Green Jobs

What is a "green" job? Who knows? A standard definition eludes us. Last year reports were published (at neck breaking speed), each with their own definition, varying statistics, and lofty predictions. So far this year articles and opinions scrutinize the ambiguity of it all, even analyzing how many jobs are displaced for each "green" job created. Vice President Biden defines green jobs as "all those jobs associated with environmental improvement and improving the lives of the American people"1 Very patriotic.

I have been trying to define green jobs for over a year. Each time I think I've decided on a definition (simply remembered as “a job that reduces, reuses or recycles a non-renewable resource”), I come across an occupation or situation that makes me question it.

What about auto mechanic/electrician that works on RTD's light rail cars or a person who abates asbestos--are these green jobs and are they counted in these studies? What about the job that only spends part of the time on "recycling, reusing and reducing"? My job could be considered only about one-quarter of a green job. Is it rounded up to whole job when counted? What about the cashier at Walmart, a behemoth institution that now commands a green supply chain, invests heavily in renewable energy, and set ambitious goals to conserve energy (considering energy is second biggest billion-dollar line item after the cost of labor, the incentives are obvious). Although this cashier’s job has not changed since before their initiatives, is it now considered a “green job”? I say yes. Why not? Some green jobs are completely new without job descriptions written (such as in photonics or algae). Some are already in existence, such as engineers, architects, accountants, sales people, mechanics, and inspectors, and a few of those just have to learn a few new skills.

Unless one is required to count, track, and/or compare the numbers of green jobs, a definition really doesn't matter. What does matter (and is a recurring theme among the published reports) is the trajectory of numbers of jobs is rising and that policy is one of the main drivers for increasing the numbers of "green" jobs in our interdependent, international economy.

Although our cities and states have made their own strides in garnering support for the "New Energy Economy", we are fortunate in this instance to have not been the first movers in implementing aggressive national policy to drive demand for green stuff--we're now able to learn valuable lessons from others, mainly Europe.