Check Jobs Listings at this URL since the samples below do not link:
http://www.aashe.org/archives/bulletin.php
Jobs Internships
. Sustainability Director, Loyola U Chicago Loyola University Chicago and the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Policy invite applications for the position of University Environmental Sustainability Director. The Sustainability Director, in conjunction with key stakeholders, will develop and implement a plan to transform LUC into a sustainable university. The Sustainability Director will also be expected to teach a course related to sustainability in the undergraduate Environmental Science/Studies Program and will be involved in all aspects of initiating and orchestrating the sustainability plan, including developing sustainability in the undergraduate and graduate curriculum. Qualifications include an advanced degree in an appropriate field, five years minimum experience in an academic setting, and experience and leadership in the area of sustainability, resource management, environmental studies, planning or related initiatives. A doctorate degree is preferred. Applications are due July 1, 2008.
Assoc. Director, Environment & Sustainability, Thompson Rivers UThompson Rivers University (BC) is seeking an Associate Director of Environment and Sustainability to manage the activities of the Campus Environmental and Sustainability Office. The successful applicant will be responsible for the formation of new policy, coordinating, developing, planning, managing, monitoring and evaluating the energy, vehicle emissions, water and waste management systems, climate change programs, and educational and information programs on campus. This Associate Director will work closely with the Environmental Advisory Committee to encourage and facilitate the sustainability programs initiated by students, faculty and staff in meeting the goals of ecological, social and economic sustainability at TRU. Qualifications include a relevant Master’s Degree in Natural Resources, Environmental Policy or a related field; more than five years experience in policy development and implementing sustainability programs; and a demonstrated ability to work efficiently and professionally with a diverse range of people. The review of applications will begin May 16, 2008, and will continue until the position is filled.
Dir. Of Development, Graham Env. Sustainability Institute, U Michigan The University of Michigan's Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute is seeking an experienced fundraiser to serve as the Director of Development for the newly created Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute. The Director is responsible for conceiving and implementing successful strategies for prospects and donors, cultivating and soliciting annual and major gifts, as well as planning and directing the solicitation of prospects by the Director of the Institute, among other faculty and senior administrators. A Bachelor's degree is required, but a Master's degree in business, policy, or sustainability related field is preferred. The position is open until filled.
National Sustainable Campuses Coordinator, Sierra Youth Coalition The Sierra Youth Coalition invites applicants for the National Sustainable Campuses Coordinator. The National Sustainable Campuses Coordinator is responsible for the successful implementation of the Sustainable Campuses Project, which includes coordinating the Sustainable Campuses staff team, resource development, external networking, fundraising, budgeting, and overseeing the planning and implementation of the Annual National Sustainable Campuses Conference. A BA or BS in any field or equivalent experience is preferred. Applications are due May 16, 2008.
Application Developer, AASHEAASHE invites applications for a Web Application Developer. The successful applicant will work as part of the IT Team to develop web applications requested by AASHE staff, members, and partners. Duties will include leading the development of data intensive and user friendly web applications that help colleges and universities share information and measure their progress toward meeting sustainability goals, indentifying programming paradigms and design patterns most suitable for AASHE’s application needs, and developing creative solutions to complex programming problems. Experience developing web applications in a LAMP environment is highly desired. A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Sciences or similar curriculum with software development emphasis is required. The position is open until filled. See also:
Sustainability Education Intern, Fort Lewis College The Fort Lewis College (CO) Environmental Center is seeking an intern to work full-time from August 11, 2008 to May 8, 2009. The Environmental Center internship seeks to provide professional training in all aspects of environmental non-profit work while focusing on campus sustainability. The EC intern will gain experience with outreach and public involvement, media and communications, organizing events and educational programs, managing campus and community projects, fundraising, and administration. Applicants should be in the final stages of an undergraduate degree program or already possess a bachelor’s degree. Applicants with knowledge of campus sustainability are preferred. Previous experience with a college/university environmental program or club, environmental studies department, or campus recycling program is desired. The intern will receive housing, a stipend, and an Americorps education award. Applications are due June 1, 2008. See also:
Lecturer, Ethical Issues in Sustainable Dev., School for Field Studies The School for Field Studies (MA) Center for Coastal Studies is seeking a Resident Lecturer in Economic and Ethical Issues in Sustainable Development. The course is based on critical and local environmental issues in a problem-based interdisciplinary curriculum. The candidate will lead designated components of the Center's Five-Year Research Plan, including overseeing and advising the student directed research projects that relate to the research areas. Qualifications include a Ph.D., University-level teaching experience in Environmental Policy, Socio-Economics, Anthropology, Sociology, Environmental/Ecological Economics, Community Development/Planning or a similar field, and field research experience. The position is open until filled.
