanks to photosynthesis, or the process of converting the sun’s energy into sugars. Without plants, there would be no food for humans or animals.
Fossil fuels like coal and petroleum also come from plants… except in this case the plants are millions of years old. Now that we need to find environmentally friendly alternatives to power our cars and factories, plants may hold the answer to a new generation of green fuels that don’t cost the earth (literally).
There are so many different species of plants on the Earth – many of them still undiscovered – counting them would be like trying to count the stars. Some plants may hold the key to a cure for diseases like cancer or AIDS, while other plants are carnivorous and can devour a whole rat.
Many plants face extinction but could prove vital to the survival of the human race. Scientists at the UK Millennium Seed Bank have filled underground vaults with over a billion seeds providing massive insurance cover for the world’s wildlife.
Scientists are even helping NASA figure out how to grow plants in space in order to colonise other planets and feed scientists on the long flights to the moon, Mars and beyond.
Bottom line: If you know about the science of plants, you can do lots of jobs.
If you enjoy the outdoors and care about the Environment you could be an…
- Ecologist, out in the field exploring how plants and animals (including humans!) co-exist in their habitats and survive environmental change
- Botanist, finding, identifying and helping to save plant species all over the world from extinction
If you like growing plants for people to eat or enjoy, check out…
- Gardener, looking after rare and exotic plants in a historic park
- Farm Manager, making sure farms yield the best crops possible
If you are interested in creating and managing green spaces then why not look at…
- Countryside Manager, protecting wildlife and enabling people to enjoy the outdoors
- Landscape Scientist, investigating and exploring the geology, wildlife and natural features that make up the design of gardens and parks
If you want to unlock the Biology secrets hidden inside plants, there's always…
- Plant Pathologist, helping to rescue plants in gardens and farms from death and damage caused by pests and pathogens
- Plant Biotechnologist, solving problems to do with pollution or developing new products such as biodegradable plastics.
If you enjoy working with people, you could use plant science to be a…
- Business entrepreneur, like Paul Thomas, who produces yummy black truffles
- Horticultural Therapist, using gardening and plants to bring joy to people with special needs.
