It seems that the media has had a lot to say recently about going “green.”  Undoubtedly, the current administration appears dedicated to improving the current legal standards governing environmental safety.  Many scientists also argue that we must take action now in order to avoid the nasty consequences of global climate change.

A recent article in the New York Times focuses on a potentially positive effect of our nation’s increasing “greenness” – the creation of new industries and jobs. It’s true that “green” jobs are likely to increase as we seek to lower emissions, gain energy independence, and clean up our water, earth, and air. However, some experts say it is unlikely that these jobs will be enough to replace those that we will lose from more traditional industries. For instance, if we enact carbon and energy restrictions, we risk losing jobs in the coal and oil industries as well as in manufacturing. In addition, “green” industries may well face the same foreign competition for jobs and other challenges as their predecessors.

Despite the new economic and industrial waters we are charting, our challenges remain the same. We must create jobs that benefit the individual – our economy, our culture – as well as the whole – the global economy, the environment, and the well-being of all people inside and outside our borders. Although it is interesting to consider how industries and jobs will change in relation to the threat of global warming, it is more important to keep our eyes on the prize of stabilizing the U.S. economy, creating jobs to lower unemployment, and pulling out of the current recession.

Jocelyn Courtney-Hays