In short, the new green economy is based on clean, renewable energy and radical resource efficiency, as well as sustainable agriculture and sustainable forestry. It includes both high-tech and low-tech industries and ideas. Many people also include ideas of social justice in their definition of a green economy.
I highly recommend reading the press release from the Earth Policy Institute and Lester Brown, entitled New Energy Economy Emerging in the United States.
Clean, Renewable Energy
- Solar, including space-based solar
- Wind
- Geothermal
- Hydro, including wave and tidal
- Biomass
- Biofuels (some potential problems)
- Hydrogen (very problematic)
- Nuclear (much argument over this one)
Amory Lovin of the Rocky Mountain Institute argues in favor of what he refers to as "radical resource efficiency" and points out that saving energy costs less than buying it. Radical resource efficiency is just what it sounds like - the act of achieving maximum efficiency in the use of resources, such as energy. This includes using energy efficient technology as well as designing and planning homes, businesses, communities and lifestyles in such a way as to achieve maximum efficiency.
"Without much effort, the almost 500 million citizens of the European Union could reduce their energy use by one-fifth, studies have found. That would add up to savings of roughly €60 billion ($79 billion) per year. Such huge sums become less abstract when broken down to household level: An average family could save from €200 to €1,000 by using their energy more efficiently." -- Alexander Jung, Why Conservation is the World's Best Energy Source
For more on resource efficiency, please check out my Resource Miser newsletter.
Will It Happen?
Is the green economy just a theory? A fad? Or is it actually happening?
It is happening. Let me give as few examples:
The Oregon Institute of Technology recently developed the country's first four-year undergraduate degree program in renewable-energy systems. In 2008, the program had 50 students and graduated its first class.
Vestas, a Danish wind-turbine manufacturer, is opening new plants in the USA even during these tough economic times – two in Colorado in the last year, employing over 2500 people.
Accoring to the article Good Paying Green Collar Jobs Growing in California: “Next 10, a not-for-profit research group in Palo Alto found that the green collar job sector rose by 10% between 2005 and 2007, while total job growth in the state of California was only at 1%, proving that green jobs are a significant factor in keeping Americans employed… the study also illustrated how clean-tech investment in the state hit a record last year, despite steep stock-market declines…”
For the effects that a major wind project has had on one small town, watch the short video on Sweetwater, Texas at the very bottom of this page (below the Bill Clinton video).
The Obama administration seems intent on helping expand the green economy through both the carrot (increased funding) and the stick (increased regulation).
Here is a quote from Dr. Stephen Chu, the new US Energy Secretary:
"If I were emperor of the world, I would put the pedal to the floor on energy efficiency and conservation for the next decade." -- Reuters interview, May 2007Well, Dr. Chu is not the emperor of the world, but as the new Energy Secertary, he is in a position to help put the pedal to the floor.
Employment in the Green Economy
Green economy jobs are not just for scientists and engineers, but also farmers, forestry-workers, teachers & trainers, installers, mechanics, construction workers, salespeople and office workers. Check out my two recent articles Green Jobs Not Just for Scientists and Top Green Jobs.
Also, see the article How to Land a Green-Collar Job on the American Solar Energy Society website.
See Also
Opportunities in Energy Conservation
Clean Tech Is Only Hope for the Collapsing Economy
Chu Named US Energy Secretary
