Greening Homes with Green Jobs in Newark’s South Ward

Standing at a crowded bus stop, you will probably begin chatting with a fellow commuter about the bitter cold temperatures of the past few weeks. Gas versus electric might be the conversation at the onset, but by the end last month’s heating bill and why a notable portion of your income is reserved for utilities, will probably be the debacle that binds. According to The National Energy Assistance Director Association (NEADA), a New Jersey household will spend $1500-$2000 on home heating this season. This begs the questions, what can be done to reduce heating costs and is there an employment opportunity in coming up with a solution?

The Garden State Alliance for a New Economy (GANE), a coalition of community organizations and laborers, joined Newark-based labor union Local 55 and the City of Newark to launch a Green construction training initiative on January 12. The 25 Newark resident participants, previously employed or trained in contracting, are presently learning weatherization techniques as part of the program. Areas of focus pertain to insulation of windows, doors and heating systems in addition to site and material safety.

Forty-five Goldsmith Avenue in Newark’s South Ward is the home of Daniel and Gilda Johnson. Launch site for the GANE/Local 55 program, the Johnson’s have spent the last three years making small improvements on their home. Many of their plans changed as energy demands and costs began to rise. With one income faced with a $500 heating bill, the weatherization program is a welcomed relief. “We are seniors,” said Mrs. Johnson, “one of us retired, one on the way to being retired…that’s a lot of money going out on one income. I’d like to thank Mayor Booker, Local 55 and GANE for bringing this project to our house, and being the first recipients of this project.” According to the Department of Energy, the Johnson’s can expect anywhere between 15 and 35 percent decrease in their energy bill after the improvements totaling an average savings of $350 a year.

The 30-home weatherization kickoff costs about $10,000, and is free for low-income residents. Funding was acquired by a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Grant awarded to Laborers Local 55 to provide training, wages and benefits. The 25 GANE members will earn $15 an hour in addition to union membership. “I hear a lot of talk on TV about Green jobs,” said Perette Hopkins, a 7-year construction veteran and Local 55 trainee, “but in Newark, we’re not just talk, we’re actually doing it. And thanks to Cory Booker, GANE, the laborers union again for giving me the opportunity and training, but also giving me a future,” said Hopkins.

Mayor Cory Booker recognized the triple benefit of weatherizing homes through Green workforce development in Newark. “We have here a number of wins; we’re going to help families in the city of Newark, were going to keep our environment improving, were going to save energy, we’re going to create jobs, but more importantly than that, we’re going to create careers for Newark residents,” said Booker.

Mayor Booker, Governor Corzine and President-Elect Obama have vocalized their commitment to Green jobs and a reduction in energy consumption. With GANE and Local 55 leading the charge in Green training, Newark residents and laborers have cheerleaders in high places.

A Message from Van Jones

Van Jones founding President of Green for All, asks that we submit a letter to our congressman (those who will be in office during Barack Obama's presidency) to pass The Green Jobs Act, which provides Green jobs training and living wage opportunities for millions of Americans:

For many, this holiday season will be tough. But Congress could give a terrific present to thousands who desperately need work - by fully funding the Green Jobs Act.

Congress is deciding right now what to include in the economic “stimulus and recovery” package it will pass in the new year. This stimulus has the potential to create good, green jobs for America - but only if Congress includes full funding for the Green Jobs Act.

Please help us convince our national leaders to fund the Green Jobs Act as part of America’s rescue package.

The Green Jobs Act
The Green Jobs Act will create green pathways out of poverty in this country. Working with allies, Green For All got the program included in the Energy Bill of 2007. Bush signed the program into law last December. But he failed to include a penny for it in his 2008 budget proposal.

Congress can finally jumpstart this desperately needed program by dedicating $250 million or more in the economic stimulus bill.

The Green Jobs Act will help approximately 25,000 people a year get training in green trades. Trainees could then get employed installing solar panels, weatherizing and retrofitting buildings, working in the wind industry and doing other important work.

Please tell your congressperson to act now.

The Need
Many people in our communities are between jobs now. Some are coming home from wars - or prisons. They deserve an economic future in the only part of the economy likely to grow soon: the green energy sector.

There is a lot of TALK about green jobs. But there is only one authorized federal program designed to provide training for those jobs: The Green Jobs Act. It needs full funding.

President-elect Barack Obama is committed to a clean energy transformation. Let’s expand the number of people who can benefit from the jobs and investment that will flow from the green economy revolution.