Instructor, Chemistry and Environmental Science, Illinois Wesleyan U The Illinois Wesleyan University Department of Chemistry and the Environmental Studies Program are seeking a full-time, visiting instructor or part-time instructors to teach courses in analytical chemistry and environmental science for the 2008-2009 academic year. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in the chemical or environmental sciences (or anticipate having one in the near future) and be interested in teaching in an undergraduate institution that emphasizes close student-faculty interaction and undergraduate research. Qualified candidates should be prepared to teach courses in at least one of the following areas and preferably in all three: upper-level analytical chemistry courses, environmental science courses, and general chemistry. The position is open until filled.
Assist. Profs., Civil & Environmental Engineering, U Pittsburg The University of Pittsburg Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering invites applications for two non-tenure stream positions at the Assistant Professor level in support of UP's Sustainability and Green Design initiative. Applicants should have an earned Ph.D. degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering or an allied field with research and teaching interest in methods and practices of life cycle assessment, with a particular understanding of the entire life cycle of the built environment. Candidates should be able to identify and quantify green building materials, model the environmental impacts of construction processes, and project delivery methods for green buildings. Candidates should also understand the economic and environmental impacts of energy production and use as it relates to climate change. The review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the positions are filled.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
OAKLAND - OBUGS is hiring a Lead Teacher and an Office Assistant.
CONTACT OBUGS TO GET DESCRIPTION
OBUGS is hiring a Lead Teacher and an Office Assistant. If you know anyone who might be interested in either position, please give them the job descriptions (attached). Both positions are part-time, and the openings are immediately. Applicants can send a resume and cover letter to: obugs@obugs.org.Thank You,Michelle-- OBUGS' mission is to build healthy communities by offering programs to children, youth and families in a network of school and neighborhood gardens, green spaces and farmers' markets.Celebrating 10 years!obugs@obugs.org1724 Mandela Parkway #5Oakland CA 94607Phone: (510) 465-4660Fax: (510) 465-4677OBUGS sponsored sites:Marston Campbell Community Garden, 18th and Market streetsPaul and Inez Jones Garden, 3032 Linden St.St. Patrick/Prescott Garden, 10th and Campbell streetsSt. Martin de Porres Garden, 675 41st St.
OBUGS is hiring a Lead Teacher and an Office Assistant. If you know anyone who might be interested in either position, please give them the job descriptions (attached). Both positions are part-time, and the openings are immediately. Applicants can send a resume and cover letter to: obugs@obugs.org.Thank You,Michelle-- OBUGS' mission is to build healthy communities by offering programs to children, youth and families in a network of school and neighborhood gardens, green spaces and farmers' markets.Celebrating 10 years!obugs@obugs.org1724 Mandela Parkway #5Oakland CA 94607Phone: (510) 465-4660Fax: (510) 465-4677OBUGS sponsored sites:Marston Campbell Community Garden, 18th and Market streetsPaul and Inez Jones Garden, 3032 Linden St.St. Patrick/Prescott Garden, 10th and Campbell streetsSt. Martin de Porres Garden, 675 41st St.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Associate Director National Radio Project Oakland
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT, please forward
Associate Director
National Radio Project / Making Contact seeks a person with a passion for organizational development and fundraising, networking, growing their leadership talents, and creating a world where peace and social justice are paramount.
