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Exploring Green Careers: SERENA PADILLA, Garden Educator

The green economy uses more renewable energy, reduces pollution and makes the Hudson Valley healthier long-term. Here is what’s involved in some expanding local careers.

by Danielle Salisbury + Lynn Freehill-Maye
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The statistics are impressive: by 2030, more than 24 million new jobs could be created globally by shifting to a greener economy, according to the International Labour Organization. But what actually are those jobs, and what do they take? 

La Voz and www.scenichudson.org’s HV Viewfinder both envision a sustainable, inclusive future for the Hudson Valley, so we teamed up to get insight into green careers through the eyes of four local people who hold exciting roles. Not only do these leaders feel challenged, but they also say they’re contributing to revitalizing the area both today and tomorrow.

Serena Padilla. (Photo: Serena Padilla)

Serena Padilla 
Garden Educator, Land to Learn

What do you do? I teach garden-based education classes (SproutEd) to all kindergarten-2nd grade students in both schools and manage or maintain the school gardens. Our lessons are rooted in gardening, food, community, health, and ecology. 

What are your daily work activities? Teaching 3-4 garden-based lessons in-person to Kinder-2nd grade students, playing outside and digging in the dirt, gardening with community members, cooking with various ages of youth, organizing and coordinating with teachers and administrators, and developing curricula. 

How does your work make an impact? I love this question! I think this work has a long term impact in the way that young people approach new things and feel connected to nature. The school gardens are peaceful spaces for youth from diverse backgrounds to understand ecosystem dynamics,  to explore the generosity of nature, and to understand that they are an integral part of the world.  

What could someone interested in this career do? Get involved in the community — listen to community needs, volunteer in community growing spaces, learn from folks and elders that have been involved in food justice work. Always take an intersectional approach — consider how work connected to education and the environment intersects with race, class, gender, mobility, and requires a critical lens. 

To read more posts in the Green Careers/Carreras Ecológicas series click here.

More in this series

The statistics are impressive: by 2030, more than 24 million new jobs could be created globally by shifting to a...
The statistics are impressive: by 2030, more than 24 million new jobs could be created globally by shifting to a...
The statistics are impressive: by 2030, more than 24 million new jobs could be created globally by shifting to a...
Climate change has been a topic of national conversation since the ’80s — twice as long as members of Generation...
Las estadísticas son impresionantes: para el año 2030, más de 24 millones de trabajos pueden ser creado globalmente por la...
Las estadísticas son impresionantes: para el año 2030, más de 24 millones de trabajos pueden ser creado globalmente por la...
Las estadísticas son impresionantes: para el año 2030, más de 24 millones de trabajos pueden ser creado globalmente por la...
Las estadísticas son impresionantes: para el año 2030, más de 24 millones de trabajos pueden ser creado globalmente por la...

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Search Viewfinder:

Hudson Valley Viewfinder is a collaborative, community digital magazine sharing what inspires us about the beautiful Hudson Valley. We publish original stories and multimedia content about all things sustainable in the region along the Hudson River — including agriculture, science, wildlife, outdoor recreation, green transportation, environmental justice, and more.

Our mission is to immerse you in the storied history, fresh happenings, and coming solutions for making the Hudson Valley greener and more livable long-term.

Viewfinder is published by Scenic Hudson, the celebrated nonprofit credited with launching the modern grassroots environmental movement in 1963. With over 25,000 passionate supporters, Scenic Hudson’s mission is to sustain and enhance the Hudson Valley’s inspirational beauty and health for generations to come. Viewfinder supports that mission, because the better people understand what makes this place special, the more they will invest in protecting it. 

Keep up with the latest stories by subscribing to Scenic Hudson’s monthly digital newsletter, and connect with us on social via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Threads.

Our mission is to immerse you in the storied history, fresh happenings, and coming solutions for making the Hudson Valley greener and more livable long-term.

Viewfinder is published by Scenic Hudson, the celebrated nonprofit credited with launching the modern grassroots environmental movement in 1963. With over 25,000 passionate supporters, Scenic Hudson’s mission is to sustain and enhance the Hudson Valley’s inspirational beauty and health for generations to come. Viewfinder supports that mission, because the better people understand what makes this place special, the more they will invest in protecting it. 

Keep up with the latest stories by subscribing to Scenic Hudson’s monthly digital newsletter, and connect with us on social via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Threads.

Lynn Freehill-Maye
Managing Editor
editorial@scenichudson.org 

Riley Johndonnell
Director Creative Strategies & Communications
rjohndonnell@scenichudson.org

Lynn Freehill-Maye
Managing Editor
editorial@scenichudson.org 

Riley Johndonnell
Director Creative Strategies & Communications
rjohndonnell@scenichudson.org

We’re always looking for ideas around our main topic areas of Climate Solutions, Land + Air + Water, Plants + Animals, History + Culture, Outdoors, and Community.
  • Journalists and writers who have deep familiarity with New York and the Hudson Valley, we’d love to have you contribute! Please do introduce yourself by email, sharing writing samples and any relevant pitches you may have.
  • Photographers and videographers, we’d love to hear from you and see what you do. Please send along a portfolio with images or footage that showcases your best and/or most relevant work, with an emphasis on anything captured outdoors. 
  • Illustrators, we commission artwork on the regular. Drop us a note with some of the beauty you’ve created.
  • Media Partners & Social Media Influencers, we welcome opportunities to team up on series and campaigns. Reach out with any background about yourselves and your ideas.
We’re always looking for ideas around our main topic areas of Climate Solutions, Land + Air + Water, Plants + Animals, History + Culture, Outdoors, and Community.
  • Journalists and writers who have deep familiarity with New York and the Hudson Valley, we’d love to have you contribute! Please do introduce yourself by email, sharing writing samples and any relevant pitches you may have.
  • Photographers and videographers, we’d love to hear from you and see what you do. Please send along a portfolio with images or footage that showcases your best and/or most relevant work, with an emphasis on anything captured outdoors. 
  • Illustrators, we commission artwork on the regular. Drop us a note with some of the beauty you’ve created.
  • Media Partners & Social Media Influencers, we welcome opportunities to team up on series and campaigns. Reach out with any background about yourselves and your ideas.
  • We love to collaborate with media outlets, especially on episodic series (like these) of interest to our shared audiences. Past collaborations have included radio interviews, panel discussions and other events, original artwork, and e-blasts, all furthering the campaign’s excitement and reach. 
  • We also love to partner with other organizations whose missions align with Scenic Hudson’s. Feel free to reach out with some background on your group and its work.
  • Writers, photographers, and creatives, if you have an idea for a series or content campaign that might be a good fit, drop us a line!

Businesses, please note that as a nonprofit, Scenic Hudson is restricted from advertising or promoting for-profit companies, through Viewfinder or other outlets. While we understand content managers may wish to alert us to your company’s role in a relevant topic, we are unable to add links to businesses to our stories.

  • We love to collaborate with media outlets, especially on episodic series (like these) of interest to our shared audiences. Past collaborations have included radio interviews, panel discussions and other events, original artwork, and e-blasts, all furthering the campaign’s excitement and reach. 
  • We also love to partner with other organizations whose missions align with Scenic Hudson’s. Feel free to reach out with some background on your group and its work.
  • Writers, photographers, and creatives, if you have an idea for a series or content campaign that might be a good fit, drop us a line!

Businesses, please note that as a nonprofit, Scenic Hudson is restricted from advertising or promoting for-profit companies, through Viewfinder or other outlets. While we understand content managers may wish to alert us to your company’s role in a relevant topic, we are unable to add links to businesses to our stories.

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