Creating a Green American Dream
I have something really cool to show you. But before I do, a little background.
Last Friday, I had the immense honor of speaking at the first meeting of Vice President Joe Biden's new White House Task Force for Middle Class Working Families. Vice President Biden launched his Task Force with a discussion of how green jobs could help build a strong middle class. And he asked me to chime in from Green For All.
What a measure of how far our green jobs movement has come. We've brought to light real solutions to the economic and environmental problems facing the country. And we've done it so well and so beautifully that the White House itself wants to hear what we have to say -- and wants to make sure everyone else is listening, too.
Naturally, I had to do something special. I asked my colleagues at Green For All to whip up a short video I could play, showing how we can revive the American dream with green jobs.
They only had a couple of days, but they knocked it out of the park. Take a few minutes to watch the video below.
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
What a fantastic video--I loved how it was comprehensive in scope, looking at different urban areas in the U.S. Sounds like Green for All is doing some exciting work!
Just before the election, I produced a video (http://anxietyindex.com/2009/03/rethinking-the-american-dream/) on people's feelings towards the American Dream. The people I talked to definitely expressed a desire for change and for new leadership that would provide innovative solutions to America's problems. Personally, I think green jobs is the way to go.
Van Jones--keep us posted on the movement!
Vann, great job in Philadelphia.
It would be absolutely wonderful if you can do something to help the Administration/Federal Government speak with one high profile voice (perhaps a celebrity like Tim Allen) to the urban, suburban, and rural HVAC contractor trade about the energy audit, efficiency, retrofit, and renewable "Whole System" approaches they can market to their customers.. By that I mean also integrating, for example, the DOE and EPA Energy Star Certified Contractor effort through either regional or web-based empowerment and traing conferences directed at upgrading the "Whole System" skills approach of HVAC companies. As you know, these contractors are the foot soldiers on the front line helping homeowners and building owners make informed decisions about the green choices they have for their dwellings that have the best ROI. Plus, they are American jobs.
Good luck!
As always, you are the best.
I hope that your ideas are reaching classrooms.
I am taking your portrait painted by Rob Shetterly, americanswhotellethetruth.org to a third grade classroom tomorrow. The kids in this class live in the most impoverished, violent part of our community and your message gives them hope.
Bless you a million times.
Thanks for giving our students a reason to believe they will grow up, have jobs , clean water, hope for energy sources and livelihood. What would be doing at schools with them if they didn't believe they would have this in the future????????
Well if they say they are listening, they certainly do not listen very well. I sent a solution for agriculture, doing away with 50% of fossil-fuel use and all pesticides, herbicides and fungicides and chemical fertiliser, which are all fossil-fuel based, without going back to the 19th century and did not even get an answer - this is 6 weeks ago.
Thank you so much for this story. I LOVE that the new Administration isn't wasting any time getting to this important initiative. This totally dovetails with those "Obamelot. Believe." shirts I've seen. The message is simple, but important...we ALL have to believe that the American Dream is alive and that Obama and his team are going to give it back to us. Those Obamelot shirts are organic cotton, and they give back to charities...maybe someone should tell them about Green for All as a cause to support.
Great article, Van, and thank goodness there are people like you coming to the forefront. This may not fall directly into your topic, but I was wondering your thoughts on genetically-modified foods that now make up the bulk (of products like corn and soy) that are grown in this country. I recently saw a documentary and I've read quite a bit about them. I know our country is facing many important issues, but a country does run on a it's stomach, so thought this was one of those issues.
Thank you for the inspiring video. I hope many, many people see this, and feel optimistic. I loved the urban gardening, and the looks of joy on the faces of the the green workers.
See Joseph A. Palermo's Profile
Great work Vann! Caught part of your remarks on CSPAN, excellent, clear direction for the nation. Thank you!
A new green economy is the wave of the future. Greening every aspect of our life will create new jobs and small businesses. I just found the coolest company online called Synergy Beads and they are greening spirituality and creating jobs. Very cool!
If you care about democracy, equality, jobs, and the environment, you will support generous feed in tariffs, HOME and BUSINESS based renewable power generation and low-interest loans under AB 811, which came out of the Bay. You will NOT support massive, wilderness-killing Big Energy boondoggles, even if they use some wind or some sun as their fuel, and even if they create short-term jobs for long-term destruction of our publicly owned lands.
There is a win/win here, but only if you push harder for point of use solutions that improve property values, engage the people, reduce energy consumption and create more jobs while ramping up renewables 10 times faster than remote, GHG-spewing ecosystem killers. We need every city and county to fund AB 811 loans, and this state to FINALLY stop giving ALL our money and ALL our land to Big Energy! Feed in tariffs of 50 cents will see every home and business in the state covered with PV, everyone working and everyone cutting back consumption.
Please - that is the REAL change we need. Democratic energy.
Green jobs and middle class !
I am sceptical about this.
We will diversify our energy sources, BUT
at the very end those jobs(manufactoring) will be outsourced - just like any other.
Don't be so sure.
Outsourcing production only works if you have plentiful cheap oil.
How long do you think that state of affairs will last?
Mr. Jones, I also heard you speak at the State of the Black Union forum last week, I have sent your website green for all to all I know. Thank you for being there and here at HP. If America will re-build a middle class and become energy independent, the President will be assisted by your knowledge & assistance.
Very impressive and exciting to hear about this endeavour. Good for you, Mr. Johnson. We applaud your efforts and I will pass this on to my circle to help build awareness of where the future is heading -- given your efforts and the efforts of our new President.
Correction: Mr. Jones. I was just so excited.
Just one of many great ideas I pray this country finally puts into action everywhere and builds the middle class. Something we can produce!
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
