Go Newark. Live Green. Love Pink.

"He who knows his WHY in life can live through any HOW" - Victor Frankl

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Defining the Movement at Good Jobs, Green Jobs 09


The 2009 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference (GJGJ) took participants by storm. The three day meet in Washington DC gathered over 2500 attendees with a wide range of geographical, spiritual, social and occupational backgrounds. The common thread was obvious: Americans are ready for Green jobs!

The GJGJ concept is simple. Gather a bunch of folks together to talk about building a sustainable economy. Then, lay it down clearly: what’s involved in a ‘Green’ economy. The role that individuals and corporations play to grow interest and create opportunities is vital in this movement. In an economy where over 3 million people are jobless the question becomes how to successfully implement the Green vision that so many are gearing up for.

Green for All has proposed a national Clean Energy Corps (CEC) to the Obama and members of congress. The proposed is a coordinated effort to educate the population about the adverse affects of global warming while putting people back to work to repair the damage that has been done thus far. The CEC was put together by the Clean Energy Corp Working Group, Apollo Alliance, the Center for American for American Progress Action Fund, the Center on Wisconsin Strategy, Energy Action Coalition, Innovations in Civic Participation, 1Sky, The Corps Network.

The CEC will engage Americans on a national level in preservation education, provide job training in weatherization and retrofitting, expand open spaces and build local economies to encourage village-like living. All of these efforts will reduce global warming and strengthen American communities.

The GJGJ conference brought a lot of people together, pooled ideas and fostered conversations that will build better communities across America. Let’s see what’s adaptable for Newark!

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