Clean Energy Economy Poised for Explosive Growth

Green jobs are hot and getting hotter, according to a new study by Pew Charitable Trusts. Green collar workers currently constitute a tiny but fast-growing sector of the U.S. economy, and that growth is going to explode in the coming months.

From The New York Times:

The “clean-energy economy” grew 9.1 percent between 1998 and 2007 to 777,000 jobs. While that is just half a percent of all U.S. jobs, the clean-energy economy is poised to grow significantly with financial support from the public and private sectors, the Pew (pdf) concludes.

“The nation’s clean-energy economy is poised for explosive growth,” said Lori Grange, the Pew Center on the States’ interim deputy director. “The trends include surging venture capital investment … a critical growth rate in clean-energy generation, energy efficiency and environmentally friendly products.”

About 80 percent of venture capital investments in 2008 were in the clean energy and energy efficiency sector, broadly known as “cleantech.” And while cleantech slumped with overall venture capital in the first quarter of 2009, the sector outperformed telecommunications, media and other sectors, according to an analysis of Thompson Reuters data by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association.

The Pew report cites Obama’s $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as the driving force behind the clean energy economy.

Oregon has the nation’s strongest clean energy economy on a per-capita basis, but California, the nation’s most populous state, had the most clean energy jobs last year with about 125,000.

The report’s lead researcher even says that the numbers are on the conservative side. Growth may be even bigger.

Clean energy jobs FTW!

Link [The New York Times]

Van Jones Explains Why He’s Going to Washington

He’s the perfect man for the job, so of course greenies across America are thrilled that Van Jones is joining President Obama’s administration to become a ‘green jobs adviser’. But, there are some who have questioned whether it’s really the best way to put Jones’ expertise to use, and wondered what he’s leaving behind as he heads to Washington. Jones sat down for interviews with E&E News and YES! Magazine to explain.

From Greenwire:

E&E: What will be your new role within CEQ, and why did you decide to join this administration?

Jones: The title is special adviser for green jobs, enterprise and innovation. … As we begin to move toward a clean-energy economy, we have an opportunity to have equal opportunity from the very beginning, making sure all Americans can take part.

E&E: Will you also advocate the president’s agenda among the public?

Jones: That’s still in development. Part of my job description does have me available to advocate publicly, but I think we’re going to be focusing primarily internally for the near term.

E&E: Do you consider yourself Obama’s “green-jobs czar,” as some have dubbed you?

Jones: No, I’m the green-jobs handyman. I’m there to serve. I’m there to help as a leader in the field of green jobs, which is a new field. I’m happy to come and serve and be helpful, but there’s no such thing as a green-jobs “czar.”

Jones also answered some pressing questions from YES! Magazine, via GreenBiz.com:

Doug: What happens to Green for All while you’re in DC?

Van: That’s the best news of all, that we have an extraordinary leader in Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, who’s coming on board. Anybody in California knows that she is a truewunderkind. She has been a phenomenal leader of the progressive labor movement, she’s African-American, she’s young — in her early thirties. You just could not dream up a better person to come into Green for All at this time.

Doug: While you’re in DC, what can folks who have been following Green for All and working with you or on your initiatives, what can folks do to keep the movement going?

Van: Continue doing the things we have planned. We’re working to implement the green recovery in a just way. We need to get those recovery dollars out fast and fair. Anybody who’s interested can got to the website greenforall.org and you’ll see lots of opportunities to get involved and also lots of information about how to get those recovery dollars working in your own community. And that’s going to be an important part of what Green for All does going forward. To tell you the truth, I think in that start-up phase the early phase, visioning and initiating, I think I did an extraordinary job. We are in a different world, and Green for All needs a different leader. And it has that leader in Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins.

Jones is passionate about what he does – that’s what makes him such a great pick. So, of course he’s going to make sure that things are taken care of before he leaves Green for All to help Obama tackle the green jobs angle of economic recovery in Washington. I think we’ll see a lot of amazing things come out of this partnership, and Green for All will continue the fantastic work they’ve been doing for so many years now.

Link [Greenwire] + [GreenBiz.com] via [The Huffington Post]

Van Jones, Obama’s New Green Jobs Adviser

Over the past few days there’s been a lot of rumors and speculation about Van Jones possibly joining President Obama’s cabinet as ‘Green Jobs Czar’. It was finally confirmed yesterday that while ‘Green Jobs Czar’ is a bit of an overstatement, Jones wil indeed be serving as Obama’s green jobs adviser.

