In his new book, The Green Collar Economy, Van Jones makes a case for a new ‘green stimulus package’ of $350 billion to fix what he calls “our two biggest problems,” the deepening economic crisis and global climate change. The solution, he argues, is to “retrofit and reboot America,” by creating a green New Deal. Developing green infrastructure, investing in renewable energies and “unleashing” the creative entrepreneurial spirit of America towards clean green solutions, he suggests, would create millions of new jobs. But much of the work doesn’t rely on new and future technologies, he insists. “The low-hanging fruit is a massive program to retrofit America, to weatherize millions and millions of American buildings to leak less energy…that’s using the caulk gun.” Echoing writers like Tom Friedman, Jones acknowledges that while private enterprise and entrepreneurship will solve global warming, the “market works according to rules,” and the government can help by creating incentives and conditions that stimulate a robust green economy.
For more on ‘The Green Collar Economy,’ pick one up at Amazon.
Watch Jones talk about his book.
