On November 12, I spoke as part of an expert panel about expanding green jobs, hosted by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The forum was the first in a new series associated with the statewide initiative Our Minnesota Climate, building public awareness and engagement on climate change policy and action in Minnesota.
Interestingly, I was asked to participate just as I was diving deep into Van Jones’ book The Green Collar Economy. The timing of my read was perfect, as Jones’ research, commentary, analysis, and wisdom provided me with the preparation for the subject matter that would be discussed in the forum. Jones asserts that “Everything that is good for the planet is a job, a contract, a business opportunity.” This notion upsets the paradigm that taking care of the environment suppresses economic activity and opportunity.
You can watch the whole conversation online here. I’ve also summarized some key points from my contribution below.
What is a “green job?”
I would say that a green job is one that furthers the transformation to a renewable, sustainable society for all communities.
Some are obvious, such as:
Renewable energy industry jobs like installing solar panels
Energy efficiency and weatherization retrofits for buildings
Wetland and other habitat restoration
Less obvious examples:
Care providers, such as childcare, elder care and adult assistance
Educators
Water and sewage treatment workers
Organic farmers and other sustainable agricultural workers
Divestment and remediation from polluting industries and infrastructure
Infrastructure maintenance and resilience measures
Green jobs typically pay better than average wages. Green jobs—like schools, parks, businesses, infrastructure, and other investments of all kinds—are needed most desperately in our most neglected communities.
Why Minnesota needs to prioritize a Green New Deal
Systemic racism and the inequities it perpetuates can only be addressed through radical changes to our economic, social and governmental structures. The climate crisis can also only be addressed if we make radical changes to our economic, social and governmental structures. The governor and legislature can begin solving both these crises by agreeing that economic and environmental justice will be the priority in decisions of policy, programming, metrics and resource allocation.
“Right now the public sector gives most of its love, respect and money to the problem makers in our economy: the war makers, polluters and incarcerators.” -Van Jones, in The Green Collar Economy
Instead, the public sector needs to give love, respect and money to the problem solvers in our economy: the peacemakers, restorers, regenerators, emancipators, and healers. The route to an equitable green economy is characterized by investment in the commons and the communities of people most disenfranchised.
What can the State do?
Raise the minimum wage to $15 right now.
Fund the development and deployment of training programs that teach green building and related vocations, such as energy management, renewable energy technology, resilient infrastructure and sustainable design.
Invest in massive recruitment to these training programs and industries, with particular emphasis on recruiting students and workers from traditionally marginalized communities.
Mandate, fund and create curriculum for K-12 schools about ecology, sustainability, systemic racism, clean energy, and climate change.
Invest in secondary and post-secondary education efforts, via CTE (career and technical education) and community and technical college programs.
Utilize case studies and existing programs and organizations such as the BlueGreen Alliance and the Dream Corps Green for All project.
Create a GreenCorps training and jobs program, but with some fundamental differences from the AmeriCorps programs:
Pay all participants a living wage
Provide full health care benefits (assuming we don’t have a single-payer national health care plan)
Allow small businesses and sole proprietors to participate
If the State effectively allocates resources where the need is greatest, then several things happen:
The poorest neighborhoods receive the investment they need.
People who otherwise face barriers to employment gain necessary training and job experience.
The green workforce expands.
Workers can create direct improvements in their communities, and in the world at large.