From Google:

Author and activist Van Jones will be a special adviser for green jobs, enterprise and innovation in the Obama administration.

Nancy Sutley, chairwoman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said in a release Monday that Jones will start work next week to help direct the administration’s efforts to create jobs and help the environment. Sutley said Jones will work on “vulnerable communities.”

Jones, who is perhaps the nation’s most high-profile advocate of green jobs, is the founder of Green for All and author of the book ‘The Green Collar Economy’. Grist caught up with him at the Democratic National Convention last August to ask whether he’d be interested in becoming a part of the Obama administration as green jobs czar or something similar, to which he responded “I can’t imagine what position he would offer me except the janitorial recycling staff, which I’d be happy to be a part of.”

Of course, Jones was being modest. He’s a natural choice for such a position, bringing with him years of experience organizing and advocating for green jobs training programs, particularly in poverty-stricken urban areas. When President Obama won the election last November, bringing Jones on staff was one of the first things we asked him to do. We’re confident that Jones has what it takes to help Obama lead this country into a new green collar economy.

Link [Grist] + [Google]

Great Green Job of the Week: Coastal Louisiana Organizer for the National Wildlife Federation

The National Wildlife Federation is seeking an effective, dynamic individual to help lead a grassroots outreach campaign in support of NWF’s issue agenda on Coastal Louisiana Restoration (including combating climate change), with a particular focus on the Atchafalaya Basin. This position is located in Baton Rouge – the NWF is also seeking a coastal organizer for the Houma/Thibidaux area.

The successful candidate will have organizing experience along with strong communication, leadership, team building, and project management skills. This person will work under the Coastal Louisiana Senior Program Manager and with the South Central Regional Executive Director, as well as other local and regional staff. This person is part of a highly engaged team of NWF staff and other NGO partners working in campaign mode to push the envelope on rapid deployment of large-scale coastal restoration projects and a strong, environmentally sound plan for hurricane protection in coastal Louisiana.

This person will be responsible to:

• Work with outreach, program, and field staff to implement a strategic advocacy campaign and stakeholder engagement plan focused on environmental modeling of the Atchafalaya Basin, and use of its water and sediment in coastal restoration.
• Engage and collaborate with NWF partners and other organizations to influence public policy and decision makers.
• Work with NWF’s key constituencies with emphasis placed on hunters and anglers and other nontraditional constituencies.
• Develop, track and mentor volunteer leadership for involvement in NWF-related affiliate programs and NWF programs.
• Work with all types of grassroots tactics including: grassroots and grasstops engagement, earned and paid media, coalition building, local and national lobbying, and on the ground and online communication tools.
• Engage with agencies, scientists, and businesses, and other stakeholders
• Conduct trainings and workshops, and speak at events and conferences.
• Assist in securing funding from foundations, individual donors and coalition partners.
• Function as part of a larger team that includes NWF local, regional, and national staff, and staff from other NGO partners.

Qualified applicants must have a four year degree and a minimum three years of successful job experience in advocacy organizing, political campaigns, or nonprofit advocacy organizations required. Experience with / knowledge of Louisiana’s coastal restoration program and the Atchafalaya Basin a plus. Long term local residency preferred.

Do you hear the call of the wild? Apply at www.nwf.org/careergateway and join us in mobilizing Americans to protect our country’s wildlife.

NWF offers a competitive salary, excellent benefits and is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity.

National Wildlife Federation – It starts with people…like you.

Apply at the National Wildlife Federation website.

Link [National Wildlife Federation] + [Treehugger Jobs Board]

College Students Flood Green Jobs Training

College students all over America are betting on the idea that the green job market holds promise even in this bleak economy, gravitating to green jobs training programs. They’re learning about alternative fuels, renewable energy and how to green their current field of work in the hopes of snagging one of the millions of green jobs that experts have predicted will become available over the next few years.

From ABC News:

Earlier this week in California, a “Dream Green Job” fair attracted hundreds of San Francisco Bay Area job-seekers to an event at the Commonwealth Club.

“I’m looking for something that really aligns with who I am and what I want to be doing in the world,” said Jessica Zdeb, who’s searching for a green job.

