Eidlin cites Vann Jones, former green jobs advisor for the Obama administration, as a progressive force who related the green economy to the quality of life in everyday communities.
“His argument was that low income people from communities, where he grew up in Oakland, didn’t care too about much about polar bears and sea lions because that all seemed pretty abstract,” Eidlin said. “They did care about the quality of life in their communities and local economy. Vann said one of the best ways to get people to care is if they had a stake in the outcome, a job.”
In 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics received funds to begin documenting the growth of jobs in the green sector. According to a survey published in October 2012 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Economic Policy Institute, there are currently 3.1 million American green jobs to date.
Community initiatives begin to water the roots of the socially responsible movement by connecting sustainable practices to tangible benefits.
“When you are more sustainable it usually means more jobs and it means longer term jobs because energy efficiency will go on forever,” said Dan Guilbeault, Sustainable DC staff member