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Good News is Blowing Our Way:
* Claim: Barack Obama says his energy policies would create 5 million new "green-collar" jobs in the economy.
* Rocky Truth Patrol says:
* This is a maybe only because it's an economic estimate based on a job category that no one officially tracks - at least not yet. And depending on which economic models are used to make these estimates, Obama's forecast of 5 million green-collar jobs might actually be too low, some experts think!
Obama says his administration would invest $150 billion over 10 years in a "clean energy economy" and "help the private sector create 5 million new green jobs."
Obama takes his figures from two recent studies. The University of California at Berkeley said energy efficiency alone could create 5 million jobs nationwide in the next decade. Note that this study counts jobs created directly in this field, but also indirect jobs created by the demands of the new workers and "induced" jobs created by overall growth in the economy.
The University of Tennessee recently estimated that 5.1 million new jobs could be created by 2025 if the nation got a quarter of its energy from renewable sources. That job number also includes indirect jobs.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the nation should expect 15.6 million new jobs in the decade between 2006 and 2016. Adding 5 million "green" jobs would represent just a 3 percent boost in the total employment, which hovers at about 150 million.
The Apollo Alliance, a nonpartisan organization of business, labor, environmental and community leaders, has said they wouldn't count indirect jobs, as do the studies on which Obama relies. However, spokesman Keith Schneider said the alliance actually believes, based on analysis of these studies and others, that the 5 million figure might be too low!
"It's going to be more than that," Schneider said. "The demand for this sector of the economy way outpaces the capacity."
For example, Schneider said, wind energy - a big issue for Coloradans - is facing a capacity crunch because there is currently a three-year backlog for the plate steel needed to make the wind turbine blades. The industry needs people to make the steel, then the blades, then install them, then maintain them, he said. But federal policies - including a tax credit that has expired before and is about to expire again - have made business bumpy, he said.
"The Apollo Alliance's research on the jobs question shows us clearly that if the United States pursues a new national economic development strategy to replace fossil fuels with clean sources of energy and the tools to use them, the economy will generate 5 million new jobs, and likely much more than that," Schneider said.
'Green-collar' jobs a growth area, U.S. group says
Companies are stepping up their environmental initiatives, and that may mean a boom in "green-collar" jobs.
A recent forecast by the American Solar Energy Society found that renewable energy and energy-efficient industries were responsible for the creation of nearly 8.5 million jobs in 2006, and by 2030 that number is expected to reach 40 million.
Colleges and universities are taking notice, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., a job placement consulting group.
Many have introduced specialized degree programs in eco-commerce, environmental accounting, green and social marketing, and ecological economics.
"The demand for 'green-collar' jobs is really exploding, especially as the cost of energy continues to climb," said John Challenger, the group's chief executive. "Students need to start thinking about developing skills that will give them an edge for these types of careers that did not even exist until recently."
Popular jobs include urban planners, forestry professionals and environmental lawyers, Challenger said. There is also a growing demand for architects and engineers with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit.
Thank you for getting involved with the Pickens Plan. I would like to invite you to join the Write Congress and Pressure Your Congressperson Now groups.
I got your name from the "slow down to save gas and money" group. (a group I joined recently)
I've been doing a bunch of amatuer research, and have found that there are a bunch of ways we can all reduce our energy use (and therefore oil consumption) on an individual level. Smarter (and slower) use of your car is only the start.
I wrote a little blog entry on the subject... If you have the time, check it out... http://push.pickensplan.com/forum/topic/show?id=2187034%3ATopic%3A193424 Drop me a line and let me know what you think.
I'm trying to talk to as many people as I can in order to continue to add to my list of ideas as far as how to conserve more in my daily life (and also share what I've learned)... I believe that while we build and invest in large-scale solutions, we can also do a bunch of little things in the meantime.
you sound a lot like me, I was born in Houston, TX but my father was in the Air Force so I only lived there untill I was 8 1/2 years old then our moving started. We live in CA, OH, AR, KS, TX, KS (again) then my dad retired and we moved to WI. So I went to 4 different high schools before graduating. Then I went into the Army and went to KY, SC, GA, NC, then Vietnam, back to NC wasn't there for that long and then I went to Africa 6 times in 1 year, then I got out of the Army and back to WI for 30+ years. my wife and I came down here in 1999 and we will stay here, we are between 2 lakes and near the top of a mt.
Mike
Hi Tina,
I really love the Pickens Plan, I do hope he adds solar power to his plan, then we could get Arkansas going !!! Tina, are you from Arkansas?
