The Green-Collar Solution: Thomas L. Friedman's editorial about Van Jones, a black social/environmental activist from Oakland, CA, and the importance of bringing the young black underclass into the environmental movement and the opportunity to expand the green movement into an economic opportunity for the jobless and underprivileged.
Friedman makes a great point. Van Jones' work is really inspiring and promising, and I just hope this idea can gain momentum and start to work in practice and not just theory.
The environment as an issue is one that seems very segregated by socioeconomic factors. If you're struggling just to get by, you've got more things to worry about than what could happen to the Earth decades down the road. On the other hand, how hard is it to place an empty pop in recycling rather than the trash? Education is a big part of it. When we can't even get kids to read in failing public schools, how can we push for them to recycle and absorb and retain that information? And if parents aren't doing it, kids are likely to follow in their footsteps. How do we make this a relevant issue to low income families? The environment and the Earth's sustainability is an issue that affects us all and if our children are going to have a place to live at all, it's an issue that everyone is going to have to be united on and work towards...and soon. It's great to read about a viable idea being championed by a smart, energetic man.
Check out Green For All, the organization/campaign that Van Jones and others are lobbying for in Congress. You can click on "Get Involved" and sign up for their mailing list and see how you can help and you can give donations on their site as well. I'm signing up as we speak.
And another one, from today's NY Times: Abstinence 1, S-Chip 0.
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