Green Jobs
People and businesses throughout Pennsylvania and the country are experiencing tremendous economic challenges. For this reason, one of my top priorities is to work to ensure that critical investments are made to generate long term job growth and economic stability, especially for the middle class.
One factor that will create jobs and spur the economy is an investment in green jobs. Green jobs help put America on the path to a cleaner, more energy efficient future. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, public and private investment in the green economy will help to generate 115,000 jobs between 2010 and 2012. As we take the steps necessary to recover economically, we must remember that today’s investment in green jobs is also a down-payment on tomorrow’s global competiveness.
Pennsylvania, with its long history of hard work, ingenuity, and skilled labor, will help lead the world’s next great industrial and economic revolution. Taking advantage of the well-trained, dedicated, skilled workforce and entrepreneurial spirit that has grown out of our industrial past and present, Pennsylvania has fast become home for an increasing number of clean and renewable energy companies.
In our clean energy future, we will revitalize our economy by increasing our efforts in the areas of energy efficiency and conservation, by developing and adopting new, cleaner ways of producing electricity, and by creating jobs for today and for future generations. Not only will the investment in green jobs grow our economy, it will reverse the hazardous effects of global warming. In doing so, green jobs will help to alleviate rising energy prices, transform the world economy and protect our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign energy