Can Green-Collar Jobs Save the Economy?
It’s not often that environmentalists and labor groups see eye to eye. But the nation’s economic free fall has brought the two groups together to encourage lawmakers to enact policies that will build a green economy and create jobs that uphold strong labor standards. The Blue Green Alliance, a unique and strategic partnership between labor and environmental groups, believes that a green economy and green-collar jobs are the key to rebuilding the economy and revitalizing America’s middle class, much like manufacturing did decades ago. This week the alliance is convening in Washington, D.C. for its annual “Green Jobs, Good Jobs” conference. The event included an advocacy day during which participants lobbied their representatives on Capitol Hill on Wednesday about the benefits of a green economy, a jobs expo, and sessions with representatives from unions, government and environmental groups. Its timing is fortuitous, as congressional lawmakers are in the midst of a heated debate over wha