In addition to representatives from job networking Web sites and green industries like solar power, there were colleges and universities spreading the word about their course offerings, training and degree programs promising to prepare adult students for a greener future.

“I’m pretty excited about prospects here,” said Struan Vaz. “I want to understand what’s out there, what are people doing? What are the movers and shakers talking about? With that you can make a good decision.”

The news isn’t all rosy – GreenJobs.com CEO Peter Beadle says green job listings on his popular site have declined over the last few months even as applicant numbers have soared. Beadle believes the government has to tackle the credit crisis before green jobs can really take off. Still, green jobs aren’t out of reach.

“It’s not an economy where you can be a passive jobseeker,” said Caroline McCelland of Green Career Central. “You must be innovative; you must be willing and ready to do the work of doing the research and getting involved and getting engaged.”

And career counselors in the green arena say it’s important to focus and spend time educating yourself about the big world of renewable and sustainable energy.

“Whether it’s solar or wind or hydro, recognize that they are different,” Beadle says. “You have to become an expert in one of them.”

The key here is definitely being proactive. Don’t wait for a green job to fall into your lap – go out and fight for it. Check out our guide, ‘Green Jobs 101: How to Snag Eco-Employment’ for tips and information about finding the green job of your dreams.

Link [ABC News]
Photo credit: Green Jobs Now

Green Jobs 101: How to Snag Eco-Employment

Looking for a green collar job? You’re far from alone. Even with the tanking economy, lots of people are putting their hopes into the prediction that millions of green jobs are coming our way in the next few years – especially since many believe that green jobs and economic recovery will go hand-in-hand. Here’s EarthFirst’s guide to green jobs, helping you learn more about what’s out there, how to get training and where to apply.

What exactly is a green collar job?

A ‘green collar job’ is generally defined as a job that pays a livable wage, provides opportunities for advancement along a career track of increasing skills and wages and helps the planet, whether by cleaning up the environment, providing renewable energy, advancing eco-friendly technology or some other tangible improvement.

Green collar jobs range from what we know as ‘blue collar’ to ‘white collar’, with most of them falling squarely in the middle. They tend to require more than just high school education, but not necessarily 4-year college degrees. With adequate training, even low-skilled and low-income workers can get a job in a green industry.

Green collar jobs also tend to be local jobs. Check this out, from Green for All:

Much of the work we have to do to green our economy involves transforming the places that we live and work and the way we get around. These jobs are difficult or impossible to offshore. For instance, you can’t pick up a house, send it to China to have solar panels installed, and have it shipped back. In addition, one of the major sources of manufacturing jobs — a sector that has been extensively off-shored — are components parts for wind towers and turbines. Because of their size and related high transportation costs, they are most cost-effectively produced as near as possible to wind-farm sites. Cities and communities should begin thinking now about ways their green strategies can also create local jobs.

What are the hot industries with lots of jobs available, and what does the future look like for green jobs in general?

The hottest sectors for green jobs are solar thermal, solar photovoltaics, biofuels, and fuel cells (in terms of revenue growth). Hot job areas include electricians, mechanical engineers, welders, metal workers, construction managers, accountants, analysts, environmental scientists, and chemists.  The vast majority of jobs created by the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries are in the same types of roles seen in other industries.

In other words, you won’t necessarily even have to change fields to get a green job. Green companies will be seeking factory workers, IT professionals, marketing professionals, administrative assistants and other employees. Nearly any job can be green.

The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) forecasts the creation of 37 million jobs from renewable energy and energy efficiency in the U.S. by the year 2030. Of course, ASES warns that this scenario will only be possible with strong government support – but we’re counting on President Obama to live up to his promises to put the creation of green jobs at the forefront of his priorities.

So far, California and Colorado stand out in terms of availability of green jobs and growth potential. California is becoming a “cleantech epicenter”, with employment in the sector spiking 10 percent between 2005 and 2007. More than $3 billion in venture money was invested in California cleantech companies in 2008, representing over 57 percent of all U.S. investments in the sector. California has also produced the highest number of patents (607) in the solar, wind and battery industries. Colorado, on the other hand, is a hotbed of renewable energy opportunities with about 6% of the U.S. wind market, nearly six percent of the photovoltaics market, and about 5% of the biofuels market.

