March 2, 2012 | British Columbia

Environmentally-friendly students entering their careers in Toronto, Victoria or Waterloo have a wealth of green companies to choose from for employment opportunities, according to The Globe and Mail.

The newspaper compiled a comprehensive list of Canada's greenest employers based on four main criteria: their developed environmental programs, reduced carbon footprint, the environmental involvement of their workers and public identity of the company regarding its environmental stance. Companies that came out on top included from the information technology (IT) sector.

HP Advanced Solutions Inc. of Victoria, BC, which employs about 380 people, conserves resources by ensuring that printers and copiers are stocked with only 100% post-consumer paper. The machines also use double-side printing as a default setting.

Another eco-conscious IT company, SAS Institute Canada has about 240 employees in based in Toronto. The company also uses a high-level, state-of-the-art rainwater collection system that gathers and stores water in specialized containers for use in the building's toilets.

Waterloo's Research in Motion has also created a strong public identity of helping the environment. R.I.M.'s use of only environmentally sensitive fertilizers is one of many other initiatives that put them on the "greenest" list.

Those looking to learn fundamental IT skills before venturing into the eco-friendly workforce can enroll in programs like Network Systems Administrator and at CDI College. For more information, fill out the form on the right.