Who Will Work in the Green Economy?

The phrase "green jobs" is popular lately among politicians, economists, environmentalists, and even some CEOs, but the term is more than a little vague. What does it actually mean? To some labor and environmental groups, it means sustainable solutions to global warming and energy dependence -- ultimately giving us a healthier planet. Steelworkers who once built oil refineries might instead forge parts for wind turbines. Welders who once worked on coal chutes could assemble photovoltaic panels. To galvanize public and political support for clean, renewable energy, NRDC and partners in the environmental and labor movements -- including the United Steelworkers of America, the Sierra Club, and the Blue-Green Alliance -- have launched a yearlong Green Jobs for America campaign to highlight opportunities awaiting today's workers.

"We are trying to demystify the growth of the green economy -- it's not mad scientists in little labs checking up on weird technology," says Dave Foster, executive director of the Blue-Green Alliance, which seeks to unite blue-collar labor and environmentalism. "With the green jobs campaign, we are trying to get across two things, big and simple: We are using technology we have and changing the purpose of [the jobs] we do."

To show the potential of the green job market, NRDC commissioned a report by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Using information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 12 states, the June 2008 study examined job opportunities in six areas of economic activity aimed at reducing global warming: mass transit, retrofitting existing buildings, energy-efficient automobiles, wind power, solar power, and cellulosic biofuels. In Ohio alone, nearly 30,000 carpenters could be hired to retrofit buildings to increase energy efficiency, while an expanded mass transit system could employ the state's almost 26,000 licensed electricians. In total, according to the report, "tens of thousands of Ohioans" could be put to work on clean-energy solutions. And that's just one state. Nationwide, there are now roughly 168,000 sheet metal workers, all of whom could be used to build wind turbines; 150,000 electrical engineers could work in the solar industry or retrofit buildings. Plus, say the authors, the occupations discussed offer living wages and advancement opportunities.

Pete Altman, NRDC's climate campaign director, believes that the study is important because it demonstrates how specific occupations will play a role in a green future -- real jobs for real workers who might otherwise be anxious about the prospect of a green economy and its impact on their employment outlook. What's more, the findings demonstrate that many green jobs would utilize the same skill sets needed for traditional occupations, meaning that workers would require little or no additional training. The study also suggests that as earth-friendly industries mature, more high-paying jobs, as well as more job opportunities in general, will be created, reducing the number of unemployed workers.

The green jobs movement could potentially include millions of people and help revitalize our economy in ways not seen since the New Deal or the nation's economic surge as it prepared to enter World War II. "There have been times in history when the American people deliberately chose to invest in something that created social benefits and made our corner of the world a little better," Altman says. "This is one of those moments. A carbon-free economy will have enduring value."