Powershift '09 rally: Clean energy, green jobs and labor-environmental alliances

Clean energy and green jobs were the topics at hand yesterday as thousands of young people rallied to combat climate change in Washington DC. I was there on the front lawn of the Capitol Building with thousands of other activists and I can testify that, despite a rare DC snowstorm, the energy and enthusiasm of the people there was awesome. The rally came at the culmination of Powershift '09, a four day youth conference organized by Energy Action Coalition focusing on clean energy solutions to the economic and environmental problems that the world is facing. It's Getting Hot In Here has full coverage of the conference including youtube clips of some of the speeches.

Meanwhile on February 27th, the same day that the conference began, Joe Biden convened the first meeting of the White House Middle Class Task Force. He echoed the same sentiment expressed at the Powershift conference: that creating green jobs is a vital component of the current economic recovery formula. In an op-ed piece for the Philadelphia Inquirer, published in advance of the meeting, Biden said:

"According to the Council of Economic Advisers, green jobs pay 10 to 20 percent more than other jobs. They also are more likely to be union jobs. Building a new power grid, manufacturing solar panels, weatherizing homes and office buildings, and renovating schools are just a few of the ways to create high-quality green jobs that strengthen the foundation of this country."

Higher paying. Union. And green. In the creation of green jobs one can see the mutual interest between environmental groups and labor organizations in building an economy based on clean energy. After years of corporations fostering an attitude of mistrust between two strong progressive movements, it's great to see the natural alliance between labor and environment being realized. I've also seen how these barriers are getting broken down in the fight to make campus food service more sustainable.

With a union, workers have a say in their workplace, and thus have the ability to work with students and speak up to their managers about ways in which the operation could be more sustainable. With a union, workers have the opportunity for increased training in how to make sure that sustainability in the cafeteria they work for is more than just a buzzword. With a union, jobs are higher paying and workers have the ability to live their lives in sustainable fashion.

Thus, when I saw the signs and heard the cries for 'green jobs' at the Powershift rally, I thought about the great potential for progressive students of all stripes to get involved in their campus food service and to fight for a comprehensive sustainability that includes both workers and the environment.