Help us convince Congress to do the right thing by sending a letter TODAY. Thanks.

Sincerely,

Van Jones
Green For All

South Ward's Greening Collaborative

It was a great Green Day for Newark as the Greater Newark community celebrated the South Wards first Green Roof Installation on top Level I Bakery on Bergen St. The event marks the ward's first official business Greening as part of the cities continuous mission to set the standard for urban transformation, as expressed by Newark Mayor, Cory A. Booker at the Newark's Green Future Summit earlier this year. The Urban Environmental Institute, Saving Our Selves, Inc., and Building Green Solutions, LLC, were joined by residents, city officials, and supporters to celebrate Green For All's Green Jobs Now national day of action.

A South Ward favorite for over twenty years, Mary Singleton's bakery has been known for homemade pies, fresh pastries, and great coffee. But as Jeanette Mitchell, UEI’s Policy Director explains, Level I is now the epicenter for the districts Greening goals. "I picked Level I because I knew Ms. Singleton had a great, flat roof, and that it would be the perfect location- being almost the epicenter of Bergen Street and this community. When the redevelopment money comes in next year for a couple million dollars it's great because we've already started the green movement here."

The Green movement in Newark goes far beyond recycling or open space redevelopment for aesthetic benefits. Albeit important aspects of the national Green mission, Kim Gaddy, UEI Director, expresses the socio-economic solutions the Newark Green initiative provides. “The Green movement is the only movement that can move our children out of poverty. It is jobs such as this- where you can install a cool/reflective roof with a group of youngsters who are trying to get their lives together.” Participants of Level I’s installation are graduates of UEI as well as SOS, an intervention program that provides former gang members the opportunity to build their resume with meaningful work experience. It is partnerships like these that give communities, organizations, and investors the wherewithal to bring Newark’s Green future to life.

In brickerati style, the collaboration of community volunteers and local supporters resonates through toil and laughter, "We're ready for Green jobs!" making the unique task of Greening an urban community holistically rewarding.

Are You Ready for Green?

On Saturday, September 27th it's time to send a reverberating message to the world: I'm ready for Green jobs! In Newark, that message will come across loudly and clearly between 11am and 3pm on Lions Avenue and Bergen Street. An almost historical location for any Newarker, Cotton Funeral Home (both locations) and Level One Bakery will undergo Cool Roof /Reflective Roof retrofits.

"Cool/Reflective roofs do not absorb as much heat and therfore reduce cooling costs and associated energy demand/greenhouse gas emissions. This is just an example of efforts to green our community, green our economy and grow green jobs for all, " reports event host Renaldo DaSilva in a press release for the mission.

Sponsorship for this event was provided by the Karnak Corporation and Bradco Supply Company by way of training and materials. I encourage all Green-conscious, city/state residents and skeptics to participate in this great event. For those who may not understand the socio-economic and community benefits of the Green initiative, this event also serves as host to an ideal example. "Saving Our Selves" (S.O.S.) is a non-profit gang intervention/prevention organization that will take part in the installation process. This group was formed by the Bloods & Crips--who knew? Additional participants are members of the NJ Environmental Federation's Urban Environmental Institute (UEI), community residents, business owners, and City leaders.

For more information regarding this event, please contact Renaldo DaSilva at 973-280-2682 or renaldo_dasilva@yahoo.com.

Working With What We Have

The Green Summit brought together a collective of investors. These investors were either socially based like the Weequahic Super-Neighborhood Covenant, capitol institutions like B.A.L.L.E., and non-profit entities like the Brick City Development Corporation. Each are looking for a return on effort, while working towards the same goal, an economically independent, socially-sustainable Newark, at the forefront of the global Green transition.

In order to ensure the fruition of this lofty goal, we must identify all cross-sector resources available in the city, and determine what their individual purposes are. What I am sure a surveyor would find-especially in this post-Lehman brothers society is: all non-profits are not created equal, not all micro-business owners are economically available to go Green (even if they are willing), and sustainability is a relative term. There are hundreds of non-profits that may or may not achieve their mission statements. There are hundreds of businesses that may or may not perpetuate the quality of life standard the collective is trying to achieve.

The millions of non-profit dollars available must be awarded to those who produce results. Micro-businesses must understand the appreciated value of going Green, while being presented with cost-effective measures to adhere to such. The strength in the Green plan will grow as this sifting process occurs, and transparency is created in the City of Newark.

