Tired of flipping burgers and waiting tables every summer? Bored with endless hours lying in the sun or lounging in front of the TV? Students interested in the environment can create their own summer job or look for one already challenging and adventurous.

The CEIP Fund Inc. offers a program for juniors, seniors and graduate students interested in pursuing environmental careers, said Carol Shaw, program coordinator for the CEIP Fund Inc.

The Student Initiated Program allows students to create their own jobs on environmental issues, Shaw said.

To be selected, students must submit a detailed proposal which must include the identification of a specific issue and an explanation of its importance to the environment, she explained. Topics could relate to such areas as solid and hazardous wastes, air and water quality, conservation, and forestry.

The student must propose a practical, workable solution to the problem and outline a feasible plan for the 12-week project. They also must write a statement on the importance of their project to their career development, Shaw said.

The SIP, in its sixth year, is a matching grants program, she said. The SIP will fund half of the money needed for the project and the student must find a sponsor to provide the other half.

"Funding from SIP gives the student credentials when searching for an organization to become their sponsor," Shaw said. Sponsors are organizations interested in the problem the student will address.

Students receive a salary of $3,720 for the 12-week project, she said. Of all the proposals submitted, five will be selected to receive funding, Shaw said.

Other jobs exist for those interested in the environment, but not ones they create themselves.

"Some of the best summer jobs can be the hardest to find information about," said Mick Sullivan, a free-lance writer from Montana who has spent eight years researching information about summer jobs.

Sullivan then compiles this information into reports he makes available for $3 to $5.

One job entails serving as a member of one of the inter-regional fire crews maintained by the U.S. Forest Services, said Sullivan, once a member of one such "hot shot" crew.

The "hot shot" fire crews are elite crews that receive special training to fight major forest fires, he said, noting the salary includes living expenses and hazard pay.

The National Park Service also offers a variety of opportunities for summer employment for a broad variety of majors, Sullivan said. Job opportunities exist in areas such as architecture, law enforcement, history, lifeguarding and clerical work.

National Park Concessioners, companies that operate the tourist facilities in National Parks, serves as another major source of employment, Sullivan said.

The National Park Concessioners try to supplement the salary with a recreational program that includes dances, movies, white water rafting, intramural sports and rodeo along with the benefits of living in a National Park for the summer, he said.

Sullivan's information includes where, when and how to apply for the jobs, housing information, pay scales, job requirements and descriptions and specific people to contact.

He stresses his reports do not guarantee a job but offer information on how to find one. For free details about his reports, students can write to Summer Jobs, Sullivans Reports; 133 East Wyoming; Kalispell, MT 59901.