Green Jobs and the New Economy
The Green Generation is the turning point to a more sustainable way of living and thinking about our world, including the economy. The new green economy should focus on tackling the climate crisis and other environmental problems as well as providing for new, meaningful jobs. It is said that a rising tide lifts all boats; indeed green jobs are a way to help create an economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.
Look around – there are many ways green jobs can be created in the context of the Green Generation. Just putting together a new green energy program for the United States and other countries will require thousands of green jobs in solar, wind, and other renewable sources of energy. The retrofitting and construction of green schools will do the same. And skilled labor jobs will be required for the manufacturing of new, green products. We should examine a wide definition of green jobs, one that encompasses a wide range of occupations, from working in organic farming, or in demolition recycling, to teaching in green schools. Green jobs are a win-win-win for the economy, the worker and the environment.
According to studies gathered by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, a Washington, DC energy think tank:
Energy efficiency now employs 8 million, and renewable energy 450,000, in the U.S. - Renewable energy creates more jobs per megawatt of power installed, unit of energy produced, and dollar invested than fossil energy.
- Generating 20 percent of U.S. electricity from new renewable energy by 2020 will add 185,000 new jobs, while cumulatively reducing utility bills $10.5 billion and increasing rural landowner income by $26.5 billion.
- A national light vehicle efficiency standard of 35 mpg by 2018 will create 241,000 jobs, including 23,900 in the automotive sector, while saving consumers $37 billion in 2020 alone.
- The Massachusetts clean energy sector employs 14,000 and will soon be the state's 10th largest economic sector.
- Washington state's 15 percent renewable energy standard will result in a net increase of 1,230 jobs in-state.
- California's Million Solar Roof Initiative will generate 15,000 jobs there.
- Germany employs 214,000 in renewable energy, including 64,000 in wind.
- Denmark's wind industry employs 20,000 and Spain's 35,000.
- U.S. wind power was responsible for 16,000 direct jobs and 36,800 total jobs in 2006.
Green collar jobs often require a bit more education than high school, and less than a four-year college, and are economically stimulating as well as environmentally sound.
In the U.S., The Green Jobs Act of 2007 was passed to provide $125 million to train 35,000 people in green jobs; however Congress is still deciding whether to fund the measure. A major energy bill that passed Congress extends and expands tax incentives for renewable energy, including incentives for greener vehicles, and enables the creation of thousands of American jobs.
Green jobs need to be at the forefront of the policy debate. Currently there are several proposals that reflect this necessity, including one to create a federal initiative that would hire thousands of people to help bring about the new energy future, based around renewable energy, and another one to create 5-million green collar jobs. All of these forward-thinking, economically sound initiatives look to a future where new jobs will result in a better environment for us all.