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Imagine a woman whose job is to protect the environment. You might picture a scientist in a lab. Or the head of an ocean clean-up crew. Or maybe an activist leading a climate march.
The truth is, there are dozens of jobs that fit that bill. These days, there are more sustainable career possibilities than ever before.
So women everywhere are using their unique skill sets and abilities to make differences big and small, whether that’s overhauling product packaging or teaching kids to protect the world they’ll inherit. Because it’ll take everyone — from governments and nonprofits to businesses and individuals — to band together to put our planet first. Take it from Walmart. Which has partnered with the National Fish and Wildlife Service for the past 17 years to build Acres for America, one of the country’s leading public-private land conservation partnership. Walmart’s also recently committed to pursue becoming a regenerative company. Aka one that puts nature and humanity at the center of everything they do.
In other words, Walmart aims to go beyond conserving natural resources, and work to restore and replenish them. So with the help of our pals at Walmart, we’re introducing three women who have dedicated their lives to taking care of the environment. They’re a reminder to everyone that, when it comes to sustainability, we all have an important role to play. And there’s no one way to do it.
How to Make a Career Out of Saving the Planet
Meet three women on very different paths to fight for Mother Earth
Meet Ashley
The sustainable packaging leader breaking the link between consumption and waste
Ashley C. Hall
Ashley C. Hall always knew she wanted to work for the environment. After college, she got a job where she thought she could have the most impact: consulting for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Hall is proud of the work she did there, but realized that if she wanted to have a more immediate impact, she needed to head somewhere unexpected: the business world.
Now, Hall works for Walmart Inc. as their Director of Sustainable Packaging. Walmart has been at the forefront of corporate sustainability efforts for over 16 years — driving suppliers and others to adopt more sustainable practices, working with its buyers and sourcing teams, and setting big goals. Goals like eliminating emissions across its global operations by 2040 and aiming for 100% recyclable, reusable, or industrially compostable private-brand packaging by 2025. In her role, Hall says she spends a lot of time geeking out over packaging details.
Plastic production is expected to more than double by 2050.
“Sometimes you buy something and you look at it and think, ‘Oh, that’s a recyclable package.’ But it may not actually be, because of the adhesives or the different resins used,” she explained. So her team works with the companies that develop and manufacture the products they sell to avoid using materials that will mess with the recycling stream.
In 2018, more than 146 million tons of waste ended up in landfills.
Meet Amanda
Amanda Bassow is never happier at work than when she gets to watch a fish swim free.
Bassow works as the Northeast Regional Director at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), a group that funds projects that protect wildlife populations and habitats around the U.S. Her day-to-day involves a lot of fundraising, grant making, and overseeing a team of managers who work with local conservation groups.
Amanda Bassow
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is the nation’s largest private conservation grant-maker. It supports projects that sustain and restore this country’s wildlife. And since 2005, NFWF and Walmart have worked together on the Acres for America program, which beat its original goal to permanently conserve one acre of wildlife habitat for every acre of land developed for Walmart stores.
Bassow spends a lot of her time at work making sure everyone’s efforts feed into those types of big, game-changing projects. But site visits are when she sees it all come together. Walmart’s Acres for America program has funded 100 projects across 41 states, conserving critical habitats and helping to protect migration routes. Something as simple as removing a dam can have a huge impact — right away.
The regional director fighting to protect animal habitats
“When water can’t flow, it creates a flood risk. It also means that fish can’t get upstream,” Bassow said. “It’s one of the things in conservation where, when you fix it, it has an immediate benefit. I love visiting those projects, because oftentimes you can stand on a new bridge and see the fish passing again right under you.”
Those moments are a reminder of how, despite everything we’ve thrown at it, nature is resilient. They make Bassow hopeful about where we are headed.
“Nature will respond. That’s what we see all the time: when we invest and give it a helping hand, we have such resilient systems — even in the face of a changing climate,” Bassow said. “If we give nature a little bit of room to work it out, it will surprise us.”
“If we give nature a little bit of room to work it out, it will surprise us.”
Meet Lauren
Like the sustainability experts at Walmart, NFWF, and Acres for America, Lauren Vandenhurk isn’t naive about the urgency of climate change. She knows it will take unprecedented cooperation between governments, responsible businesses, nonprofits, and individuals to make a difference. But in some ways, she thinks inspiring people to take action is simple. They just need to spend time in nature.
