A group of organizations recently submitted a list of recommendations to the Obama transition team for re-starting the flagging U.S. economy. The basic solution was green jobs.
Granted, the organizations submitting the recommendations were the country's top conservation and environmental groups, but the recommendations make sense.
Key among them were suggestions for conversion to new clean energy technology, and other steps that could help combat climate change and improve an environment neglected under the current administration.
Among the groups suggesting solving the economic crisis and the climate crisis in the same step are the National Wildlife Federation, Audubon Society, League of Conservation Voters and Union Of Concerned Scientists.
One of group's recommendations is to upgrade our aging electric grid. Upgrading the patchwork, inefficient system would both improve efficiency now and make possible transmission of renewable energy sources, such as solar in the Southwest and wind power in the Midwest, rather than dirty energy sources like coal.
Think about it.
Last time the country had a big economic boom was with the tech and computer revolution, which took computers out of backrooms at big companies and the halls of academia and put them on everyone's desk, then in every pocket, with explosive effects of the Internet and laptops.
New companies, new jobs, new industries were created in an avalanche of innovation.
It replaced some of the manufacturing jobs lost in the '80s, when we shipped our manufacturing base overseas but also created new kinds of jobs.
The present crisis offers the opportunity to garner two benefits. Every economist knows that difficult times offer both risk and opportunity. It is clear that we need to break our dependency on oil, both for our survival on the planet and geopolitical reasons.
Recommendations included capping carbon emissions, basing environmental decisions on science, and moving to green energy sources.
The recommendation for action in the first 100 days of the new administration is to aim to "repower, rebuild, refuel America" with green jobs.
Other voices are also suggesting green jobs as a way to bolster the economy, including retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency, upgrading light rail public transportation, and other ideas.
In Missouri, wind power is taking off in the northwest corner of the state, and with other little community projects around the country.
Lagging behind are major utilities like Ameren UE, which is considering a new nuclear plant rather than innovative and safer green power from wind, solar and other alternative methods. Likewise, big industry and political leaders are trailing behind public interest.
It is time for local and federal government to heed these suggestions to restart out economy by adding green jobs. We will all benefit.
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