Book Review: The Green Collar Economy by Van Jones

I've been perusing Van's Jones new book called The Green Collar Economy for weeks now. This book couldn't have come at a better time. With our economy collapsing, we need to fix both our environment and our economy, and do it as quick as we can.

Van shows us how one solution can fix both of these problems. it's not an either or situation as many have suggested. Jones breaks down the issues for us, putting them in an empathic voice that describes the situations of real people, from a moral perspective.

Van Jones takes the reader on a crash course of conservation and environmental law from its beginning, and carefully points out how the needs and rights of the first indigenous people, the first environmentalists, were not recognized, not fought for, and not celebrated or referred to by the creators of the first environmental laws. Jones goes on to explain how there has been many environmental injustices perpetrated on the poor and minorities in huge measure. And how much more powerful the current environmental movement would be if combined with the cause of environmental justice.

Then he shows us how there the green economy takes us through how the green economy will be driven by regular, working class people. He says, "Green collar jobs are the 2.0 version of old fashioned blue collared jobs, upgraded to respect the Earth and meet the environmental challenges today. Green collar jobs are not high-tech and futuristic. The emerging green economy is not about George Jetson with a jet pack, but rather Joe Sixpack, with a hardhat and a lunch bucket, ready to install solar panels in every home in his neighborhood. The most important piece of technology in the green economy will be a caulk gun."

We need these jobs. In the middle of this recession, Jones points out, that people in California have to wait months to have solar panels installed. This is only one area of growth Jones describes as the New Green Deal.

And at the end, a tired parent can see simply what they can do. One of the last sections is called "Action Items" and has a list of a few things we can do to help move the Green Collar Economy forward. There you will find a link to Jones' greenforall.org, a site that links to currently pending legislation that needs public support. Also, you'll find how After that you'll find a Resource List grouped by categories of interest and region.

After visiting New Orleans and the surrounding areas recently, I found the chapter describing the story of a couple's terrible experience after Katrina very compelling and moving. Van Jones gives voice to the inequities caused by environment, poverty and government negligence.

I'm not done with this book. I'm reading, thinking, re-reading. I can't really wait to post this review. Maybe I'll update it when I have finally finished. But I can easily say that to understand how we can change our energy and environmental future and salvage the economy, you should read Van Jones' book.