Lauren Vandenhurk
Getting people outdoors is a big part of what she does as the Education and Evaluation Manager at Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, a nonprofit that leads young people in nature service programs. Kids can do everything from spending a few hours a day picking up trash and planting trees, to spending a month camping out under the stars while building a trail.
The educator inspiring the next generation
Source: World Economic Forum
“I do re-center almost every morning and say: ‘OK. We have these big, ambitious goals: We're looking to reduce 15% absolute virgin plastic from our private brand packaging. We're looking to have 100% recyclable, reusable, compostable packaging for our private brands.’” Hall said. “What are we doing today to help get us there?”
As Hall sees it, improving sustainability will take governments and companies working together, but individuals make a huge difference, too. Especially when shoppers opt for products that are reusable or refillable.
“Those small differences can really add up. If a business sees, ‘Hey, people are buying these types of reusable products,’ you can bet you’re going to see more of them in the future,” she said.
Source: World Economic Forum
Source: Center for American Progress
1 in 5 plant and animal species in the U.S. are at risk of extinction.
Source: Mind
95% of people say their mood improves after spending time outdoors.
“Kids have this wonderful sense of curiosity, and we can make it even stronger by engaging them in the natural world,” said Vandenhurk. “We are a part of the ecosystem, and I think sometimes we forget that. We kind of separate ourselves. But we remember when we feel more connected to the natural world.”
“Young people are just amazing. I feel so inspired by the actions I see them take, the passion they have, and the way they’re making conscious choices with the information they have,” Vandenhurk said. “I just feel really hopeful because of them.”
In her job, Vanderhurk wears a lot of hats. She manages the education curriculum, works on funding and grant writing, and helps train the program’s leaders and seasonal staff — including teaching them wilderness first-aid. Every day, she sees a child learn something about themselves or nature they never knew before and it reignites her passion to fight for the Earth.
Source: The Lancet Planetary Health
60% of 16 to 25-year-olds say they’re very worried about the environment.
Source: Pew Research Center
More than 30% of GenZers say they’ve donated money, attended a rally, volunteered, or contacted an elected official to address climate change within the past year.
How to Make a Career Out of Saving the Planet
Plastic production is expected to more than double by 2050.
Source: World Economic Forum
Ashley C. Hall
Amanda Bassow is never happier at work than when she gets to watch a fish swim free.
Bassow works as the Northeast Regional Director at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, a group that funds projects that protect wildlife populations and habitats around the U.S. Her day-to-day involves a lot of fundraising, grant making, and overseeing a team of managers who work with local conservation groups.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is the nation’s largest private conservation grant-maker. It supports projects that sustain and restore this country’s wildlife. And since 2005, NFWF and Walmart have worked together on the Acres for America program, which beat its original goal to permanently conserve one acre of wildlife habitat for every acre of land developed for Walmart stores.
Bassow spends a lot of her time at work making sure everyone’s efforts feed into those types of big, game-changing projects. But site visits are when she sees it all come together. Walmart’s Acres for America program has funded 100 projects across 41 states, conserving critical habitats and helping to protect migration routes. Something as simple as removing a dam can have a huge impact — right away.
In 2018, more than 146 million tons of waste ended up in landfills.
Source: World Economic Forum
“When water can’t flow, it creates a flood risk. It also means that fish can’t get upstream,” Bassow said. “It’s one of the things in conservation where, when you fix it, it has an immediate benefit. I love visiting those projects, because oftentimes you can stand on a new bridge and see the fish passing again right under you.”
Amanda Bassow
Amanda Bassow
Those moments are a reminder of how, despite everything we’ve thrown at it, nature is resilient. They make Bassow hopeful about where we are headed.
“Nature will respond. That’s what we see all the time: when we invest and give it a helping hand, we have such resilient systems — even in the face of a changing climate,” Bassow said. “If we give nature a little bit of room to work it out, it will surprise us.”
Plastic production is expected to more than double by 2050.
Source: World Economic Forum
Lauren Vandenhurk isn’t naive about the urgency of climate change. She knows it will take unprecedented cooperation between governments, responsible businesses, nonprofits, and individuals to make a difference. But in some ways, she thinks inspiring people to take action is simple. They just need to spend time in nature.
Getting people outdoors is a big part of what she does as the Education and Evaluation Manager at Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, a nonprofit that leads young people in nature service programs. Kids can do everything from spending a few hours a day picking up trash and planting trees, to spending a month camping out under the stars while building a trail.
