Fighting Environmental Injustices

These days Van Jones is almost synonymous with the green economy and creation of green collar jobs.  However he has been fighting against environmental injustices for nearly two decades.  His ideals promote a very logical approach to the environmental movement and need to make itself relevant to low-income Americans.  

"Why should a single parent working two jobs care about greenhouse gases if there are far-more-immediate concerns at hand?"

Phrases like this one are key issues when trying to creating a greener future for everyone.  In order to really make a difference people of all socioeconomic levels need to be involved and have a way to create change. Green collar jobs is a way to transform blue collar jobs into employment thats benefits the worker, the earth, and creates positive externalities.  

Think about Chester, Pa and all the industries located there and amount of pollution created.  Now thinking about the people who live there, it is largely comprised of low income households and minorities.  Pollution affects the daily lives of these residents and a lot could change if the factories changed their business practices and higher the residents to help institute that change.  Solar panels need to be installed by someone, homes need to be weatherized by trained auditors, local farms need maintained by workers to produce food for the local residents.  Green collar jobs can fill in all these gaps while educating an individual, a family, and the future about our environment.

Here is a short video of Van Jones of the Colbert Report explaining what a green economy is and what it can do for our future.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/164563/april-01-2008/van-jones