Renewable energy — By Stephanie on October 16, 2008 at 11:49 am

Turn on the news these days and all you’ll hear about is the economy – stock market losses, banks failing, unemployment on the rise. Surely there are tough times ahead.

Some skeptics say that the current economic crisis is no time to talk about alternative energy and related investments. But the real experts advise that a green economy can and should be based on building and inventing our way out of a recession by focusing on solar power, wind energy and geothermal exploration.

First of all, the obvious. Thousands of jobs will be created by the expansion of green industry. Just check out this article which reviews career opportunities in a green economy, state by state. Long term, as we work to secure our energy independence, we can start to chip away at our tremendous national debt which is due in large part to the purchase of foreign oil supplies.

National security? Surely that will be beneficial to an improving, green economy. As we extract our troops from unstable Middle Eastern countries, we no longer need to fight to protect our “addiction to oil.” We will literally be clean and sober, living with the fresh abundant energy supplies from the sun, wave movements, wind, and geothermal.

Recently, the movement towards a green economy took hold on September 27 with a National “Green Jobs Now” day. People all over the country held signs, organized rallies and took photographs of their efforts to bring the importance of a green economy to the politicans through this Day of Action.

As shown on the following video, green jobs will help pull people out of poverty and address the serious issues of global warming – two most important issues facing the world right now.

Over 700 communities and 50,000 people directly participated in Green Jobs Day, making the inaugural effort to jump start a green economy a huge success. As organizers point out, there is much that can be done to increase renewable energy options, which will provide jobs for millions of people. For example, technical assistance is needed for installation of solar panels and wind turbines. Laborers can help weatherize existing buildings. Engineers and electricians are needed for public transit improvements and grid upgrading.





Did you miss the Green Jobs Day celebration last month? No worries – the effort continues! You can sign the petition and still make your voice heard so that our elected officials recognize the importance of a green economy and do something about it!

I urge our elected officials to invest in creating millions of green jobs and a Clean Energy Corps. We can’t drill and burn our way out of the current crisis. We can invent and invest our way out. We can create new pathways out of poverty and curb global warming at the same time. We will do this by retooling our factories, rebuilding our communities, and repowering America with 100% clean and renewable electricity. It’s time to build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.

This is not the answer to our economic crisis: