Most Extreme Environmental Jobs

When most people think about environmentalists and doing things good for the environment they don't often think extreme or insane. Those assumptions couldn't be further from the mark. Let us show you just how much of an adrenaline rush these environmental jobs can be!

Wind Turbine Technician

With turbines reaching up to 345 feet in height you've got to have a strong will to work this job. Wind technicians train in tower safety, turbine maintenance, welding and sometimes mechanical and electrical engineering. The ability to handle extreme heights is something you'll probably have to be born with.

Some wind turbines are over 300 feet tall.

The wind industry is booming, so if you like heights why not think about getting a job as a wind technician?

If heights aren't your thing, you can always supervise.

Arborist

Often hanging from a tree limb a hundred feet in the air, the arborist prunes damaged limbs from trees so they can continue to live a healthy life. The life of an arborist is a careful balance between preserving a tree's life and preserving their own. Often trimming trees back from live power lines, an arborist needs good balance and a steady hand to get the job done.

Precarious situations is the norm. Image Source

It has become common for arborists to use a simple rope system to climb the tree, rather than using spiked shoes like an ice climber, which helps prevent damage to the trees during surgery.

Adventure Biologist

A biologist studies all things living and investigates how they interact with their worldly surroundings. An adventure biologist does this same thing, but there's a higher mortality rate. Venomous snakes, razor sharp teeth, deadly claws, and poisonous spiders are just some of the daily tasks this occupation has to deal with to further their knowledge.

Crikey! She's a lively one!

Though Irwin was a bit of a celebrity, hundreds of other individuals come into the exact same circumstance as the croc hunter and have to manage the situation to get the job done (though I bet they decide they'd rather study the smaller crocs).

Sometimes there are the tender moments.

Hydrogeologist

Hydrogeologists study the movement of groundwater beneath the earth's surface. Below the earth's surface is a great deal of water that is known as the water table. Those that study such flows in caves are known as spelunkers, which some people do for fun. If you're adventurous, why not get paid as long as you're down their risking your life?

I hope you're not claustrophobic! Picture From a Spelunking Trip

Volcano Geologist

The early warning has gone out that heavy lava flow is occurring a few miles from your house. If you're a sane person you'd run away, if you're a volcano geologist you get your gear and race off to the hotspot. When water boils it reaches 100 C or 212 F, while magma (lava that is underground) temperatures have been known to spike to 1700 C or 2372 F. There's not a lot of room for mistakes and studying such an extreme natural phenomenon requires the bravest (see craziest) people on the planet.

Lava tubes are formed when magma sears a path through solid rock. Picture Source

Volcano geologists are known to view lava flows from the relative safety of a helicopter, but some still get down on the ground and see it first hand.

If you can stand the heat, you might even enjoy yourself. Volcano Videos