Founded in 1994, National Radio Project is a nonprofit that produces the nationally syndicated weekly progressive radio program Making Contact. Our high quality public- affairs radio programs and documentaries are broadcast by 200 radio stations in the U.S. Canada, Ireland and South Africa; thousands more listen via our website and podcasts. We train community members and journalists in radio production skills and collaborate with activist groups to create movement-building media. In 2007 the Society of Professional Journalists Northern California Chapter honored us with two awards for excellence in journalism.
We are a respected organization with a solid infrastructure and strategies, an active board and a supportive culture of fundraising. With those pieces in place, we have created this new position for a passionate activist with solid organizational/administrative and fundraising skills to help us reach our ambitious yet realistic and achievable goals.
Our main income source is individual supporters (75% including donor advised). We also receive funding from small foundations and our growing fee for service business. We have a balanced budget and a small cash reserve. Our human resources are varied including a small diverse staff and pool of contractors, as well as committed volunteers across the country and grassroots community partners who value our work.
This is a position in which an emerging social-change leader can learn new skills, and hone existing skills in project management, effective networking and fundraising. This position could evolve in a variety of ways depending on one’s skills and interests. Funds have been set aside for training classes for the new hire and there will be opportunity for mentoring from staff, board and advisors. The person will be based in our office in Oakland, California.
We seek an energetic detail-oriented person to work in true partnership with the Executive Director, to expand our solid base of grassroots support and take the organization to the next level of activities and impact.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Together with the Executive Director, lead development activities.
o Manage grassroots fundraising efforts to build upon our solid base of individual donors including: mail campaigns, major donor stewardship, house parties, engagement of volunteers, board members and staff in fundraising
o Manage electronic outreach and fundraising and tap into the potential of online resource development
o Develop written materials for publicity and fundraising
o Build upon our relationships with institutional funders
2. Together with the ED, manage some of the day-to-day administration of the organization.
o Co-create the organizational budget and development plan
o Supervise and engage volunteers and contractors involved in outreach, marketing and station relations
o Financial administration including: Maintain records of payroll, workers comp and insurance, and the filing state and federal forms
3. Inspire staff and community members. Be an effective leader, advocate and ambassador for the organization and the overall independent media sector
Skills and experience: Tell us what you’ve got. The candidates for this position may come from a variety of settings and experiences.
Compensation: Salary DOE plus generous healthcare and vacation package.
FT: This is a full-time position at our office in downtown Oakland, CA. We offer a flexible schedule and some off-site hours.
National Radio Project is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, sexual preference, disability, national origin, religion, or economic status.
HOW TO APPLY:
Please email your resume, a cover letter detailing the reasons why you are an excellent fit for this position, list three references that can speak to your abilities, and include a writing sample (e.g. proposal, report, article).
email to: lrudman@radioproject.org
APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED NOW. POSITION OPEN UNTIL FILLED.
Associate Director
National Radio Project / Making Contact seeks a person with a passion for organizational development and fundraising, networking, growing their leadership talents, and creating a world where peace and social justice are paramount.
Founded in 1994, National Radio Project is a nonprofit that produces the nationally syndicated weekly progressive radio program Making Contact. Our high quality public- affairs radio programs and documentaries are broadcast by 200 radio stations in the U.S. Canada, Ireland and South Africa; thousands more listen via our website and podcasts. We train community members and journalists in radio production skills and collaborate with activist groups to create movement-building media. In 2007 the Society of Professional Journalists Northern California Chapter honored us with two awards for excellence in journalism.
We are a respected organization with a solid infrastructure and strategies, an active board and a supportive culture of fundraising. With those pieces in place, we have created this new position for a passionate activist with solid organizational/administrative and fundraising skills to help us reach our ambitious yet realistic and achievable goals.
Our main income source is individual supporters (75% including donor advised). We also receive funding from small foundations and our growing fee for service business. We have a balanced budget and a small cash reserve. Our human resources are varied including a small diverse staff and pool of contractors, as well as committed volunteers across the country and grassroots community partners who value our work.
This is a position in which an emerging social-change leader can learn new skills, and hone existing skills in project management, effective networking and fundraising. This position could evolve in a variety of ways depending on one’s skills and interests. Funds have been set aside for training classes for the new hire and there will be opportunity for mentoring from staff, board and advisors. The person will be based in our office in Oakland, California.
