Green Careers Hold the Key to American Economic Growth

With all the back and forth about what green careers are and how they will affect our economy, no one has ever clearly shown how and why they are important. The green movement will affect the American economy in three ways *By the definition of green *By the economic growth it creates *By the effect it will have on foreign policy

Green careers are going to play a pivotal role in the recovery of the U.S. Going green will help revive the economy towards creating job growth and counter the effects of net job loss. Three areas aiding the recovery will be: the broad definition of green, economic growth and foreign policy. Regardless of your political persuasion, going green is a plus.

There is a lot of potential in the green market. The concept of green is still in its infancy and the technological advances that have yet to be made are enormous. I would venture that it holds more potential for real economic growth than any other industry. The solar panel and wind turbine industry alone are experiencing enormous economic growth. The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) is seeing huge growth in wind farms. To really grasp how the solar industry is growing, you must realize the extreme growth of these programs that are being started in community colleges across the United States. The AWEA.org is reporting double digit growth in wind farm installation. Billionaires have been a big proponent of wind power for the past few years, and will continue to gain interest. According to coolerplanet.com, the solar energy industry will see tremendous growth in the coming years. The bottom line is that green careers in just these two sectors alone will be a boost to the economy.

Green jobs are going to be vital because of the truly broad definition of green collar jobs. While some might say that the broadness of the definition may negatively impact the view of the concept, I say the opposite. Because there is not a clear definition, the broadness helps people from all economic and political backgrounds find a niche. There have been many green industries that have already been formed in the early stages of a green economy. The broad definition also helps shape huge political support on both sides of the political isle. No politician wants to be seen as anti the new big thing, therefore they end up egging the industry on.

The final reason for the really positive economic growth of the green industry is foreign policy. As T. Boone Pickens and many other politicians have pointed out, creating our own energy is important. Clean energy is a concept that falls into a national security zone, which helps political viability. Clean energy goes way beyond what most people think; sustainable energy also covers the Smart Grid. Creation of the smart grid has extreme nation importance. One key note on clean energy is that the raw materials must be created and manufactured in the U.S. to truly spur real economic growth. While foreign trade is very good, switching Middle East Oil, for Chinese Wind turbines is not such a good switch. By creating the center of green manufacturing in the U.S., it will help alleviate major foreign policy issues.

Green careers can play a role in nearly every aspect of the American recovery. By discovering and working toward a real green industry now, the U.S. can be in the driver's seat of an economic phase that should encompass the next twenty years of world economic growth.

Reference:

1. http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-newest_professions_growing_salaries-992
2. http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-08-02-sustainability-degrees_N.htm

Ezra Drissman is the content developer for www.greencareersguide.com and www.eco20-20.com. GreenCareersGuide is one of the leading green career websites and is currently linked to by dozens of major universities, libraries and governmental bodies. It has been referenced in numerous articles and newspapers across the country. Prior to his work on green issues, Mr. Drissman interned in Washington DC and received his degree in Public Affairs.