Obama Embraces Green-collar Stimulus

Email Post

Special Series

Green-Collar Jobs: Realizing the Promise

In a Series

Posted by Alan Durning

11/25/2008 02:30 PM

$100 billion for green jobs. Billion!

President Elect obama The Associated Press reports plans for a massive new green-collar federal stimulus package:

Obama has also embraced calls for a "green jobs" program that invests as much as $100 billion in projects to slash harmful emissions. This could include projects such as retrofitting buildings to make them more energy-efficient, upgrading the electrical grid and improving mass transit.

"It turns out that putting money into green technologies ... has a very large positive employment effect relative to tax cuts," said Robert Pollin, a University of Massachusetts-Amherst economist who has written extensively on what he calls the "green recovery."

"It's very efficient in terms of creating jobs for a given amount of spending, and it has the added benefit that the short-term effects are compatible with long-term needs in the economy," Pollin said.

Exactly as I’ve been saying!

On Monday morning, December 1, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. (Cascadia time), the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC, will webcast a forum including some of the nation’s leading voices on green recovery. RSVP for the webcast.

Permalink

Comments

Posted by Jan Steinman 12/05/2008 05:10 PM

Yay! I've been watching Obama's appointments with dismay... banker and Israeli lobbyist for Chief of Staff, war hawk for State... This is the first positive thing I've seen about this administration.

Posted by Richard Spotts 12/10/2008 01:47 PM

I strongly support and applaud President-elect Obama's positive work toward a green economic stimulus package. However, I am concerned that some worthwhile and sustainable programs and projects that could involve federal lands in the West may be overlooked or given short shrift. These may not be considered traditional infrastructure per se, but could provide tangible and lasting public benefits. Many of these could also use currently unemployed workers with only moderate to minimal training requirements.

These programs/projects could include:

1) Addressing the huge maintenance backlog of federal land management agencies in terms of weatherizing buildings, installing or replacing signs, installing or replacing road culverts, fixing broken water lines or irrigation systems, installing modern septic systems, implementing route designation decisions, etc. As I understand it, there is at least one billion dollars worth of such specific projects already identified just for the FWS National Wildlife Refuge System.

2) Establishing teams to eradicate or at least better control harmful invasive, exotic, and nuisance weeds. These weeds are already causing billions of dollars worth of crop, livestock, and habitat losses, and are dramatically changing the fire ecology for the worse in many areas.

3) Establishing teams to properly close thousands of dangerous and/or environmentally harmful abandoned mines throughout the West (after first checking to ensure that any resident bat populations are protected or relocated).

4) Establishing teams to augment or expand existing federal efforts on fuel reduction, special status species reintroduction, watershed health, and ecological restoration projects. For example, these teams could expedite fencing along streams to keep livestock out, and thereby enhance restoration of native riparian habitats.

These types of "green" projects would allow people to earn "green" for doing the right thing. And they could add up to repairing many of our environmental "sins" and putting us on a much better trajectory for a healthier and more sustainable West.

Posted by Alan Durning 12/11/2008 10:32 AM

Richard,

Great ideas! Thanks for suggesting them!

Posted by Kevin G.Davis 01/05/2009 08:34 AM

Despite the hesitations many business leaders had about what Obama might do once taking office, I think he's taken the right steps and made some great cabinet choices that leave myself and many others in great confidence of his direction. Especially, when looking towards supporting the green energy industry and creating green-collar jobs, Obama is definitely on the right track.

Kevin G. Davis
Managing Director | Emerald Endeavors
For the latest in Green Energy & Clean Technology News, visit www.EmeraldEndeavors.com