Public Employee Press

Good jobs/Green jobs

The BlueGreen Alliance brought unionists and environmentalists to Washington D.C. from Feb. 8-10 to explore strategies for building a sustainable green economy that would create good jobs protecting our environment for future generations.

More than 100 conference workshops focused on global warming and preserving our nation's economic and environmental future.

The alliance involves four of the country's most influential environmental organizations and 10 major unions. DC 37's parent union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, is an active member of the coalition. Many Local 375 members work to make New York City greener, and Secretary Jon Forster participated.

The conference showcased model practices, such as the Massachusetts legislation that requires energy companies to implement cost-effective measures to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide - a "greenhouse gas" that speeds global warming - by 25 percent. The effort is overseen by a public board representing all sectors of the community, including labor, said Forster.

Another good example for New York is California's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act, which mandates an 80 percent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2032 and targets energy-efficient building renovations. The biggest problem now is enforcement.

"We need to build local coalitions of labor, utility companies, and community organizations to make progress," Forster said.

For more information, visit www.afscme.org/green and www.bluegreenalliance.org.