Well, let’s start the first post on Clean | Green | Sustainable with some positive news.
Yesterday, the White House Council on Environmental Quality announced that green jobs guru Van Jones will serve as Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at CEQ. This is fantastic news and, in my opinion, by far President Obama’s greenest pick! Let’s hope this is the start of a promising trend!
According to the White House’s press release:
“Van Jones has been a strong voice for green jobs and we look forward to having him work with departments and agencies to advance the President’s agenda of creating 21st century jobs that improve energy efficiency and utilize renewable resources. Jones will also help to shape and advance the Administration’s energy and climate initiatives with a specific interest in improvements and opportunities for vulnerable communities,” said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
I first learned about Van Jones’ work last fall when I saw he was one of the main presenters at the Bioneers Conference. Jones is the founder of a amazing organization called Green For All, a national organization dedicated to building an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.
According to their website, “By advocating for local, state and federal commitment to job creation, job training, and entrepreneurial opportunities in the emerging green economy – especially for people from disadvantaged communities – Green For All fights both poverty and pollution at the same time.”
Talk about the “Win-Win” solution, eh?
Jones is also the author of a 2008 New York Times best-seller titled The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems.
You can read Mr. Jones’ take on his new job with the Obama Administration at the Green For All blog.
Congratulations Mr. Jones! Best of luck and here’s to many successes!
