Green Jobs and the Green Economy
After World War II, America was facing a national debt that was 109 percent of GDP; today our national debt is close to 60 percent of GDP. Senator Franken believes that we can grow our way out of this debt, just like the United States did in the 1950s, through smart investments in infrastructure, innovation, and worker development. The clean or "green" economy has particular potential to get us out of this recession. Fostering clean energy industries like wind and biofuel can provide multiple benefits, including generating new well-paying green jobs and placing the U.S. and Minnesota at the forefront of the clean energy technology race, while cutting harmful pollution to improve public health and preserve the environment for generations to come.
Minnesota is particularly well positioned to benefit from investments in the green economy. Whether its harnessing the wind in Pipestone, growing the next generation of biofuels in Willmar, or tapping into geothermal energy in Appleton, Minnesota is ready to lead.
Senator Franken has worked hard not only to create jobs that will put Minnesotans back to work, but to create jobs that will put Minnesota among the leaders of green technology, like those at SAGE Electrochromics. Minnesota is the Silicon Valley of windows and SAGE is at the forefront of the industry, creating green jobs and the next generation of energy efficient windows.