Moving Forward Monday

It was encouraging to receive emails and phone calls this morning that continued the conversations of this past weekend's summit. As I looked at some emails "cc" list throughout the morning, it became even more apparent that a Green direction is a progressive direction.

The new Green economy has an inclusion goal in support of societal re-entry of ex-offenders. This is encouraging considering nationally 1700 prisoners are released from prison daily, and many will return within three years for the same offense. Governor Corzine, the Victoria Foundation and other national organizations recently awarded $5 million to Newark in support of Operation Reconnect, Ready4Work and other city based reentry programs.

Some concerned citizens argue that this is a wasted effort considering the current state deficit and statistical risk. I argue, we can't afford to let a large populous of unskilled citizens tax citizen funded resources as prisoners, or negatively impact the quality of life when released.

The Green initiative as expressed by Elizabeth Reynoso, Coordinator of Planning & Community Partnerships for the Institute of Social Justice, will provide cutting edge Green training in the emerging, insurance baring, workforce fields such as horticulture and sustainable building construction. Under the new funding allotment, ex-offenders will have a real chance to reconstruct their lives and become productive members of society.

Green Summit Wrap-up: Day 2

The Newark's Green Future Summit ended with a speech only Mayor Booker can deliver. It even brought a super-charged, Super Neighborhood Chairperson and jovial moderator to tears. While a few others were moved, and I myself wanted to jump out of my seat and shout "Yea, this is our time!" I found myself leaving the summit pondering a question that my fellow Newarkers not in attendance, nevertheless informed will be asking:

"How will this begin?"

Although a huge, huge success, because hundreds of action items, commitments, resources, and facts were exchanged and promised to the cause, there is room for skepticism, which residents will not be afraid to express.

The breakout sessions, convened after panel discussions, were the primary opportunity to offer individual feasibility suggestions from ones own area of expertise. It was here that professionals and non spewed out ideas that will certainly turn Bricks green. At the end of an allotted time, all parties returned to the Atrium to discuss their findings.

"But how will we stay connected?"

Perhaps Van Jones, keynote speaker day-2, expressed the issue best when he raised the question, "How do you keep the hope without letting the hope turn into hype?"

Green Summit Wrap-up: Day 1

As a participant of the Newark’s Green Futures Summit, I heard many fantastic ideas and strategies brainstormed among stakeholders. The guest list included community advocates, public and private investors, students, corporate and small business owners, local and state officials, higher education administrators, and concerned citizens. While dialogue at times reached steamy, the general consensus was: going green can, will, and must happen. The question now becomes: how soon and how much? (Standby day-2)

Politics and bureaucracy are never fun facilitators, but with positive and progressive leadership, they should never become barriers of change. It’s interesting that change has been a thematic control of 2008 hot-topics. This fact goes to show that the mindset of the 21st century American is focused on improving quality of life by a standard other than current (see Bush administration) or previous leadership models.

For Newark, this has meaning tenfold. On Monday, September 15th, 2008 former Newark Mayor Sharpe James will reap what he sowed. A legend in his own right, he did not have the right to steal from his constituents- citizens of a city who have already been underrepresented, mistreated, and misunderstood.

As Mayor Cory Booker galvanizes a coalition designed to restore that which was taken from us, it is my sincerest hope that the citizens of Newark remain steadfast in faith that this administration holds true to its charge: to bring our great city where she belongs- at the epicenter of commerce, culture, class, and opportunity.

From the hand of...

LadyPink

Turning Bricks Green: A Collabortive Effort to Revitalize Newark, NJ

Residents of Newark, NJ will capture the limelight again this year, as the premier model of a sustainable green economy. The Newark’s Green Future Summit kicked off today at the NJIT campus in Newark. The Summit ran under the coordination of Mayor Cory Bookers newly appointed Sustainability Coordinator, Chelsea Albucher, The Apollo Alliance, Green for All and a host of additional private investors, community leaders, and residents.

The two-day conference began with Booker's’ strategy outline, and a vision that would create substantial economic development opportunity, specialized workforce training, and committed social rehabilitation initiatives for residents including youth, small and minority owned businesses, and ex-offenders.

“Newark is perfectly placed. How do we infuse [that] with a green economy so that we can save energy, reduce costs, and also create a better atmosphere? We show the nations what can happen when people come together fr a greater cause," said Booker.