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Smarpar t1_iy8s09s wrote

Reply to comment by xylem-and-flow in US bat species devastated by fungus now listed as endangered by zsreport

This is so spot on to how it feels to be in the environmental science industry that it breaks my heart.

I’m an environmental geologist and I work in environmental consulting, it’s exactly that. And my boss will be all “you don’t seem as enthusiastic as we’d like” and I’m thinking “yeah because our clients are fucking evil and I hate their guts” but I have to hold my nose and play nice because what’s the alternative?

I went into environmental work because I care about the environment and I spend so much time pandering to people that don’t, it makes me sick.

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xylem-and-flow t1_iy8u7jn wrote

Right there with you my friend. I am in a very fortunate spot now. I run the native plant nursery within a larger restoration non-profit. Even as a non-profit there are ties that I am not wild about, but the few times I have to poke my head out of the yard and greenhouses, I just smile and nod with the important people.

I still get to produce thousands and thousands of native plants a year for restoration efforts, USFS, municipal groups, and gardeners. Since I am the sole nursery staff, I get to collect my own seed and make sure marginal species and eco types keep on kicking. There are challenges for sure, but each plant that leaves the gate gives me some kind of hope.

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Smarpar t1_iy8zogy wrote

I had always planned to move out of the private sector and into the public. I know it’ll never be perfect but it’ll at least be less profit driven than consulting. The tough part is, I actually love what I do right now. I work from home making maps and models of contaminants in air, soil, soil vapor, surface water and groundwater. Showing where they are and where we predict they’re traveling. Projecting different outcomes considering different remediation systems. And I find that really fun. None of the gov jobs I’ve seen do as much of that, they usually contract it out to companies like mine. So I don’t know maybe I stay for my own happiness even if it tugs at my morals some. It’s still doing good ultimately even if our clients are often the bad guys.

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