8.5 million jobs in the clean-tech sector, what are we waiting for?

Nationwide, the American Solar Energy Society estimates, that 8.5 million jobs in the clean-tech sector, are projected to grow to 40 million by 2030 with the right policies.

Green and sustainable economic projects are beneficial for the economy especially for job creation. Critics say that a clean economy is expensive, yet, the clean sector creates more jobs than our old dirty economy green investment project can advance a full employment agenda because it will create about 17 jobs for every $1 million in outlays, whereas spending the same $1 million in the oil and coal industries creates about 5.5 jobs—i.e., the job-creation effect of green investments is more than 3 times larger than  for fossil fuel production.  

Furthermore, sustainable development in America would create local jobs which would profit the American people and not foreign interests. The oil industry spends only “80 cents of every dollar” in the United States, and the rampant negative effect of globalization on the labor market with 20 to 30 % of all US jobs in the range of 30 million to 40 million are ready to export U.S jobs to cheap labor countries. 

Additionally, local economies reduce poverty and have a positive social impact on the entire society. Sustainable development is not a far utopia but a real and financially solid initiative “we spend about $600 billion a year in the oil, natural gas and coal sectors. Transferring, for example, 25% of those funds into energy efficiency and renewable energy projects can jump start a new sustainable economy. 

Local green jobs would benefit people directly encouraging employment in a sustainable manner “the 1990s to 2000 job growth was driven by the irrational Wall Street dot-com frenzy. By contrast, a green investment program can underwrite a durable full employment economy precisely because it is environmentally sustainable and morally just”. A change in the economy must be encouraged by strong government intervention in economic policies by investing and subsiding sustainable programs, “as a tool for fighting the recession, green projects can inject more money into the economy as quickly as possible. In this way, a $100 billion green investment program would create on the order of 1.7 million new jobs." 

No debate on jobs and the economical situation should take place without debating a new green and sustainable economy. Today, we have a major problem with the job market but we have also the solution with a green collar market. Similarly, we have enormous challenges with environmental degradation and we have a large workforce ready to be employed. The remedy is available for a better environment and a better job market; we have the solution to our problems. For the new economy to emerge the Federal government must invest in the public and private sectors to stimulate new environmental activities. 

The change for a green and sustainable economy in America is not only going to create millions of jobs but also would help people to live a meaningful life. This belief requires a deep change in human behavior as people must purchase and uses fewer items. In addition, renewable energy efficiency and, cap on fossil fuel consumption would help to improve social and environmental justice. It would give us clean air and water and would break our dependence on foreign oil. Environmental sustainability is a concept that must become our economy, philosophy, policy and a way of life. 

References:

Hazell, Stephen. "Green Collar Revolution." Alternatives Journal 35.6 (2009): 8-11. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. 
OLLIN, ROBERT. "DOING THE RECOVERY RIGHT. (Cover story)." Nation 288.6 (2009): 13-18. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. 
Walsh, Bryan, et al. "Why Green Is the New Red, White And Blue. (Cover story)." Time 171.17 (2008): 45-57. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO.