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Groups Call of Congress to Repower America
with Clean Energy
Also Thank Representative Bobby Scott for his Leadership

Hampton, VA – On Friday June 26 th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), historic legislation that creates a framework for building a clean energy economy and increasing our energy independence.

On Thursday, July 2nd, local business leaders, members of the armed forces, environmental groups, and local elected officials gathered in order to draw attention to this legislation and congratulate Congressional Representative Bobby Scott for voting “yes” on the American Clean Energy and Security Act. [full story]

Helping the Earth can profit you, too

John Esson, who heads the Hampton-based Green Careers Center, noted that someday "green" won't be used to describe environmentally friendly projects. Everything will be green.

In the meantime, Esson urged the crowd to learn green building techniques. He said those who do will be well-positioned when the economy regains steam. [full story]

Number of green jobs growing in Michigan, report says

The state defines green jobs as those directly involved in generating or supporting a firm’s green-related products or services. They include jobs in agriculture and natural resource conservation, clean transportation and fuels, increased energy efficiency, pollution prevention, or environmental cleanup and renewable energy production. [full story]

Green 'Czar' Pushes Jobs, Community-Building

Van Jones has been on a crusade to, in his words, "green the ghetto" by killing two birds with one stone: reducing poverty and saving the environment.

Recently appointed as President Obama's special adviser for green jobs, enterprise and innovation, Jones now has an opportunity to implement his vision. [full story] via NPR.org

Biofuels get boost; ethanol questioned
Obama allots $2b to help expand use

The effort is intended to create jobs, reduce US dependence on overseas oil, and curb greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming, the administration said yesterday. [full story]

BLM to get $300 million for stimulus projects

The Interior Department is sending more than $300 million in federal stimulus money to the Bureau of Land Management to update its facilities and jump-start renewable energy projects across the country, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced Saturday. [full story]

Study: Kansas could be exporter of renewable energy

Kansas has the potential to become a major exporter of renewable energy, producing many new jobs and new tax revenue, a national study found. [full story] via Forbes.com

U.S. Wind Energy Industry Installs Over
2,800 MW in First Quarter
Pace of Investment, Job Creation Now Hinges on Adoption
of National Renewable Electricity Standard (RES)

Washington, D.C. – The wind energy industry installed over 2,800 megawatts (MW) of new generating capacity in the first quarter of 2009, with new projects completed in 15 states and powering the equivalent of 816,000 homes, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) announced today in its first quarter market report. [full story] via AWEA newsroom.

Unemployed seek training for 'green collar' jobs

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — As the economy sheds jobs, community colleges across the country are reporting a surge of unemployed workers enrolling in courses that offer training for "green-collar" jobs.

Students are learning how to install solar panels, repair wind turbines, produce biofuels and do other work related to renewable energy. [full story] via The Associated Press.

	Interior secretary: Wind could replace coal power
	Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar is optimistic about the potential of wind power to help wean the U.S. from dependence on foreign oil. "The idea that wind energy has the potential to replace most of our coal-burning power today is a very real possibility," he said. "It is not technology that is pie-in-the sky; it is here and now," Salazar said, [full story] via cnet green tech news

Jumping into the Green Job Market From volunteering to career coaching, recruitment experts offer their tips on finding a green job
With record numbers of people out of work, the prospect of an emerging green economy is increasingly viewed as the light at end of a long dark tunnel by many jobseekers, especially those from industries that are retooling - or retreating - as tough times persist. [full story] via BusinessGreen.com.

Federal energy initiatives buoy hopes of job hunters

Despite the weakest job market in a generation, the environment and energy sectors are showing remarkable resilience, recruiters and industry insiders say. [full story] via The New York Times.

Van Jones, founder Green for All	Van Jones Joins White House CEQ as Green Jobs Adviser
	Van Jones will join the Obama administration, but not as any sort of czar. The green jobs promoter will join the White House Council on Environmental Quality, his current outfit said today, as a special adviser for green jobs. [full story] via The Wall Street Journal

Green Jobs: One Goal, Two Different Paths

Two weeks before his inauguration, President-elect Barack Obama is steadily ramping up the “green jobs” rhetoric. In his weekend radio address, he talked vaguely of doubling U.S. renewable energy production and bumped up his job-creation goals to 3 million, all as part of the massive stimulus package now taking shape. [full story] via The Wall Street Journal.

Why Obama's green jobs plan might work

Some states -- including Michigan -- already see renewable energy as their future: It's the only sector that appears to be making room for more employees despite the recession. [full story] via The LA Times.

	Cool Job of the Month From the Faculty of Environmental Studies at the University of Waterloo
	This month's profile: As a student at the University of Waterloo, Toshikazu Mito dreamed about working in Africa. He believed, and still believes, that Africa is the best place to learn about issues among impoverished developing countries. He is now working as a program officer with the United Nations Development Program in Rwanda. [Read his profile]

Obama Names Energy, Environmental Team	Karim Kadim/AP
President-elect Obama formally announced the members of his energy and environment teams Monday, making good on promises to focus on global warming with the appointment of a strong slate of candidates that includes Nobel laureate Steven Chu. [full story] via NPR.org

Governor Kaine Announces
Renew Virginia Initiative

Richmond, VA – Governor Timothy M. Kaine kicked off his Renew Virginia initiative Dec 11th, which will include legislative and executive actions to make Virginia a leader in energy conservation and efficiency and protecting the environment. The Governor met with his economic development team and energy-related business owners to discuss strategies for attracting renewable energy companies, and unveiled plans to form an interagency task force and create an energy marketing plan to attract green jobs to Virginia [more info]

We need a big green jobs machine

Ban Ki Moon, San Francisco Chronicle

Amid the pressures of the global financial crisis, some ask how we can afford to tackle climate change. The better question is: Can we afford not to? [full story]

Hot 'Green' Jobs Keep Evolving
But not all companies are being as
environmentally friendly as they think

It wasn't long ago when people thought "green jobs" and came up with a bunch of clichés. Think park ranger, ecologist, or activist for an environmental group like Greenpeace. Now there's a new green economy that's stretching its fingertips in all sorts of directions and touching just about any industry you can think of. [full story] via U.S. News and World Report

UN forecasts boom in 'green jobs'
The UN says millions of new jobs will be created worldwide over the next few decades by the development of alternative energy technologies. [full story] via BBC news

	Greener pastures for job seekers For a growing number of career changers, fulfillment means finding a job in the emerging "green economy."
	For the past seven years that he held a corporate job at DuPont, Clarence Chaplin, now 60, felt something wasn't right. When the company "right sized" his position after 32 years, he left -- no regrets -- and entered the green economy. [full story] via Star Tribune

	Harvard Law School’s new program, and its faculty director, aim to change the way we think about environmental law
	To avoid the worst impacts, scientists say, the global community must drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions—a task that will require a massive effort by individuals, businesses, NGOs and governments to develop and use regulatory, market and technological innovations. How can lawyers help? [full story]

Finding a Green Energy Job Just Got Easier A New Book, Careers in Renewable Energy, Aids Job Seekers
In just a few years renewable energy has gone from a trendy niche to a national imperative. Today thousands of employers in dozens of sectors are looking for employees. [more info]

It's Lucrative Being Green: 5 Hot Green-Collar Jobs

by Christina Couch, ClassesUSA

When architectural intern Jennifer Downey moved from Richmond, Virginia, to New York City last year, it took more than a college degree to land her current job with the design firm Marble Fairbanks.

Prior to moving, Jennifer obtained her Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, accreditation, a credential issued by the U.S. Green Building Council for architects specializing in environmentally conscious building practices. She attributes her current professional success to her knowledge of both architecture and the Earth. [full story]