The green jobs field is still very much in flux, according to GreenBiz.com. After years of promise led to a crash in expectations in late 2008 as the global economy faltered, many were unsure of how things will shape up in 2009 – and though it’s still unclear exactly when and where the green job boom will take place, there is definitely promise. All signs point to the Obama administration jump-starting America’s clean tech sector. Employers will have to catch up to the 21st century, though, and stop requiring applicants in brand-new fields to have years of experience. Training programs will be necessary to prepare workers for these new roles.

Where can I learn more about green jobs training?

If you’re out for a green job, prepare to be competitive. While not all green jobs require special training, many do – especially the cleantech and renewable energy industries. Here’s a list of green job training programs for various fields.

Green Corps 2009-2010 Field School for Environmental Organizing – In Green Corps’ year-long paid program, you’ll get intensive training in the skills you’ll need to make a difference in the world. You’ll get hands-on experience fighting to solve urgent environmental problems — global warming, deforestation, water pollution and many others — with groups such as Sierra Club and Greenpeace. And, when you graduate from Green Corps, we’ll help you find a career with one of the nation’s leading environmental and social change groups.

Green for All Academy – The Green for All Academy trains leaders and gives them the tools they need to communicate the promise of the green economy and to engage disadvantaged communities in support of green jobs and climate protection strategies. Academy participants are on-the-ground leaders in the movement to create an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty. After receiving their initial training, participants work with Green For All to advance policy, communication, and organizing goals over a one-year fellowship period.

Sustainable South Bronx – The Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training (BEST) program is one of the nation’s first and most successful green-collar job training & placement systems. Students graduate with several certifications, job readiness preparation, and a powerful environmental justice perspective on all of the important work they are qualified to do. Nearly all of the students were on some form of public assistance, and about half have prison records. This 14-16-week program is free to qualified applicants. SSBx also has a 10 to 13 week pilot job training program in basic building construction, energy retrofits, and home energy audits.

Oakland Green Jobs Corps – Providing “green pathways out of poverty,” the Oakland Green Job Corps will serve young adults who face barriers to employment – poverty, lack of work experience, limited education, cultural and language barriers, or history with the criminal justice system. The teachers at Cypress Mandela provide wraparound services and work with the students to help them achieve basic literacy and math skills, pass their GED, learn personal finance, get their drivers license or clear their driving record, and pass their weekly drug tests.

Solar Energy International - Solar Energy International (SEI) is a USA non-profit organization whose mission is to help others use renewable energy and environmental building technologies through education. SEI teaches individuals from all walks of life how to design, install and maintain renewable energy systems, and how to design and build efficient, sustainable homes. SEI offers trainings online and in 22 locations around the world.

Solar Living Institute – Established in 1998 as a spin-off from Real Goods Trading Company, the Solar Living Institute in Hopland, CA, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization whose mission is to promote sustainable living through inspirational environmental education. The Institute provides practical, education by example and hands-on workshops on renewable energy, green building, sustainable living, permaculture, organic gardening and alternative, environmental, construction methods.

DC GreenWorks – DC Greenworks is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) social enterprise that serves the Washington, D.C. community by providing training, tools, and technologies that utilize, advance, and protect the environment. DC Greenworks sees a vital connection between ecology and economy, between employment potential and environmental sustainability. We actively seek to discover, promote, and deliver cutting-edge solutions that are cost-effective, eco-friendly, and socially beneficial.

There are lots more green job training programs available locally. To find one near you, contact your local chamber of commerce.

How do I prepare?

Before you start applying for green jobs, there are some things you can do to improve your chances of getting hired. First and foremost, go green in your own life in any ways that you can. Read green blogs, join local green groups, communicate with other greenies online – make contacts and build your knowledge about the green movement in general. If you’re unsure of what kind of green job is right for you, this can be a great way to learn which topics pique your interest.

Consider your strengths and think about how skills you’ve acquired in previous jobs can help you perform a new green job. Put these on your resume – and speaking of resumes, beef it up with green volunteering. It’ll show that your heart’s in the right place, which can help you stand out in a crowd of applicants.

Where should I apply?

Here are a few of the top green job boards. Check them regularly – instructions for applying to each job are typically included in the listing.

Green Jobs
Treehugger Job Board
Green Dream Jobs
Green Jobs Network
Green Careers by MonsterTRAK
Green Gigs
GreenBiz.com Career Center

Of course, if you’re the entrepreneurial type, your best bet may be starting your own eco-friendly business. Learn more about how to do that at Entrepreneur.com.

