Labor and enviros join forces
April 2009
Kansas Governor, Kathleen Sebelius keynotes. Photo by Andrew Christie Andrew Christie, Chapter Director for the Santa Lucia Chapter, was one of 250 Sierra Club members who attended the Blue-Green Alliance’s Good Jobs/Green Jobs national conference in Washington, D.C. in February. More than 2000 business, labor, and environmental advocates gathered to bring national attention to the policies and investments needed to accelerate growth of the green economy, illustrate the job growth potential of global warming solutions, and highlight the potential of the coalition to lift Americans out of poverty.
The Blue-Green Alliance is a national partnership between labor unions and environmental organizations including the Sierra Club.
During conference sessions author Robert Pollin noted that “. . . the transition to a clean energy economy has the capacity to merge the aims of environmental protection and social justice to a degree that is unprecedented.”
Rich Trumka, Secretary–Treasurer of the AFL-CIO remarked, “We reject the notion that you have to choose between good jobs and a green environment.” Teamster President, James Hoffa, said, “We are no longer in favor of drilling in ANWR.”
Closing speaker, Van Jones, observed, “This is a profound movement, a noble movement; something that’s been torn apart too long coming back together.”
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