“Kids have this wonderful sense of curiosity, and we can make it even stronger by engaging them in the natural world,” said Vandenhurk. “We are a part of the ecosystem, and I think sometimes we forget that. We kind of separate ourselves. But we remember when we feel more connected to the natural world.”
In 2018, more than 146 million tons of waste ended up in landfills.
Source: World Economic Forum
In her job, Vanderhurk wears a lot of hats. She manages the education curriculum, works on funding and grant writing, and helps train the program’s leaders and seasonal staff — including teaching them wilderness first-aid. Every day, she sees a child learn something about themselves or nature they never knew before and it reignites her passion to fight for the earth.
1 in 5 plant and animal species in the U.S. are at risk of extinction.
Source: Center for American Progress
Ashley C. Hall always knew she wanted to work fighting for the environment. After college, she got a job where she thought she could have the most impact: the Environmental Protection Agency. Hall is proud of the work she did there, but she realized that if she wanted to have a more immediate impact, she needed to head somewhere unexpected: the business world.
Ashley C. Hall
Amanda Bassow is never happier at work than when she gets to watch a fish swim free.
Bassow works as the Northeast Regional Director at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, a group that funds projects that protect wildlife populations and habitats around the U.S. Her day-to-day involves a lot of fundraising, grant making, and overseeing a team of managers who work with local conservation groups.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is the nation’s largest private conservation grant-maker. It supports projects that sustain and restore this country’s wildlife. And since 2005, NFWF and Walmart have worked together on the Acres for America program, which beat its original goal to permanently conserve one acre of wildlife habitat for every acre of land developed for Walmart stores.
Bassow spends a lot of her time at work making sure everyone’s efforts feed into those types of big, game-changing projects. But site visits are when she sees it all come together. Walmart’s Acres for America program has funded 100 projects across 41 states, conserving critical habitats and helping to protect migration routes. Something as simple as removing a dam can have a huge impact — right away.
Ashley C. Hall
Lauren Vandenhurk isn’t naive about the urgency of climate change. She knows it will take unprecedented cooperation between governments, responsible businesses, nonprofits, and individuals to make a difference. But in some ways, she thinks inspiring people to take action is simple. They just need to spend time in nature.
Getting people outdoors is a big part of what she does as the Education and Evaluation Manager at Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, a nonprofit that leads young people in nature service programs. Kids can do everything from spending a few hours a day picking up trash and planting trees, to spending a month camping out under the stars while building a trail.
Amanda Bassow
67% of consumers say it’s important that the products they buy are in recyclable packaging.
Source: Boston Consulting Group
In 2018, more than 146 million tons of waste ended up in landfills.
Source: World Economic Forum
Source: World Economic Forum
In 2018, more than 146 million tons of waste ended up in landfills.
Hall’s work to put less toxins, plastic, and waste in the environment complements the conservation focus of the Acres for America program. It’s a form of systemic change that can help Walmart fulfill its mission of breaking the link between shopping and waste. And if it’s done right, it scales. But sometimes, Hall admits she gets intimidated by what the company has set out to do.
“Sometimes you buy something and you look at it and think, ‘Oh, that’s a recyclable package.’ But it may not actually be, because of the adhesives or the different resins used,” she explained. So her team works with the companies that develop and manufacture the products they sell to avoid using materials that will mess with the recycling stream.
Hall’s work to put less toxins, plastic, and waste in the environment complements the conservation focus of the Acres for America program. It’s a form of systemic change that can help Walmart fulfill its mission of breaking the link between shopping and waste. And if it’s done right, it scales. But sometimes, Hall admits she gets intimidated by what the company has set out to do.
“Sometimes you buy something and you look at it and think, ‘Oh, that’s a recyclable package.’ But it may not actually be, because of the adhesives or the different resins used,” she explained. So her team works with the companies that develop and manufacture the products they sell to avoid using materials that will mess with the recycling stream.
Hall’s work to put less toxins, plastic, and waste in the environment complements the conservation focus of the Acres for America program. It’s a form of systemic change that can help Walmart fulfill its mission of breaking the link between shopping and waste. And if it’s done right, it scales. But sometimes, Hall admits she gets intimidated by what the company has set out to do.
Plastic production is expected to more than double by 2050.
Source: World Economic Forum
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