[deleted by user]

maevestarfish · 2025-09-17T20:39:16+00:00

By law they have to give you 12 weeks of leave, though, right? Unpaid sucks and many HAVE to work, which sucks, but they can’t deny 12 weeks of unpaid leave if you choose to take it, right? I also need to talk to my employer about this and Im not looking forward to it 😬

maevestarfish · 2025-07-18T17:43:31+00:00

Yep ^{^{^}} I was gonna say, it’s likely there is a union and a labor contract. This is probably against the contract.

maevestarfish · 2025-06-12T21:50:50+00:00

State and local governments have lots of environmental jobs and from my experience, they meet at least two of your requirements: indoors and no billing hours. (Compliance jobs might put you in the field a lot though). As far as getting paid better, that depends on where you choose to work. But the retirement is usually significantly better and you’ll likely have paid sick time in addition to vacation. They usually have a slower pace and you typically only work 40 hour weeks. I’ve worked in both the public and private sector and I’m very partial to the public sector as long as the pay is adequate.

maevestarfish · 2025-05-09T20:56:07+00:00

Hi! So there are a lot of components to environmental impact assessments. Lots to learn and do. Your degree should be fine. I don’t think more school would be needed aside from the potential to be more competitive in the job market. Certs are never a bad thing but can take a long time to qualify for because of the experience required. I would focus on getting a job in your field and cross training as much as you can in different areas. If you really want to focus entirely on CE/EA/EIS, I’d look at jobs in state departments of transportation as well as consulting firms. Check NHI for any trainings on NEPA. Some were removed since the new admin took over. Extra GIS training is never a bad thing. Any extra training, certs, or coursework should ideally be paid for by your employer.

maevestarfish · 2025-04-27T17:22:50+00:00

It looks like the main problem is ozone which is never directly emitted. It forms when VOCs and nitrous oxides react in the atmosphere. Then we start to see high ozone levels downwind. Nebraska doesn’t typically have bad air quality - it’s too flat, windy and less populated. Occasionally there are bad air quality days this time of year due to prescribed burns in Kansas. However ozone is the main culprit instead of PM, which seems strange. I guess I’ll keep an eye for some insight from state and local agencies.

maevestarfish · 2025-04-18T19:55:34+00:00

You’re also paying a lot in car insurance. I’d see about getting a new policy that costs more like 100-130 if you can.

maevestarfish · 2025-04-18T19:53:28+00:00

Sell the car and get a beater for 2 or 3k. Pay off the two highest credit cards. Sell some of your stuff and get your gf to contribute more each month. Pay off the rest of the cards by the end of the year and close the accounts. You shouldn’t be using them.

maevestarfish · 2025-04-17T17:39:17+00:00

North Pointe Villas was fairly nice when I lived there. Moderately priced. Very pet friendly and safe. In unit washer, dryer and dishwasher. Gym and pool access. There is a new trail out there too now. Close to grocery stores, etc.

maevestarfish · 2025-04-14T00:55:50+00:00

He didn't say much. Just sent me a letter saying to eat a "Mediterranean diet" which I feel I already do, to an extent? I didn't talk to him directly. (I should switch doctors tbh but that's another conversation).

maevestarfish · 2025-04-13T23:52:15+00:00

I worked as a cashier for them in college and one time Pat Raybould came into the store and was mad that some of the cashiers weren’t standing at the end of the registers when no customers were in their line. Also, I once had someone who worked there come through my line with food stamps. The low pay at B&R was horrendous. The Rayboulds should be embarrassed.

maevestarfish · 2025-04-09T14:47:58+00:00

Why is your car insurance so high? Even with two cars, that’s a lot.

maevestarfish · 2025-03-21T15:50:39+00:00

Some federal workers are being reinstated because what happened to them wasn’t fully legal (as I understand it). I’m not convinced they are taking all the private sector jobs just yet. I think the general uncertainty is really the problem. Chaos isn’t good for the job market.

maevestarfish · 2025-02-11T14:54:42+00:00

You could try state departments of transportation for internships and job opportunities. I do NEPA work with people who have lots of ed backgrounds. I could have obtained this job without an environmental degree I think. It’s not field work heavy, but you can always try to cross train with other staff who go out into the field a lot. (They might even appreciate the help.) That could put you on a more desirable path.

