Green Jobs
Yesterday's New York Times features a piece by Steven Greenhouse called "Millions of Jobs of a Different Color." He writes:
"Presidential candidates talk about the promise of 'green collar' jobs — an economy with millions of workers installing solar panels, weatherizing homes, brewing biofuels, building hybrid cars and erecting giant wind turbines. Labor unions view these new jobs as replacements for positions lost to overseas manufacturing and outsourcing. Urban groups view training in green jobs as a route out of poverty. And environmentalists say they are crucial to combating climate change."
Positive economic impact of new green technologies is an important topic, but I was so pleased to see Mr. Greenhouse go on to say that "many advocates of green employment say the jobs should be good for the workers as well as the environment."
Mark Richey Woodworking and Design, a high-end architectural millworking firm we've been working with, is the first company of its type to use a biomass furnace to burn all wood waste and eliminate use of natural gas for heating the shop. They're also working on installing a wind turbine that should provide enough electricity to take Mark Richey Woodworking off the electric grid.
If you speak with Mr. Richey--a world-class climber who's seen first-hand environmental damage that's not apparent to most Americans--you'll quickly feel his dedication to doing his part to help the environment. What's striking is how deeply he believes that being good to the environment isn't at odds with running a profitable business; on the contrary, the two go hand in hand.
Mr. Richey's company employs nearly 100 people in Massachusetts and is able to be competitive in an industry that's been losing ground to Canada and China partially because the company has eliminated its once substantial natural gas bill.
Certainly, keeping jobs in the U.S. is very "good for the workers," as Mr. Greenhouse says. Mr. Richey's gone beyond that by installing a sophisticated ventilation system that cleans dust from the air to improve the comfort of his employees. The shop, working at full tilt, is cleaner than many offices.
Green employment, indeed.
Posted by Laura Kempke on March 27, 2008 at 12:35 PM
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