Recommended Reading

The Green Collar Economy by Van Jones
Ten Best Green Jobs for the Next Decade
Top 25 Green Gigs & Their Salaries
Get a Job: Top 10 Guides to Finding the Perfect Eco Career
Great Green Careers
Opportunities for Green Growth: Myths and Realities About Green Jobs
Why Obama’s Green Jobs Plan May Work

Photo credit: Green for All

South Korea Unveils $38 Billion Green Stimulus

South Korea is a step ahead of the United States in terms of creating a ‘Green New Deal’. The country’s prime minister announced on Tuesday that South Korea will invest 50 trillion won ($38 billion USD) over the next four years on environmental projects to invigorate the economy and create nearly a million jobs. The announcement comes just weeks before President-elect Obama’s inauguration, after which he is expected to quickly begin work on a U.S. green stimulus.

From MSNBC:

“We are in an unprecedented global economic crisis,” Prime Minister Han Seung-soo said in a statement. “We must respond to the situation in an urgent manner.”

Energy conservation, recycling, carbon reduction, flood prevention, development around the country’s four main rivers and maintaining forest resources are among projects to be pursued under the plan, approved at a Cabinet meeting.

Trade-dependent South Korea is looking for ways to boost its slowing economy as global demand wanes for traditional mainstay goods such as automobiles and technological products.

It’s certainly good for the U.S. to have some competition in this area, and encouraging to know that leaders around the world consider a green stimulus to be a smart way to tackle the economic crisis. If more countries began integrating sustainability into the basic fabric of their economies, we’d be well on our way to a far healthier planet.

Link [MSNBC]
Photo credit: Flickr user http2007

‘Green For All’ Fights to Lift People Out of Poverty

In this tough economy, there has been a lot of talk about a green stimulus package and the promise of green jobs. But while politicians and pundits figure out how to best implement those goals, Green For All has been busy creating the blueprints for an inclusive green economy, strong enough to lift people out of poverty (see our profile of Green for All founder Van Jones).

From the Green For All website:

What’s the best way to give Americans of all socioeconomic backgrounds a tangible stake in fighting for issues like global warming? Easy: Make it their livelihood. Every day, about 135 million people go to work in the U.S. Imagine what would happen if millions of those jobs—plus new ones created for people who are currently unemployed—were in fields like renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and green building.

Solar RichmondBUILD at work:

Green For All is hosting a track of the upcoming Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference in D.C. from February 4th-6th. So if you’re in town, be sure to check out interesting panels like Prison Re-Entry & Green Jobs and Youth, Culture & Making Green Jobs Cool.

High Standards for Businesses Wanting in on Obama’s Green Stimulus

Businesses that want a piece of President-elect Obama’s green stimulus plan will have to jump a number of high hurdles in order to qualify. The Obama administration’s stimulus package is expected to range between $675 billion to $775 billion, and to get a piece of the pie, corporations will have to meet some strict criteria.

Projects will have to be green, ‘shovel ready’, short-term and job producing in order to qualify for funding. Obama’s team is interested in projects that will push America toward a greener, cleaner energy future while also producing economic benefits – and everyone from the nuclear power industry to Dow Chemical thinks they have projects that meet those standards.

From Business Week:

First, the projects must be “shovel-ready”—that is, ready to go immediately. “They told us that for business to get anything, we have to prove there’s a short-term job impact—within six months,” explains Brent Erickson, vice-president of the Biotechnology Industry Assn. (BIO), which is pushing for biofuels production incentives. But the projects can’t put Uncle Sam on the hook to spend money for more than a year or two. “They have to be temporary, not creating a permanent need for funding,” says Dow Chemical (DOW) lobbyist Peter Molinaro.

One proposal generating buzz predicts more than 7 million jobs from a $171 billion investment to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and homes. Commercial property owners would get short-term tax reductions, and homeowners could lower mortgage payments if they boosted their energy efficiency or amounts of renewable energy. Homeowners would get their interest rates cut to, say, 3% if they paid for home energy audits and enough insulation and other improvements to cut usage by 75%. “It gets people back to work in a way that’s extremely positive,” says Edward Mazria, founder of Architecture 2030, the Santa Fe (N.M.) research group that devised the plan.

