Building Our Green Collar Economy

Session Topic:
Building Our Green Collar Economy
Name of convener:
Ged Moody
Participants:
gemoody@yahoo.com
Email/Phone:
Donna Lisenby, Lumini Merced, Kimberly Marland, Nita O'Brian, Sam Zimmerman, Travis
Thompson, Brent Summerville, Travis Thompson, Debbie Golembieski, Liz Acock, Ged Moody

Main points from the conversation:
Sustainability has a financial component
There is a fallacy that going green is more expensive, we need to combat this
Our Green Collar Economy Opportunities exist in the following areas:
1. Building Efficiency (building, testing, designing, retrofitting) these area include all of the trades that touch the building industry.
2. Renewable Energy Infrastructure. Designers, Installers, Educators. This includes solar
thermal, photovoltaics, biofuels, wind, micro-hydro...
3. Manufacturing; attracting the manufacturers who will make the components that comprise the green economy. It makes most sense to build things here that match our resources and what we use: examples: Solar Thermal Panels, Wind Turbines, ...
4. Recycling. This includes facilities for recycling a broader array of good (like #5 plastic
containers). This also includes repairing used or worn out items, and broader resale opportunities (like the ReStore)

Action steps:
Shifts in tax incentives to allow more than just businesses to benefit fully.
Build a local biofuels infrastructure including farming and processing.
Write grants to community-oriented support each of these areas: building performance,
renewable energy, biofuels, green manufacturing,
Work with local utilities to best understand how to partern to meet the demands of Senate Bill3 so that the whole community benefits fully.
Work on a local landfill gas co-generation project
Workforce development/training in green technologies (high school & community college)
Have the education system partner with economic development activities in order to attract new
businesses.
Set up an eco complex, where on companies waste products are the inputs for the next companies products, and so on...
Identify and use the coming glut of BIG BOX spaces.
Develop a region-wide energy efficiency and production plan (integrated) with a goal to make the region energy independent.
Have community and university SET GOALS for efficiency and Renewable Energy production.
Place a Green-Bulletin board, possibly and electronic board, in a prominent location in town to
promote our achievements, goals and events.
Do an inventory of all green technologies and efficient building project in town. Place the results
in a google map, where you can click on the projects/infrastructure.