Blah...

I'm out sick, so no posting.

I've narrowed it down to either a flu bug or the neighbor's Christmas lights. I'm sorry but in my book, even November is waaaaay too early. Regardless, something is making me vomitous.

Cheers.

It might be a green collar, but I still wouldn't pop it...

What do the following have in common?

-Bicycle repair and bike delivery services
-Car and truck mechanic jobs, production jobs, and gas-station jobs related to biodiesel
-Energy retrofits to increase energy efficiency and conservation
-Green building
-Green waste composting on a large scale
-Hauling and reuse of construction materials and debris (C&D)
-Hazardous materials clean-up
-Landscaping
-Manufacturing jobs related to large scale production of appropriate technologies (i.e. solar panels, bike cargo systems, green waste bins, etc.)
-Materials reuse
-Non-toxic household cleaning in residential and commercial buildings
-Parks and open space expansion and maintenance
-Printing with non-toxic inks and dyes
-Public transit jobs related to driving, maintenance, and repair
-Recycling and reuse
-Small businesses producing products from recycled materials
-Solar installation
-Tree cutting and pruning
-Peri-urban and urban agriculture
-Water retrofits to increase water efficiency and conservation
-Whole home performance, including attic insulation, weatherization, etc.

They're new money!

The aforementioned jobs are just a small slice in a VAST growing section of green collar enterprise. The sustainable movement is attracting a whole new breed of worker, with various estimates reporting that green collar jobs could top 40M by 2030. CEO and founder, Mother Nature, was unavailable for comment.

And apparently --contrary to popular belief-- white and blue make green. This third sector is evolving into a growing market of labor AND tech, exhibiting DNA traits of both. Not to say that the job of your run-o-the-mill plumber is strictly blue collar. Lord knows I would flood my house in seconds flat if I were faced with a leaky garbage disposal. Additionally, traditional plumbing parts and fixtures are becoming more and more complex. So please don't think that I mean that with any disrespect. But the tech and labor green collar combo is so important because the market has never trended faster. General construction is now awash in a sea of green, so much so that even architects are running out ways to categorize information. Who will act as interpreter?

Washington DC is on the right track. Not only do they understand the need for growth, but they're keeping it local.

Their apprentice programs are training workers > Trained workers beautify the city > Pretty cities spur investment > Investment brings more work to trained workers.

There's the inner-city.
There's the unions.
There's Oakland.
There's the Bronx.

New Orleans, I'm looking at you.

From the DC website:

The community and economic benefits of Green Collar Job Training and job placement are many. Our apprenticeship programs:

-Provide employment opportunities to under-served urban populations;

-Build clean and green communities and prioritize the need for green collar jobs in urban centers;

-Teach fundamental, marketable skills in an interactive, hands-on, inquiry-based manner that makes learning easy and fun;

-Nurture confidence, social skills, and a healthy respect for environmental stewardship;

-Support businesses in improving products and services through customized horticultural enhancements and cost-saving techniques;

-Assist green job placement through partnerships with local businesses, regional green employers, and employment services agencies;

-Form viable partnerships with job-readiness, job placement, AmeriCorps, Youth Opportunity, Project Empowerment, and other workforce development programs;

-and Supply needed services and beautification to local sites utilized in our training courses.