Van Jones had my vote in July, 2005, when he addressed the Institute of Noetic Sciences Conference. He brilliantly sailed through the controversy of climate change or not, human influences or not. Rather than getting caught in the usual, heated duality of either/or, he went for that time-honored favorite - follow the money. While some scientists and too many politicians continued with the same-ole, same-ole, Jones has championed a multi-trillion dollar industry waiting to be recognized by innovative thinkers and clever entrepreneurs.
In 1996, Van co-founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland, California, to heal society by transforming it. Ten years later, they realized their own organization needed transforming too, in spite of accomplishing important goals to fight injustice and teach youth to read. Rather than fighting, it was more about creating good jobs and good schools. They opted for a "clean and green", healthy community in Oakland with the Green-Collar Jobs Campaign and Silence the Violence. A "Summer of Non-Violence" followed, with some of the Bay Area's hottest rappers talking about violence in the neighborhoods and creating a culture of peace in Oakland.
Green for All took off and has become a national movement believing that "the national effort to curb global warming and oil dependence can simultaneously create well-paid green-collar jobs, safer streets and healthier communities". Learn how you can be part of it: find out how to host a Green Recovery Action and be part of the Green for All Academy.
What happened in the San Francisco Bay Are is also in motion in this Bay Area. City Council members on both sides of Tampa Bay are reading Van's book, The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems.
With Van Jones now the Special Advisor to the White House for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, we in Tampa Bay and The Green Community at Creative Loafing are ready to partner with him and the President to make Tampa Bay a hotbed for green jobs, careers, businesses and industry.
Fellow GC contributor Paul Messerschmidt send this video of Van's talk on April 16th at Bentley College in Massachusetts. It will give you a goo overall picture of what's happening with Green Jobs.
