Greening of the masses
Though the term "green collar" might be applied to anyone employed in a job that benefits the environment, it has come to more specifically designate the masses of blue-collar workers who will be weatherizing homes, building hybrid cars and manufacturing and erecting wind turbines. Advocates expect the green-collar workforce to be an important part of the nation's economy as more homeowners and businesses move toward conservation and renewable energy. The green gigs could replace manufacturing jobs lost to overseas labor, advocates say, and they are likely to resist outsourcing, as someone in India can't very well install a solar panel on a building in Chicago.
Though the term "green collar" might be applied to anyone employed in a job that benefits the environment, it has come to more specifically designate the masses of blue-collar workers who will be weatherizing homes, building hybrid cars and manufacturing and erecting wind turbines.
Advocates expect the green-collar workforce to be an important part of the nation's economy as more homeowners and businesses move toward conservation and renewable energy. The green gigs could replace manufacturing jobs lost to overseas labor, advocates say, and they are likely to resist outsourcing, as someone in India can't very well install a solar panel on a building in Chicago.
The goal is to train skilled green-collar laborers and present opportunities for advancement, Kruller said.
Taking a cue from Green For All, a California-based group that sees green-collar labor as a potential "pathway out of poverty," the Chicagoland initiative hopes to serve people who lack skills or education, or who may be at a disadvantage because of a criminal record, Kruller said.