The Obama team isn’t about to fall for any greenwashing attempts by corporations who just have dollar signs dancing in their minds. All claims made in relation to getting in on the stimulus package must be backed up with hard evidence. As a result, companies are hiring consulting firms to help them figure out just how many jobs they can create.

With so many green projects in the pipeline, 2009 is shaping up to be a promising year for sustainability. No doubt there will be a lot of bumps on the road, but we’re at least headed in the right direction.

Link [Business Week]

Al Gore to Host Green Inaugural Ball

Al Gore may not be an official part of the Obama administration, but he’s going to be hosting an inaugural ball in Washington D.C. this January all the same. No, not the official inaugural ball –  a separate one called “The Green Ball: Inauguration of a New Green Economy”, to be held January 19th at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery.

From The Washington Times:

A draft version of the invitation, obtained by The Washington Times, urges people to join Mr. Gore to “bring together a diverse coalition of environmentally-forward organizations, entrepreneurs, scientists and advocates, celebrating a commitment to growing the New Green Economy.”

More than two dozen environmental organizations are listed on the invitation.

It also features a green-shaded image of Mr. Obama, along with a quote from the Democrat’s interview with Time Magazine from the fall.

“There is no better potential driver that pervades all aspects of our economy than a new energy economy. … That’s going to be my No. 1 priority when I get into office.”

And that’s not even the only “green inaugural ball” in the works.  On January 17th, Event Emissary – a DC-based event planning company – will host their own ‘Green Ball’ at the Andrew W. Mellon auditorium with organic catering, LED lighting and local floral arrangements. All food waste and flowers will be composted and the group will pay for wind power offsets and carbon credits to make the event carbon neutral. The purpose of the ball, according to Event Emissary, is to inspire the official inaugural committee to incorporate similar plans into their events.

A green collar economy is certainly something to celebrate, though – and Gore has already been discussing energy policy and how climate change efforts can create new jobs with Obama and Biden.  Can’t wait to learn more about this event.

Link [The Washington Times] via [The Huffington Post]

How Do We Get There: Gore’s 100% in 10 years

When Al Gore challenged America to shift to 100% renewable energy within a decade, the question on most people’s minds was, “Is he nuts?” After all, such a goal is more than a little ambitious – particularly for a country that is still wedded to the oil and coal industries. When it comes to energy, America is practically as dirty as they come. The past 8 years of Bush leadership has done nothing to change that; rather, Bush did everything he could to further the interests of dirty energy.

As Gore sees it, there are five steps to achieving this goal. First, he wants Obama and the new Congress to offer large-scale investment in incentives for the construction of solar thermal plants in the Southwestern desert, wind farms in the corridor from Texas to the Dakotas and plants in geothermal hot spots. Second, he believes we should be building a unified national smart grid for the transport of renewable electricity from the rural areas where it’s generated to the cities where the majority of it is used.

Third, he wants to help America’s automobile industry make the shift to plug-in hybrids that can run on renewable energy. Fourth, he suggests embarking on a nationwide effort to retrofit buildings with better insulation, energy-efficient windows and lighting. Finally, Gore believes the U.S. should put a price on carbon here at home and lead the world’s efforts to replace the Kyoto treaty with a more effective treaty that would cap global carbon dioxide emissions and encourage nations to invest together in efficient ways to reduce global warming as quickly as possible.

Gore’s plan may seem at first blush like pie-in-the-sky, never-gonna-happen kind of extreme wishful thinking. But, it’s not impossible. It would take swift action, strong leadership and plenty of funding – but 100% renewable energy in a decade is not out of reach.

There are literally cheap, abundant sources of energy all around us. It’s really kind of absurd when you think about it that we put so much effort into drawing fossil fuels out from underneath the surface of the earth when all the power we need is right here, and we don’t have to destroy the environment to use it. Furthermore, these budding renewable energy industries are already teeming with players eager to research, plan and carry out new energy infrastructure. They just need funding.

Solar, wind and geothermal companies already abound in the U.S., and recent economic woes are the only reason they haven’t continued their explosive growth. There are a lot of green businesspeople out there just waiting to jump in to this new industry and help it expand, and plenty of people out there ready to fill the jobs that it will create.  As billionaire oilman and renewable energy proponent T. Boone Pickens pointed out in a recent CNN interview, building the wind corridor from Texas to North Dakota would create 168,000 jobs in the first year – up to 3 and a half million jobs in the course of a decade.