We seek an energetic detail-oriented person to work in true partnership with the Executive Director, to expand our solid base of grassroots support and take the organization to the next level of activities and impact.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Together with the Executive Director, lead development activities.
o Manage grassroots fundraising efforts to build upon our solid base of individual donors including: mail campaigns, major donor stewardship, house parties, engagement of volunteers, board members and staff in fundraising
o Manage electronic outreach and fundraising and tap into the potential of online resource development
o Develop written materials for publicity and fundraising
o Build upon our relationships with institutional funders
2. Together with the ED, manage some of the day-to-day administration of the organization.
o Co-create the organizational budget and development plan
o Supervise and engage volunteers and contractors involved in outreach, marketing and station relations
o Financial administration including: Maintain records of payroll, workers comp and insurance, and the filing state and federal forms
3. Inspire staff and community members. Be an effective leader, advocate and ambassador for the organization and the overall independent media sector
Skills and experience: Tell us what you’ve got. The candidates for this position may come from a variety of settings and experiences.
Compensation: Salary DOE plus generous healthcare and vacation package.
FT: This is a full-time position at our office in downtown Oakland, CA. We offer a flexible schedule and some off-site hours.
National Radio Project is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, sexual preference, disability, national origin, religion, or economic status.
HOW TO APPLY:
Please email your resume, a cover letter detailing the reasons why you are an excellent fit for this position, list three references that can speak to your abilities, and include a writing sample (e.g. proposal, report, article).
email to: lrudman@radioproject.org
APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED NOW. POSITION OPEN UNTIL FILLED.
2nd Rising Sun Internship Berkeley
Rising Sun Energy Center (RSEC)
2033 Center Street Berkeley CA 94704
Ph: (510) 665-1501 fax: (510) 665-1502
Operations Internship with environmental non-profit
Sharpen your office administration and computer skills in a fun, relaxed, cutting-edge, non-profit environment!
Organization Overview
Rising Sun Energy Center (RSEC) is located in downtown Berkeley and provides free energy-efficiency services and education for Bay Area residents. We provide our services through innovative programs integrating youth employment, energy efficiency home visits, and service to low-income communities. Since 2000, RSEC has served over 5,000 homes, saving residents over $100,000 annually in utility costs!
Internship Details
RSEC participates in PG&E¢s Energy Partners Program to help income-qualified customers lower their utility bills. We offer free CFLs, door weather-stripping, attic insulation, refrigerators, minor home repair and more to lower our clients¢ gas and electricity usage. The Operations Intern will assist the Energy Partners Program Manager with day to day administrative tasks such as photocopying, materials tracking, and working with databases and Microsoft Excel.
We are asking for a minimum commitment of 4-6 months and 8 hours per week. RSEC cannot offer a stipend but is happy to assist you in documenting the internship for school credit.
Qualifications
Solid organization skills, Good follow through, Ability to work independently and efficiently, Familiar with Microsoft Excel, Excited to hone your office skills in a rapidly growing environmental non-profit (most important)!
This internship is ideal for someone considering a career in sustainability, the nonprofit world, or office administration. Our office is a busy exciting place full of motivated people ready to welcome you into the Rising Sun family!
To apply
Please send a cover letter and resume to Doppelt (at) risingsunenergy.org. You are welcome to call with questions.
www.risingsunenergy.org
2033 Center Street Berkeley CA 94704
Ph: (510) 665-1501 fax: (510) 665-1502
Operations Internship with environmental non-profit
Sharpen your office administration and computer skills in a fun, relaxed, cutting-edge, non-profit environment!
Organization Overview
Rising Sun Energy Center (RSEC) is located in downtown Berkeley and provides free energy-efficiency services and education for Bay Area residents. We provide our services through innovative programs integrating youth employment, energy efficiency home visits, and service to low-income communities. Since 2000, RSEC has served over 5,000 homes, saving residents over $100,000 annually in utility costs!
Internship Details
RSEC participates in PG&E¢s Energy Partners Program to help income-qualified customers lower their utility bills. We offer free CFLs, door weather-stripping, attic insulation, refrigerators, minor home repair and more to lower our clients¢ gas and electricity usage. The Operations Intern will assist the Energy Partners Program Manager with day to day administrative tasks such as photocopying, materials tracking, and working with databases and Microsoft Excel.
