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Career Center (CC): What field are you in and what is your current position?

Karen Cook (KC): I am in the recycling field. I am a recycling coordinator with BFI - San Mateo District, a waste management/recycling company.

CC: What are your main job responsibilities?

KC: I coordinate recycling services for BFI's commercial customers. I work very closely with the service drivers and the customers to ensure efficient service is provided. I also spend a great deal of time selling service to new commercial customers and educating them on recycling in general.

CC: In what ways did your undergraduate degree prepare you for your current job?

KC: My major was Conservation and Resource Studies (CRS) with an emphasis in Environmental Education and Social Responsibility. I am lucky that my degree correlates closely with my current professional field. I did my senior project on recycling education in Alameda County. And in the larger context, I am able to use the principles I learned in classes taken in the College of Natural Resources (CNR) when thinking about problems in the solid waste industry and in assisting customers who are implementing sustainable business plans.

CC: What other experiences/training were important in getting you to where you are in your career?

KC: In my fifth year at Cal I participated in a 6 month internship with the Alameda County Waste Management Authority, a Joint Powers Authority that provides assistance to the residential and business communities in Alameda County. I connected with this group when I was writing a paper for a CNR class and followed up with them to see if any internship opportunities were available.

I credit my current employment to my experience there, as it gave me an understanding of how the recycling industry really operates and what the challenges are in waste reduction and recycling. I also began to network in this job. The manager that hired me at BFI told me that one of the reasons I was hired was because she knew and trusted my manager at the internship.

CC: What do you like about your work as a Recycling Coordinator?

KC: As a coordinator, I spend time in the field talking to customers and problem solving for our service drivers. I've been able to learn about what other business are doing and how the nature of their business constrains their ability to participate in sustainable business practices. I also enjoy the opportunity to problem solve - to be creative about the way my company can provide service. I also enjoy being a resource for my customers in helping them find additional resources that can help them better manage their resources.

CC: What are some drawbacks to a career in this field?

KC: There is not a great deal of change to your daily work as a coordinator for a service provider unless you are in a position to create changes in programs offered by the company. Other positions in the recycling field, like a position with a city or a consulting agency, may allow you to wear more hats than just sales and coordinating.

CC: Do you have any tips regarding what Cal undergraduates can do to prepare for a career in the environmental field?

KC: As with any career, knowing people is the best way to get in. If you have the opportunity, make contacts in the field - through jobs, internships, informational interviews or industry conferences. Also, communication skills are key to this industry, as what we are really doing is trying to change people's habits. This requires good people skills and a convincing argument.

CC: Do you see any trends developing? What changes should students be aware of?

KC: AB 939, passed in 1990, states that all cities must meet 50% recycling by year 2000. Because of that there is currently a major push by cities to increase their recycling rate. One of the programs that will help cities meet this goal is organics recycling (food waste). Electronic waste (computers, etc.) is also a major point of discussion in the industry, as California currently has a ban on CRTs (monitors) being landfilled and options for recycling them are limited.

CC: Other comments or suggestions?

KC: Extolling the virtues of environmental practices is great, but if it adds to an individual's or a company's costs, they are unlikely to adopt changes. Get an understanding of basic business principles and understand where they intersect with the environmental goals you are trying to achieve.

CC: What's in store for your future?

KC: I'll be traveling for 6 months in Australia and New Zealand starting in November of 2002. This will be mostly an adventure and vacation, but I hope to spend some time looking at the environmental culture of these countries. New Zealand is especially known as a progressive country in this area. Upon my return, I will be looking for work in this field again, most likely on the consulting side of things. In the next couple of years, I am looking to go back to school to get a combined Business and Environmental Studies degree. Several schools offer programs like this as a three year MBA/MS degree.

Additional Resources

What Can I Do with a Major in Conservation & Resource Studies