General Motors, Ford and Chrysler have already learned the hard way that the way they’ve been doing business isn’t sustainable. They’ve made far too many a business decision based upon the idea that Americans would always want – and be able to afford – huge gas-guzzling SUVs. After the credit crisis caused auto loans to dry up and auto sales to drop dramatically, automakers like GM find themselves in need of a government handout.

This is where Gore’s goal to help automakers switch to plug-in hybrids could really pick up steam. Though automakers, when profitable, used to fight tooth and nail all government attempts to green up their industry via higher fuel efficiency standards and reduced emissions, now they’re at the government’s mercy.  The government may make a bargain with the industry, offering financial help – and in exchange, automakers must focus on producing high-mpg cars, hybrids, plug-in hybrids and all-electric cars.

The number one concern most people have voiced about Gore’s plan is the cost. No doubt, it would be staggering. But, at the risk of sounding like a broken record – since we have brought up Van Jones and Green for All again and again here at EarthFirst – the key is turning this switch to renewable energy into a massive jobs and economic revitalization program. Van Jones covers this concept extensively in his new book, The Green Collar Economy.

The current state of the economy certainly makes it much, much harder to achieve Gore’s goal. Our government is giving hundreds of billions of dollars to failing corporations when that money could be put to much better use in the form of a ‘green bailout’. But all isn’t lost: the Center for American Progress has prepared a $100 billion, two-year recovery plan that could put renewable energy on the fast track. The proposal, entitled ‘Green Recovery: A Program to Create Jobs and Start Building a Low-Carbon Economy’ (PDF), outlines exactly what we need to do climb out of this economic hole and make the switch to renewable energy at the same time.

It also addresses the fourth part of Gore’s plan: retrofitting buildings with high-performance windows, improved insulation and energy-efficient appliances. Weatherization assistance could be fully funded to the level authorized by the Energy Independence and Security Act, and the energy-efficiency retrofit program in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance program should be expanded. The federal government should also match state public funds and other locally based programs that support energy efficiency and green building retrofits to both public and private buildings. Strong financial incentives, including tax credits and loan guarantees, should also be used to encourage private property owners to participate.

Perhaps most important of all is the need for a new smart grid. Our current outmoded, decaying power grid simply can’t do the job of transporting green power from rural areas where it’s produced to the rest of the country. Gore estimates the cost of a new green energy grid at around $400 billion over the next decade. Obama has already said that a smart grid is an absolute necessity, telling Rachel Maddow of MSNBC,

“One of, I think, the most important infrastructure projects that we need is a whole new electricity grid. Because if we’re going to be serious about renewable energy, I want to be able to get wind power from North Dakota to population centers, like Chicago. And we’re going to have to have a smart grid if we want to use plug-in hybrids then we want to be able to have ordinary consumers sell back the electricity that’s generated from those car batteries, back into the grid. That can create 5 million new jobs, just in new energy.”

There’s also a growing chorus of voices saying that there’s no reason why renewable energy can’t be produced locally. Many people believe that huge, remote renewable energy plants and farms aren’t green at all, and that creating energy on a local level with technology like micro-wind, for example, is a better choice. That would lessen the need for a huge, expensive new power grid and would spread jobs out across the country. Perhaps their ideas will be heard, too, in the months to come as the Obama administration seeks the best way to tackle this challenge.

There are still plenty of obstacles that will have to be overcome. Of course, we’ve got to keep in mind the fact that the dirty energy industries aren’t going to go down quietly. They’ve enjoyed the unique privilege of having a good buddy in the White House for nearly a decade, who has helped them make record profits and gain even more power. The oil and coal industries in particular would tell you that greenhouse gas emissions, mountaintop removal and other environmental catastrophes are the price we must pay for affordable energy, but of course that’s not true. They’re desperately clinging to their status and they aren’t going to merely step aside.

Big Oil in particular has unleashed a squirming army of lobbyists on Washington in the past few decades, and they’re fighting renewable energy and environmental hurdles with all their might. The Bush Administration has been very accommodating to their demands, and there are certainly still many members of Congress in the pockets of oil companies. But Obama is already in the midst of an unprecedented crackdown on lobbyists, so they shouldn’t expect to continue receiving the kinds of perks they’ve enjoyed under previous presidents.

