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Green Jobs
Climate Change is coming to Pennsylvania, and with 24% of our families struggling -- GREEN JOBS is that pathway out of poverty that many of our residents need!
Read the Pittsburgh or the Philadelphia Climate Action Plans and see the many ways green jobs training is needed! (And check out how small towns can benefit from green jobs development, too!)
www.greenjobsnow.com
In today's world, it's almost impossible to go through the day without seeing an advertisement for an environmentally friendly florescent light bulb or notice a green organic ready-to-eat meal in the freezer section.
With all of these changes coming so quickly, there are a lot of questions:
Can being green help me in my every day life? Isn't it more expensive to be environmentally friendly? What does 'green collar' mean, exactly?
What are Green Jobs?
"It has to pay decent wages and benefits that can support a family. It has to be part of a real career path, with upward mobility. And it needs to reduce waste and pollution and benefit the environment." –Phil Angelides, chair of the Apollo Alliance
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A GREEN COLLAR JOB IS A FAMILY-SUPPORTING CAREER TRACK JOB THAT DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTES TO PRESERVING OR ENHANCING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
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GREEN-COLLAR JOBS RANGE FROM LOW-SKILL ENTRY-LEVEL POSITIONS TO HIGH-SKILL, HIGHER PAID JOBS.
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GREEN-COLLAR JOBS INCLUDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCEMENTS IN BOTH SKILL AND WAGES.
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Green-collar jobs can’t be outsourced, and are within reach of lower-skilled and workers!
EXAMPLES OF GREEN-COLLAR JOBS:
-Installing solar panels
-Repairing alternative fuel vehicles
-Refining waste oil
-Retrofitting buildings
-Manufacturing wind turbines
-Conducting energy audits
-Constructing transit lines
-Building Green Rooftops
-Planting trees
To read more on green collar jobs, CLICK HERE.
What Can a Greener World Do For Me and My Family?
Green is Good for the Economy
When you look around, it's obvious that the economy has seen better days. Gas prices are up. Food prices are up. Unemployment is up. People are concerned about what the results of abusing our environment for so many years will ultimately be. It has become increasingly clear that fostering a green economy can help to solve several of these ails.
Several organizations have begun projects to provide training and jobs to low income families. Participants learn how to install solar panels, manage gardens, weatherize buildings, among other jobs. These organizations are creating jobs that help the environment and the community.
To read more about what Pennsylvania's economy stands to gain from a green economy, CLICK HERE.
Green is Good for You
It's no secret that healthy eating helps you live longer, feel better, and have more energy. Through programs designed to help inner city communities grow and sell organic food, more people have jobs and access to low cost high quality fruits and vegetables.
To learn more about this program in inner city Chicago like this CLICK HERE to watch a video.
Green is Growing in PA
Climate Change is coming to Pennsylvania, and 24% of our state's families struggle with poverty -- GREEN JOBS is the pathway out of poverty that many of our residents need, from Reading to Dubois to Erie to Allentown!
If you are interested in learning about what people and organizations in Pennsylvania are doing to go green, CLICK HERE.
Read the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan -- and see how many ways green jobs could be coming to Pittsburgh!
Philadelphia is part of ICLEI and also has released a climate action plan [pdf]
And small towns can benefit from green jobs too!
Or for more resources on the movement CLICK HERE
