Encouraging and maintaining sustainability in low-income communities starts by prioritizing the development of job training programs and education systems that integrate green economic strategies. The need for environmental protection is not a new problem facing America, however in ghettos across the country, many residents are under-educated and ill-equipped to either address the conditions within their own communities or adequately meet the demands of an emerging green economy. If sustainability is a choice we need to make sure everyone is presented with the option. I say let’s use the green movement to re-energize and transform ghettos into sustainable communities by raising the conscious level of those who know very little about this very timely and important issue.
Investments need to be made to our current workforce development system ;better coordination between the business community and schools need to be made to ensure alignment with private sector labor demands and non-profit organizations need to step up and do their part to help with sustainability initiatives at the community level.
To what extent are we’re holding existing service providers, emerging green businesses, local government, K-12 schools and institutions of higher learning responsible for preparing indigent residents for the proposed new job creation under the Obama administration? From a social policy perspective, our country stands to lose more than it will gain if poor people are left behind in the fight to reduce our carbon footprint. There’s nothing environmentally just about having green jobs without clean streets.
So how can we begin to tackle these issues? In addition to the suggestions above, fund and prioritize the establishment of national green business networks, comprised of educators, non-profit organizations, community leaders and green businesses in every urban city and district, who work together as an inter-agency coalition to develop systems to meet labor demands and educate communities about the importance of greening America’s ghetto’s.
While prioritizing incentives for green business innovation is paramount to the overall green agenda, the Obama administration should also work to ensure equitable job access is given to people living in poor communities. Inclusion policies should be developed before incentives are distributed to green development companies.
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