Mike
Tina Fox's Comments
Comment Wall (12 comments)
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Join this Ning Network
I just wanted to take a second of your time to invite you to view, A Solar Solution!
www.powur.com/homeenergy1 - click View Our Mission and if interested click the back arrow to Become an Ecopreneur.
Also you can see what we offer home owners - www.glenburniesolar.com
Thank You For Your Time
(Please feel free to add me as a friend)
Thanks for joining the Pickens Plans community. We Need You!
Good News is Blowing Our Way:
* Claim: Barack Obama says his energy policies would create 5 million new "green-collar" jobs in the economy.
* Rocky Truth Patrol says:
* This is a maybe only because it's an economic estimate based on a job category that no one officially tracks - at least not yet. And depending on which economic models are used to make these estimates, Obama's forecast of 5 million green-collar jobs might actually be too low, some experts think!
Obama says his administration would invest $150 billion over 10 years in a "clean energy economy" and "help the private sector create 5 million new green jobs."
Obama takes his figures from two recent studies. The University of California at Berkeley said energy efficiency alone could create 5 million jobs nationwide in the next decade. Note that this study counts jobs created directly in this field, but also indirect jobs created by the demands of the new workers and "induced" jobs created by overall growth in the economy.
The University of Tennessee recently estimated that 5.1 million new jobs could be created by 2025 if the nation got a quarter of its energy from renewable sources. That job number also includes indirect jobs.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the nation should expect 15.6 million new jobs in the decade between 2006 and 2016. Adding 5 million "green" jobs would represent just a 3 percent boost in the total employment, which hovers at about 150 million.
The Apollo Alliance, a nonpartisan organization of business, labor, environmental and community leaders, has said they wouldn't count indirect jobs, as do the studies on which Obama relies. However, spokesman Keith Schneider said the alliance actually believes, based on analysis of these studies and others, that the 5 million figure might be too low!
"It's going to be more than that," Schneider said. "The demand for this sector of the economy way outpaces the capacity."
For example, Schneider said, wind energy - a big issue for Coloradans - is facing a capacity crunch because there is currently a three-year backlog for the plate steel needed to make the wind turbine blades. The industry needs people to make the steel, then the blades, then install them, then maintain them, he said. But federal policies - including a tax credit that has expired before and is about to expire again - have made business bumpy, he said.
"The Apollo Alliance's research on the jobs question shows us clearly that if the United States pursues a new national economic development strategy to replace fossil fuels with clean sources of energy and the tools to use them, the economy will generate 5 million new jobs, and likely much more than that," Schneider said.
Companies are stepping up their environmental initiatives, and that may mean a boom in "green-collar" jobs.
A recent forecast by the American Solar Energy Society found that renewable energy and energy-efficient industries were responsible for the creation of nearly 8.5 million jobs in 2006, and by 2030 that number is expected to reach 40 million.
Colleges and universities are taking notice, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., a job placement consulting group.
Many have introduced specialized degree programs in eco-commerce, environmental accounting, green and social marketing, and ecological economics.
"The demand for 'green-collar' jobs is really exploding, especially as the cost of energy continues to climb," said John Challenger, the group's chief executive. "Students need to start thinking about developing skills that will give them an edge for these types of careers that did not even exist until recently."
Popular jobs include urban planners, forestry professionals and environmental lawyers, Challenger said. There is also a growing demand for architects and engineers with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit.
http://push.pickensplan.com/group/greenjobsnow
ColingEarth.org
Thank you for getting involved with the Pickens Plan. I would like to invite you to join the Write Congress and Pressure Your Congressperson Now groups.
Robert
Thank you for adding me as a friend.
Robert
I got your name from the "slow down to save gas and money" group. (a group I joined recently)
I've been doing a bunch of amatuer research, and have found that there are a bunch of ways we can all reduce our energy use (and therefore oil consumption) on an individual level. Smarter (and slower) use of your car is only the start.
I wrote a little blog entry on the subject... If you have the time, check it out... http://push.pickensplan.com/forum/topic/show?id=2187034%3ATopic%3A193424 Drop me a line and let me know what you think.
I'm trying to talk to as many people as I can in order to continue to add to my list of ideas as far as how to conserve more in my daily life (and also share what I've learned)... I believe that while we build and invest in large-scale solutions, we can also do a bunch of little things in the meantime.
Thanks for listening.
I also want to be part of something that will make a difference for the next generation.
Robert
Mike
I really love the Pickens Plan, I do hope he adds solar power to his plan, then we could get Arkansas going !!! Tina, are you from Arkansas?
Mike
I believe Pickens is on the right track.
Hope to hear from you in the near future.
Are you from ARK? Julie
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