Green Economics

Industrial Land Preservation: Key to Green Jobs Growth

Editor — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:48:03 -0500

By Margot Lederer Prado

The most important issue facing Oakland today,” is how former Planning Commission Chair Mark McClure describes the debate over the conversion of Oakland’s approximately 33.8 million square feet of industrial land (and potential job-generating space) for residential use.

Oakland’s industrial land is the city’s premier “jobshed” area outside of the Downtown/Airport area office core with large tracts of strategically-positioned parcels that can provide a base for the 10,000 good jobs, which Mayor Ron Dellums has vowed to create.
Much of the momentum for industrial land preservation in Oakland is due to the emerging green economy and clean tech scientific and energy industries. When Mayor Dellums signed on to the new Green Corridor Initiative (with other East Bay cities) for entry into the field of biosynthetic fuel and solar cells, he signaled that Oakland is ready for such activities. But questions about the preservation of the remaining areas of industrial land, and the production and distribution jobs that have served as Oakland’s jobshed for a century, still remain.

Can Oakland court these new industries while preserving and encouraging its baseline of production, distribution, business-to-business supply and repair, and other existing quality jobs that have provided generations of Oaklanders with a decent living wage, career longevity, and family benefits?

Community Benefits: New Movement for Equitable Urban Development

Editor — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:25:27 -0500

Madeline Janis

The fight for the heart and soul of our cities and suburbs is being taken into communities all across America. In churches and synagogues, in union halls and other meeting places, powerful coalitions of diverse stakeholders have been creating a new approach to economic development. The result has been tens of thousands of middle-class jobs, thousands of units of affordable housing, and the creation of permanent avenues for public involvement.

PlaNYC: EJ Group takes the Inside Track to Advocate Sustainability

Editor — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:20:56 -0500

By Peggy Shepard, Stephanie Tyree, and Cecil Corbin-Mark

The explosive growth of urban centers worldwide has forced government and civil societies to grapple with the question of how to manage population growth without destroying the environment, while simultaneously ensuring economic prosperity. The quest for this balance is commonly captured by the phrase “sustainable development.” By any measure, achieving sustainable development is a significant challenge. However, when you try to make New York City—the world’s financial and entertainment capital—sustainable, you need more than chutzpah; you need environmental justice (EJ).

Digital Infrastructure for the Community, by the Community

Editor — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:37:46 -0500

By Eloise Lee

In East Palo Alto, we’ve realized that it’s not a case of ‘if you build it, they will come.’ Just because technology is in place doesn’t necessarily mean people will find value in it,” states Dr. Faye McNair-Knox, executive director of One East Palo Alto—an organizational member of the East Palo Alto Digital Village Program. “Working alongside groups who provide essential services to local residents has helped us to partner with individuals who have not participated to become familiar with the technology and develop their own value for it. You really have to build that whole base of value within a community for people to access technology.”

Livable Communities

Editor — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:09:35 -0500

By Carl Anthony

Dec. 6: Green Jobs: Environmental Sustainability and Curbing Climate Change

Editor2 — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:13:50 -0600

What strategies can we use to revitalize our economy by preserving and transforming manufacturing sites into green sites with green jobs? As businesses and workers adjust to the changing global economy, green manufacturing has become an integral economic strategy for maintaining job security and creating new "green jobs" for the future. How can we provide businesses with incentives to create green jobs? How can we reduce our carbon footprint and rebuild the US manufacturing sector on a green path? We'll examine one case study from the automotive industry and have further discussion on green job initiatives.

Community Jobs in the Green Economy

admin — Thu, 17 May 2007 12:35:05 -0500

Community Jobs in the Green Economy, a collaborative effort between the Apollo Alliance and Urban Habitat, is a reflection of our shared belief in the potential of the “green economy” to generate quality jobs in our nation’s low-income communities and communities of color. We believe that America and the Bay Area can move toward energy independence while simultaneously creating high-skill and high-wage jobs for residents of low-income urban communities – residents who have not historically benefited from economic development strategies. Our goal is to provide a roadmap for community organizers, economic development practitioners, labor representatives, and city managers who wish to learn about and create high quality, green jobs in their communities.

Oakland First City in the US to Contemplate Oil Independence!

Editor2 — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 15:44:08 -0600

The Oakland Apollo Alliance is excited to announce a recent step forward for "green-collar jobs" in Oakland. In October, Oakland became the nation's first city to explore "oil independence." The City Council voted unanimously to create an Oil Independence Task Force of experts to effectively research and write a plan for radically reducing Oakland's oil consumption by the year 2020. This is a critical development because the City Council required job creation to be a top priority in the search for solutions. In addition to restoring our environment, "Oil Independence" will also mean job opportunities for Oakland residents! The Task Force is expected to complete its work by mid-2007. The Oakland Apollo Alliance helped write portions of the City Council resolution, and also organized a well-attended rally at City Hall that highlighted growing public support for this effort. The Oakland Apollo Alliance is grateful to City Councilmember Nancy Nadel for her leadership in sponsoring the legislation.

We Make the Path by Walking

Editor2 — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 15:16:39 -0500

By Clifton Ross

In the shadow of one of the great environmental and social injustices of Latin America, Cerro Rico, Bolivia, a green coop stands as a hopeful sign that Bolivians can begin to restore their land and their lives after centuries of exploitation. Cerro Rico (Hill of Riches) was once known as Sumaj Orko, the sacred “Majestic Mountain” of the indigenous people of Potosì, Bolivia.

Today, the mountain is on the verge of collapsing because of the warren of mines crisscrossing its center, and every rainfall causes rivulets of toxic effluence to flow down its surface, endangering the health of the local population—over 75 percent of whom are considered poor and 45 percent, “extremely poor,” according to El Potosì, the local newspaper.

Green Landscapes in Washington D.C

Editor2 — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 15:07:06 -0500

By Dawn Gifford

In 2004, D.C. Greenworks— a non-profit that seeks to resolve urban environmental and economic problems by fostering local expertise, job training, and community stewardship—joined forces with the Coalition for the Homeless and the 14th and U Main Street Initiative to form the Green Team, a group of men and women charged with maintaining clean, green, and safe streets in the Shaw commercial corridor of Washington D.C. In addition to handling litter and graffiti removal, the Green Team is also responsible for tree box landscaping and maintenance, and provides employment and training opportunities for Shaw’s homeless population. By creating a well-maintained commercial district, it has stimulated investment in vacant properties and supports tourism by disseminating heritage and hospitality information about the neighborhood and its attractions.