With so many students leaving university in substantial debt, it's easy to get carried away with the need to make money. But career satisfaction is about more than earnings and status; by taking responsibility for the impact of your work and contributing in some way to developing a sustainable future for the world, you can reap infinitely greater rewards for yourself and the whole of society.

If joining the struggle for a better world through day to day social or environmental work appeals to you, the range of possibilities is immense (and far too great to be fully explored here). From field or community work with local authorities or charities in environmental or social sectors, to running campaigns for pressure groups, there is something to suit almost any interest.

Working with one's social and environmental responsibilities in mind does not necessarily mean following an 'alternative career' and earning next to nothing, although many choose to follow this path. Careers with NGOs and charities include resource and personnel management, press and public relations, writing and editing as well as the more obvious policy or field work; whatever your skills they can offer as stimulating work as any other sector. By working for an organisation whose aims you approve, you can pursue whatever field you find satisfying with a clear conscience and a real sense of making a difference.

It is arguably just as vital to have people with a keen sense of ethics involved at a policy-making level in corporations, government and academia. Large institutions and companies often employ people to devise policy regarding their responsibilities, and it is essential that these positions are filled by people with a genuine ambition to improve practice from the inside. This is particularly true in sectors where the day to day operations of the company have a high environmental impact such as extraction and transport. Ethical banking is another growing sector, as more and more people want to use their investments to support positive initiatives and protest against bad practice. This new, responsible financial world needs researchers and economists.

Visit the One World Works website (http://uk.oneworld.net/section/uk/jobs/ethicaljobresources) to find out more about ethical career options and companies and NGOs doing work with a conscience.

Environmental work is both about preserving the wilderness and minimising the ecological impact of everyday life with the ultimate aim of complete sustainability. Dealing with often novel problems demands imagination and commitment; the flipside of this is that your job will be fun as well as rewarding. There is a huge diversity of careers available. Of the scientists, biologists can specialise in environmental research from a molecular to an ecological level, while chemists and material scientists are vital to the development and production of more environmentally sound paints, plastics, pesticides and all sorts of products as well as dealing with the legacy of pollution at home and in crisis areas overseas. Engineers developing energy systems, transport, indeed almost anything (except weapons!), may be employed by local environment agencies, companies specialising in the environment or NGOs. Engineering sustainble systems and renewable energy supplies in developing countries is one of the most important challenges of the future. Green buildings are becoming a mainstream industry, no longer alternative housing for hippies, so imaginative architects can design for minimum impact in a range of developments. On a larger scale, the decision-makers of town and transport planning must take environmental aspects fully into account and will seek expert advice in various environmental fields.

If you feel most at home in the business world, consider environmental consultancy. This involves advising companies on their environmental impact, conducting audits and devising and implementing improvements. Several major consultancy firms have an environmental arm, but there are also many specialist firms who with their small size and common ideology are likely to be friendly places to work. Finally, there are almost always social, political and economic aspects to decision-making about the environment. From campaigning (within or without the political process) to researching the gritty details of these often difficult and sometimes controversial areas, there is massive scope to work in the wider field of sustainable development.