With Obama in office, Gore’s plan will certainly get more traction than it would have if John McCain – or any other Republican – had won the election. Indeed, Obama has already voiced support for a shift to renewable energy sooner rather than later. In a taped message to the Bi-Partisan Governor’s Global Climate Summit earlier this week, President elect Obama left no doubt that his administration is committed to making serious investments in a clean energy future. He also addressed the final part of Gore’s plan: the need for real government commitment to the fight against global warming.

In the address, Obama stated,

My presidency will mark a new chapter in America’s leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process.

That will start with a federal cap and trade system. We will establish strong annual targets that set us on a course to reduce emissions to their 1990 levels by 2020 and reduce them an additional 80% by 2050.

Further, we will invest $15 billion each year to catalyze private sector efforts to build a clean energy future. We will invest in solar power, wind power, and next generation biofuels. We will tap nuclear power, while making sure it’s safe. And we will develop clean coal technologies.

This investment will not only help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil, making the United States more secure. And it will not only help us bring about a clean energy future, saving our planet. It will also help us transform our industries and steer our country out of this economic crisis by generating five million new green jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced.

I promise you this. When I am President, any governor who is willing to promote green energy will have a partner in the White House. Any company that is willing to invest in green energy will have an ally in Washington.  And any nation that’s willing to join the cause of combating climate change will have an ally in the United States of America.

After all of this, you might be thinking, why ten years? Isn’t that kind of crazy, considering the state of things? The thing is, long deadlines that are decades away don’t exactly spur immediate, passionate action. A sense of urgency is just what we need to make this happen. Plus, a 10-year deadline comes with the benefit of being 80% Obama administration.

None of this would be easy, but what would be even harder is trying to survive on an increasingly inhospitable planet where extreme weather dramatically affects the world food supply.  The very existence of the human race on this planet is at stake, and that’s what makes all of this worth fighting for. And, it would be far better to take on this challenge and fail than not to try at all. We’d still be much further along than we are now.

But let’s not forget the power of this country to make something happen. Despite this country’s history of racial inequality – and lingering tension – we elected a black man to be our leader in a time of crisis because he is the best man for the job. We rose above our past so that we can have a better future, and we’re going to do it again.

As Gore said himself,

In an earlier transformative era in American history, President John F. Kennedy challenged our nation to land a man on the moon within 10 years. Eight years and two months later, Neil Armstrong set foot on the lunar surface. The average age of the systems engineers cheering on Apollo 11 from the Houston control room that day was 26, which means that their average age when President Kennedy announced the challenge was 18.

This year similarly saw the rise of young Americans, whose enthusiasm electrified Barack Obama’s campaign. There is little doubt that this same group of energized youth will play an essential role in this project to secure our national future, once again turning seemingly impossible goals into inspiring success.

Obama Victorious! Let the Green Collar Economy Begin

‘President Obama’. Doesn’t it feel great to say that? We’re ecstatic about Barack Obama winning the presidency for so many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that we’ve now got the government on our side in the push toward a green collar economy. His historic victory means that instead of fighting against our leaders, we can be confident that they’ll be on our side.

Cleaning up Bush’s mess won’t be easy. We can’t fool ourselves into thinking that an Obama administration will magically be able to make everything better.  With the state the economy is in, we need swift, decisive action to prevent the situation from getting any worse.  That’s where Van Jones and his Green Collar Economy come in.

We already know that Obama and Biden plan to set bold new goals for America on energy efficiency; they want to create 5 million green collar jobs and start a shift toward renewable energy sources. They will increase fuel economy standards, add millions of plug-in hybrids to the roads, enact a windfall profits tax on oil companies and aggressively work toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Watch Obama’s August 4th 2008 speech on energy, if you haven’t already:

Obama and Biden will have the power to get these initiatives rolling, and Van Jones has the on-the-ground experience to help them achieve their ambitious goals.  Jones’ background in social justice and environmental activism makes him the ideal green economy advisor for Obama’s administration.

So, how about it, President-elect Obama? Last night, you made history and the world will never be the same. We’re a rejuvenated America, damaged by eight years of mismanagement but so hopeful about the future, so eager to pick up the pieces and start anew. It’s as good a time as any to create a new position in your administration – one that will allow Van Jones to help you bring your energy plan to fruition. Here’s to a green collar economy, and all of the good it will bring this country!

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