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A Clean Energy Economy is Good for American Workers Fighting global warming and creating a new economy based on the efficient use of existing energy, reducing polluting emissions, and the conversion to renewable sources of power will be a boon to the American economy and workers. Millions of new “green” jobs will be created in implementing global warming solutions and creating a new renewable energy economy. Even better, the vast majority of those jobs are in the same areas of employment that people already work in today. For example, constructing wind farms requires sheet metal workers, machinists and truck drivers. Increasing the energy efficiency of buildings relies on roofers, insulators and building inspectors. Expanding mass transit systems employs civil engineers, electricians, and dispatchers. Although the exact number of “green-collar jobs”—those that are tied to a renewable energy economy and those which provide high enough wages and benefits to support a family, and long-term opportunity for advancement-- is hard to determine. Here are some estimates: · A $300 billion investment in America’s economic and energy future over 10 years is estimated to produce 3.3 million jobs and a $1.43 trillion gain in GDP. · 14 million workers in 45 different existing occupations -- nearly one-tenth of the US workforce – will benefit from the transition to a new energy economy. · Renewable energy creates 40% more jobs per dollar invested than coal fired plants. · If automakers are required to have a fleet-wide average of 35mpg by 2018, car manufacturers would gain 23,900 jobs, and nationwide there’d be an increase of a total of 241,000 jobs by 2020. · The solar energy industry employed over 20,000 people in 2001. That number is expected to increase 7.5 times -- to 150,000-- by 2026. · The U.S. has 18,000 megawatts of installed wind energy capacity. In 2006, the wind industry created 16,000 direct jobs. · 50,000 megawatts of added wind capacity across 25 states will generate well over 100,000 jobs in manufacturing generators, rotors, towers and other turbine components. For additional estimates of future job creations and actual numbers of those already implemented, please refer to the links provided. http://www.urbanhabitat.org/node/528 |