We are asking for a minimum commitment of 4-6 months and 8 hours per week. RSEC cannot offer a stipend but is happy to assist you in documenting the internship for school credit.
Qualifications
Solid organization skills, Good follow through, Ability to work independently and efficiently, Familiar with Microsoft Excel, Excited to hone your office skills in a rapidly growing environmental non-profit (most important)!
This internship is ideal for someone considering a career in sustainability, the nonprofit world, or office administration. Our office is a busy exciting place full of motivated people ready to welcome you into the Rising Sun family!
To apply
Please send a cover letter and resume to Doppelt (at) risingsunenergy.org. You are welcome to call with questions.
www.risingsunenergy.org
Monday, April 21, 2008
Paid - The Port of Oakland's Summer High School and College Internship Program
The Port of Oakland's Summer High School and College Internship Program offers paid work experience and an opportunity to work in one of the various departments within the Port. Interns will develop real world experience that can be helpful in developing their career path and decisions. Interns work alongside staff as they learn about Port's operations and development.Program objectives:* Contribute to the development of career interests* To provide real world work experience for students* Use of mentoring, on-th-job training and work assignments to enhance skills and abilities* Enable students to develop productive work habits and positive attitudesSelection criteria:* Must be between the ages of 16-21* Must be an Oakland resident* A grade point average of 2.5 or higher (transcripts must be submitted)* Completed application and questions* Available to work a minimum of 30 hrs/week during the summer* Be available for an oral interviewApplications and more information is available at www.portofoakland.com or call 510-627-1317
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Change Agent Summer Organizing Program
Community OrganizersFri May 30, 2008 to Sun Sep 28, 2008Description:Change Agent Summer Organizing ProgramLooking for 75 Individuals Committed to Changing Their CommunitiesBe the Change, Inc., in collaboration with the ServiceNation OrganizingCommittee, is seeking 75 energetic individuals from around the country tohelp jump-start the ServiceNation Movement to bring national service toscale in the United States. We are looking for people who believe in thetransformational power of citizen service and are ready to help call for anew era of citizenship and service in America. No organizing experiencenecessary.Summer OverviewChange Agent Academy – May 30-June 3 Attend all expenses paid trip toAtlanta to learn everything you need to know to be a summer organizerParticipate in the Hands On Network/Points of Light Conference followingthe training Learn skills, processes, and best practices for organizing andmovement building Training and Support Work as part of a diverse regionalteam Weekly check-in calls with Field Director Bi-weekly training callsOpportunity to attend the ServiceNation Summit in New York City onSeptember 18th Organizing and Movement Building Activities Work in yourlocal community Attend and host community forums and public meetingsOrganize a local steering committee Learn to navigate the local politicalsystem Convene and train local citizens to continue organizing throughoutthe yearSeptember 27 - Day of Action Work with steering committee you create toorganize a Day of Action event in your community Conduct outreach to localmedia and public officials Time Commitment Full-time during the summerAdvanced planning will allow for part-time work in SeptemberStipend $3750 to be divided equally and paid by check monthly. The lastcheck will be issued after the Day of Action.To see the complete listing go to:http://www.volunteermatch.org/results/opp_detail.jsp?oppid=386620
Thursday, April 17, 2008
NEW SAGE ARTICLE ON GREEN JOBS AND LINKS
e-newsWhere Every Issue is a Green IssueApril 2008 Issue
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NEW LABOR Jim Albert, a technician for General Electric, climbing to the top of a wind turbine in Sweetwater, Tex., where the turbines stand as tall as 20-story buildings.(photo: Brian Harkin for The New York Times) RAISING THE ROOF James Wells of Sustainable South Bronx, a nonprofit group that plants vegetation in the area, working on a Bronx rooftop garden.(photo: Michael Nagle for The New York Times)Download the ReportGreen-Collar Jobs in America’s Cities: Building Pathways out of Poverty and Careers in the Clean Energy EconomyNew publication outlines strategies for developing green-collar job initiatives and pathways out of poverty at the local level. Co-authored by Green For All, this report describes a 4-step approach for local initiatives and highlights a dozen great efforts already underway around the country.
Jobs of a Green CollarBy Steven GreenhouseEveryone knows what blue-collar and white-collar jobs are, but now a job of another hue — green — has entered the lexicon.Presidential candidates talk about the promise of “green collar” jobs — an economy with millions of workers installing solar panels, weatherizing homes, brewing biofuels, building hybrid cars and erecting giant wind turbines. Labor unions view these new jobs as replacements for positions lost to overseas manufacturing and outsourcing. Urban groups view training in green jobs as a route out of poverty. And environmentalists say they are crucial to combating climate change.No doubt that the number of green-collar jobs is growing, as homeowners, business and industry shift toward conservation and renewable energy. And the numbers are expected to increase greatly in the next few decades, because state governments have mandated that even more energy come from alternative sources.But some skeptics argue that the phrase “green jobs” is little more than a trendy term for politicians and others to bandy about. Some say they are not sure that these jobs will have the staying power to help solve the problems of the nation’s job market, and others note that green jobs often pay less than the old manufacturing jobs they are replacing.Indeed, such is the novelty of the green-job concept that no one is certain how many such jobs there are, and even advocates don’t always agree on what makes a job green.“A green-collar job is in essence a blue-collar job that has been upgraded to address the environmental challenges of our country,” said Lucy Blake, chief executive of the Apollo Alliance, a coalition of environmental groups, labor unions and politicians seeking to transform the economy into one based on renewable energy.Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club, said: “A green job has to do something useful for people, and it has to be helpful to, or at least not damaging to, the environment.”It can be difficult to parse the difference between green- and blue-collar jobs. Dave Foster, executive director of the Blue Green Alliance, a partnership between the United Steelworkers and the Sierra Club, pointed to workers who mine iron ore in Minnesota and ship it to steel mills in Indiana. “Ten years ago, that steel was used for making low-efficiency automobiles, so those jobs were part of the dirty economy,” he said. “But now that steel is being used to build wind turbines. So now you can call them green jobs.”But to Andrew W. Hannah, chief executive of Plextronics, a start-up in Pittsburgh, green-collar jobs often have little relation to their blue-collar counterparts. His company produces high-tech polymer inks that are used to make electronic circuitry for solar panels. Of the company’s 51 employees, 20 have Ph.D.’s in fields like physics, chemistry and material science.It is hard to gauge the number of green-collar jobs nationwide. Welders at a wind-turbine factory are viewed as having green jobs, but what about the factory’s accountant or its janitors? Workers with Sustainable South Bronx, a nonprofit group that plants vegetation to keep the area cooler and reduce air-conditioning demands, would seem to fit the bill. But so would the employees of Tesla Motors, south of San Francisco, who are producing an all-electric Roadster that sells for $98,000.In the most-often-cited estimate, a report commissioned by the American Solar Energy Society said that the nation had 8.5 million jobs in renewable energy or energy efficient industries. And Jerome Ringo, president of the Apollo Alliance, predicted that the nation could generate three million to five million more green jobs over the next 10 years.Green jobs are especially good “because they cannot be easily outsourced, say, to Asia,” said Van Jones, president of Green for All, an organization based in Oakland, Calif., whose goal is promoting renewable energy and lifting workers out of poverty. “If we are going to weatherize buildings, they have to be weatherized here,” he said. “If you put up solar panels, you can’t ship a building to Asia and have them put the solar panels on and ship it back. These jobs have to be done in the United States.”Many advocates of green employment say the jobs should be good for the workers as well as the environment. A few weeks ago in Pittsburgh, more than 800 people attended a national green-jobs conference, where much of the talk was about ensuring that green jobs provided living wages. Many speakers anticipated that the jobs would do so, because they often required special skills, like the technical ability to maintain a giant wind turbine (and the physical ability to climb a 20-story ladder to work on it)."These jobs will be better for the workers’ future, for their job security,” said Ms. Blake of the Apollo Alliance. “These green technologies are making products that the world wants, like energy-efficient buildings and light fixtures.”Not everyone, however, is enamored with green jobs. Take the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a Washington group that opposes state mandates requiring that a certain percentage of power come from renewable sources. Myron Ebell, the institute’s director of energy and global warming policy, argues that creating green jobs often does not create jobs on a net basis.