According to the 2,700 people who attended the recent Good Jobs Green Jobs National Conference held in Washington D.C., the answer is yes. The voices of the green movement from the Blue Green Alliance (BGA) to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are speaking in unison and conveying a very compelling message: going green could save not only the planet but change the current economic crisis and create opportunity – as long as we realize that going green is more than just recycling cans and turning off light switches. It is about industry.
The Good Jobs Green Jobs summit was established by the BGA as a gathering of labor, business, and environmental advocates to forge an agenda for a new, greener economy. This year’s speakers included EPA Administrator, Lisa Jackson; Cathy Zoi, CEO for the Alliance for Climate Protection; and several state governors and United States senators, as well as a throng of attendees who all have the same idea – the growing climate crisis is requiring rapid action, and the investment in new energy infrastructures and cleaner energy sources could do more than just resolve an environmental concern – it could trigger the next industrial revolution. But could the current crisis really be the beginning of a new form of commerce, industry, and trade? And if the nation truly embraces green technology, what can we expect from a green revolution?