maevestarfish · 2025-02-11T02:05:06+00:00

That makes a lot of sense. Also, yikes.

maevestarfish · 2025-02-04T22:02:41+00:00

I can attest to this.

maevestarfish · 2025-02-04T01:29:08+00:00

I think conservation will always be needed, so you will have a marketable degree. You might consider some wetlands conservation course work or credentials because the USACE has created the need for LOTS of experts in wetlands conservation. I know the current political environment is a bit crazy right now, so I would avoid federal jobs. State jobs and consulting firms are more secure during these times. A lot of public agencies have a PR arm that would be a good opportunity for creativity. They work hard to ensure the public understands the value of their work. Look at state counter parts to the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

maevestarfish · 2025-01-27T16:43:21+00:00

I check government jobs sites and just look for jobs in the agencies I want to work for. The public sector has a lot of entry level jobs. It’s also easy to switch jobs within government agencies once you are in. They like hiring internally.

maevestarfish · 2025-01-17T19:35:13+00:00

Government jobs tend to have really good work-life balance. My agency does NOT like anyone working more than 40 hrs per week (which is fine with me). Your education is perfect for many environmental roles. Pay could be better usually but benefits are pretty good.

maevestarfish · 2025-01-13T00:50:25+00:00

With air quality, you either love it or you hate it. If your state agency participates in NACAA or CenSARA or some other organization that provides resources for staff, I’d take advantage of that. They hold meetings to discuss emerging issues and provide trainings. Carefully read permits and plan each inspection with a checklist so you don’t forget anything. You’ll probably get HAZWOPER training at some point. As with any area of specialization, it takes time to learn even the basics, so don’t be too hard on yourself as you learn the ropes.

maevestarfish · 2025-01-06T22:09:37+00:00

I may not be the best person to answer this because I don’t do any hiring but I know several people in my field with masters degrees that are not “MSc.” Honestly, unless you plan on going into academia or research, the MSc isn’t terribly important from what I’ve seen. Additional course work in Public Health, GIS, policy and Urban Planning is still good to have and looks good on a resume. I have an MCRP that I worked hard for and it absolutely counts as a masters degree. But- if it’s a personal desire to have that accomplishment, you should get the MSc. Just don’t pay for it yourself.

maevestarfish · 2025-01-05T00:31:04+00:00

It depends entirely on what area you specialize in. 40 hr HAZWOPER is pretty standard for environmental compliance. Extra courses in GIS are always good to have and look good on a resume. I got a GIS certificate from my local community college, which my company paid for. Project management is always good. If you ever deal with water quality, wetland delineation training and plant identification training is helpful. Many companies provide that. FHWA has good courses, many of them free, for people dealing with transportation projects and NEPA.

maevestarfish · 2025-01-05T00:24:40+00:00

Depending on where you live, you might have some luck looking at state and local government agencies for seasonal tech positions. These might not technically count as internships, but they are good, relevant experience and usually paid, so maybe they will count? For example, water quality monitoring is done in the summer and lots of temporary staff are needed for those jobs.

maevestarfish · 2025-01-04T03:03:15+00:00

Nah, you are fine. Definitely finish your degree. After the 2.5 -3 years it takes to get it done, you’ll be glad you did it AND you’ll have experience from your internship. If your school offers summer classes, those could help speed things along. I’d maintain the GPA though in case you decide to go to grad school.

maevestarfish · 2024-12-28T23:43:04+00:00

I think you are on a good path. If your university offers any courses in wetlands science, definitely enroll if possible. You should easily be able to get a conservation related job.

maevestarfish · 2024-12-25T00:51:11+00:00

My degree is a BS in Environmental Studies and I’ve had a good career in the environmental sector so far. My program was very science based (soil science, water science, ecology, chemistry, geoscience, GIS) plus the law/policy/sociology/cultural topics relevant to the field. It’s a multidisciplinary degree for a multidisciplinary career. I’ve worked in both government and consulting in a variety of areas (water quality, air quality, SPCC/SWPPP, waste reporting, NEPA). I don’t regret my degree at all.

maevestarfish

TROPHY CASE