“If you create jobs in wind power or ethanol,” he said, “that will take away jobs in other industries,” like building and operating conventional gas turbine power plants.Mr. Ebell suggested that green jobs might not prove to be so great. “There will undoubtedly be a lot of jobs created in industries that are considered green or fashionable,” he said. “Some will last a long time, and some will go like the dot-coms.”Twenty-eight states have mandates generally requiring that 10 to 25 percent of their energy be obtained through renewable sources in a decade or two. In response, many companies have rushed to build wind- and solar-power systems, and some are researching how to transform prairie grass into biofuel.Joy Clark-Holmes, director of public sector markets for Johnson Controls, which manages heating and cooling systems in buildings nationwide, sees strong job growth in the green economy. Her company’s building efficiency business, she said, expects to hire 60,000 workers worldwide over the next decade.“We see the market for greening our customers as growing,” Ms. Clark-Holmes said. She talked of demand for technicians who install and maintain heating and cooling systems, managers who oversee those functions and engineers who develop and design such systems.With scientists voicing increased concern about climate change, some highly talented people have left other fields to help build the green economy. For instance, Lois Quam, who helped create and run a $30 billion division of UnitedHealth Group, a health insurer, has joined the renewable energy cause, becoming managing director for alternative investments at Piper Jaffray, an investment bank based in Minneapolis. She is setting up investment funds that focus on renewable energy and clean energy.“The development of a green economy creates a broad new set of opportunities,” Ms. Quam said. “When I first started looking at this area, many people commented on how this will be as big as the Internet. But this is so much bigger than the Internet. The only comparable example we can find is the Industrial Revolution. It will affect every business and every industry.”Mr. Jones, the head of Green for All, joined the green economy after graduating from Yale Law School. He became executive director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland, using that position to start a program that trains low-income workers in how to weatherize homes and install solar panels.Mr. Jones calls such jobs green pathways out of poverty. “The green economy needs Ph.D.’s and Ph.-do’s,” he said. “We need people who are highly educated at the theoretical level, and we need people who are highly educated at the level of skilled labor.”He sees green jobs as providing a career ladder. Some workers might start at $10 an hour inspecting homes for energy-efficient light bulbs. Then they might become $18-an-hour workers installing solar panels and eventually $25-an-hour solar-team managers. Eventually they might become $40-an-hour electricians or carpenters who do energy-minded renovations.“Right now we don’t have the infrastructure to train a sufficient number of green-collar workers,” Mr. Jones said.As the green economy grows, states are vying for green investments — and green jobs. Pennsylvania has been especially successful, attracting German and Taiwanese companies that are building solar equipment factories, as well as attracting Gamesa, a Spanish wind turbine company. Gamesa has two factories in the state, employing 1,300 workers. Facing pressure from the United Steelworkers, which views the greening of the economy as a way to increase union membership, Gamesa agreed not to fight an organizing drive, and now many workers are unionized.Pennsylvania’s efforts have been helped by the presence of many skilled manufacturing workers in the state and its commitment to having 18.5 percent of its power come from renewable sources by 2020.“We have gone after this sector first and foremost because the green of the sector is important, because it is the green that goes into the pocketbooks and wallets of workers,” said Kathleen McGinty, the state’s environmental secretary. “They are good-paying jobs, jobs that often require advanced skills.”Jim Bauer, 55, is delighted to work for Gamesa. There he leads a team that assembles parts for wind turbines, earning slightly less than he did at United States Steel, which laid him off from his crane operator’s job after 25 years. Now he earns $17 an hour in his job, while many assembly workers earn $13.50 an hour.“It feels good working for a company that is bringing jobs into the country instead of taking jobs out of the country,” Mr. Bauer said.He admits to feeling noble doing a green job. “We have to get away from fossil fuels and oil so we can tell the Saudis to take a hike,” he said.
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