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Green Jobs are Still Jobs

The President delivered his State of the Union in great fashion and with much emphasis on clean energy jobs. For those of us who write about this field, we were somewhat disappointed by the lack of use of the term "green jobs." However, it is quite understandable why this phrase was avoided. Green jobs have become a lightning rod for people who want to dump everything that is wrong within the environmental movement into a phrase.

To be honest, every movement or business has good and bad. In the business world, for every Enron, there is a Google. It would be unfair, and is unfair to broadly paint the business world as corrupt. Therefore it is time to take a step back and to give the green industry an honest look, the good and the bad.

For our purpose, let's take a look at some of the top green industries that are growing at record pace and reshaping the way we work and travel. These industries should be areas of cooperation and mutual agreement of their importance. As the Middle East is in constant fluctuation, it would be smart for both Republicans and Democrats to work together to find a viable solution for clean energy growth.

Clean Cars: The Volt and the Leaf are poster children for the green industry. There is no doubt that the technology and green car growth is in its infancy and will continue to grow. Everyone can agree that the price and scarcity of oil will have an impact on the future of transportation. This industry is poised to make giant impacts similar to the industrial revolution.

Nuclear Energy: Electricity prices continue to rise. The President wants to achieve 80% clean energy by 2035. Nuclear must be an option. Most moderates agree that if done correctly, nuclear energy can play a vital role in cutting our dependence on coal and other fossil fuels. If both sides would agree on a plan, the U.S. could double its nuclear energy capacity within a five year span. A quick political note for Republicans, now would be a good time to push for an expansion of nuclear plants. If you want to show that you are interested in clean energy, this is an easy win.

Solar Technology: The solar industry has taken a lot of flack over the last year. Some of it has been misplaced. Instead of blaming the technology, the blame should have been placed at poorly written laws and at businesses. Like most industries there needs to be a profit. Solar is no different than other giant industries, such as toys, cell phones, clothes and many others. Yet, you don't see people getting angry at Nike for trying to bring affordable clothes. To be fair, Nike also doesn't get loads of money from the government. There is some middle ground that must be struck for the solar industry. The panels and future hardware will most probably be built overseas, but like many high tech fields, there is lots of room for growth locally for scientists and engineers. American ingenuity must be balanced with the affordability of the product to be produced.

With those three industries, the United States could make huge in-roads to reaching attainable clean energy goals. Placing aside the political pundits, there is a way for both sides to stay true to their principles and work together towards the goal of green jobs.

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