Green energy jobs. Green collar jobs. Green technology jobs. Environmental jobs.

Call them what you will but the economic downturn, resurgence in popularity of alternative energy, and glut of stimulus funding has pushed the concept of “green” jobs to the tip of many American’s tongues. But, opinions differ on the topics of what exactly a green job is, where they are found, and what they mean for our economy. At the most basic level, a green job is defined as any job that either reduces waste and pollution, creates non-fossil fueled energy, or benefits the environment.

So are green jobs the panacea that will cure our economic ills, or is the term just the latest environmental jargon? The answer lies somewhere in-between the two extremes, but it is extremely muddled. In no particular order, here are four things to know about green jobs:

1. A green job isn’t that different from a rust belt job: President Obama has heralded green jobs as a way to reinvigorate the American manufacturing sector, and he’s right for several reasons. To start, idle factories built for products like cars or computers are prime candidates for retooling into a factory that makes wind turbines, photovoltaic panels, or smart meters. Shipping these products across great distances is expensive, so America’s expanding alternative energy market protects these jobs from being outsourced. And, experienced workers can be retrained to work on new products relatively quickly through labor union apprenticeship programs. Regions like the Rust Belt and Southwest are perfectly positioned to take advantage of this trend.
2. Green jobs already exist all around us: Two of the most notable expenditures in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 went into long-established industries: home insulation and energy efficiency, and improving the nation’s electrical grid. Increased government spending means new job opportunities in these two fields, but they’re not alone. “Lifestyle” careers as diverse as landscape architects and organic product merchants are booming from America’s newfound emphasis on sustainability. Government also represents a booming green job field, in positions like development planners, environmental regulators, and engineers. Last but not least, green jobs are being created in corporations across the country as businesses hire sustainability advisors to improve their environmental credentials to consumers, reduce energy consumption, and advertise their brands. 
3. America’s higher education system is a key driver: Enrollment in environmental and sustainability programs at public and private universities, as well as community colleges, has soared across the country. Undergraduate programs that prepare students for green jobs are being created and filled, a trend that tracks perfectly with the rise in media coverage of environmental issue over the past several years and sustained interest among younger Americans. However, this does not come without a downfall – schools reporting an increase in environmental studies also tend to show a decrease in traditional science majors.
4. Investment is critical to sustain growth: Jobs don’t exist without companies in business, and the credit crunch has hit the alternative energy sector particularly hard because it is dependant on start-up funding to reach commercial viability. However, the recent economic stimulus contained billions in tax credits and targeted loans and grants – a development credited by the alternative energy industry for keeping many businesses open. These funding programs expire within a few years, though, so if the credit market does not loosen by then, alternative energy businesses may find themselves in another familiar funding crunch.

April 1st, 2009 by Silvio Marcacci | 1 Comment
Tags: Alternative energy · American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 · economic stimulus · Environmental jobs · Green energy jobs · Green job · Green jobs · Green technology · renewable energy