Green Jobs in America for Green Industries Assignment 3-1 June 7, 2009

Green jobs have become a front and center focus of the American economy and the White House. The White House’s agenda for future green jobs has been outlined on a web site directed by Vice President Joe Biden called, “Whitehouse.gov/strongmiddle class.gov.” The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is designed to recover America in many ways but most fruitfully by investing into green industries and supporting businesses that produce green efficient products, and services for the renewable energy sector.

For example, the Unites States, Vice President, Joe Biden speaks of people taking job training in the areas of solar energy. A man named Tom took a two week solar energy course to better prepare himself for a position to build solar power and electric systems. Green jobs training like that of Tom’s is funded by $ 500 million dollars within the American Recover and Investment Act’s budget. The green jobs of tomorrow will require training for areas in renewable energy to include, solar, wind, hydro-electric, geothermal, recycling, housing, automobiles, mass transportation etc. For example, the American Recovery and Reinvestment act (ARRA) goals is to address every state in union in terms of it needs in renewable energy. In Ohio, according to the ARRA; the goal is to double the renewable energy capacity over the next three years to support six million American new homes.

Renewable energy requires that someone build products for the various industries that support the production of renewable energy. A company called Enerdell in Indianapolis is building batteries for electric cars. Unlike the higher union wages of the auto industry the bulk of the jobs pay at $ 12.00 dollars per hour which is competitive to the auto industry which is at $ 14.00 dollars per hours for starting employees. Wages across the globe may continue to stabilize at lower than past rates due to globalizations. One popular opinion regarding globalized wages is, the stage of wages will be set by the country or region that is paying higher wages for the same type of manufacturing work. Once a leader country or region has established the leading higher pay scales; one can assume other regions will begin to adjust their wages and types of products manufactured according to their current and future gross domestic production needs.

However, not everyone is for a bottoming out of wages; just to create a new structure to their gross domestic product budgets or local economy. Such is the case for the Mayor Virg Bernero who vehemently opposes globalization and its effects upon lower wages and unfair trade agreements. Mayor Bernero reportedly sees America industry as leaving this country due to unfair trade agreements with countries like China. A popular opinion is that since we have enacted trade agreements like NAFTA; that we have lost all competitive edge and incentives to manufacture anything in America, so industries once here go to the lowest bidder in countries like China etc. China ends up retaining our jobs and stockpiles wealth leaving America without jobs and much wealth as it once seemed to possess.

In summary, I can see both side of the green jobs push for the short and long term results. The results of our trade agreement have caused American’s manufacturing industries to diminish but much of this was going to happen without some of our trade agreements in time. The reason I say this is because; if you can make a good quality product at a cheaper price; as an owner or stock holder you’re going to do it for better profit margins. However, this will be done at the cost of American domestic jobs and economic activity over time. I feel we are a long ways from a truly green economy, but we have to start somewhere, to remain competitive in the whole globalization environment in which we live. I believe that when the dust settles; a new American economy will emerge properly positioned to compete globally with green jobs and industries that are more suited for long term sustainability; rather than short term gratifications of the few greedy Wall Street billionaires as has been the case. I believe that we must make these changes if we wish to continue to chart our own destiny as a country or we may be following a new global leader without a chance to get back on the proverbial bus in this century.