Source #28

Summary: The article advocates for more green job career programs that target low-income and/or at-risk youth. It also predicts the green collar sector will be a major player in the future of America’s economy. 

Topic: Making green collar jobs more accessible to American youth

Category: Non-profit Institutional 

What is it? The online version of an article from the published magazine

Title: The Promise of the Green Jobs 

Publication Information: The Nation, October 30, 2008 

Author: KJ Meyer 

Location: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081117/green_jobs

Accessed: February 5, 2009 

Support:
* Alvarro Jasso, Operation Maintenance Supervisor for Suzlon Energy 
* Youthbuild, youth employment opportunity program 
* Dorthy Stoneman, founder of Youthbuild 
* Eva Blake, Green Initiative Director of Youthbuild
* Apollo Alliance, a joint organization of labor and environmental groups 
* James Harvey, former Youthbuild participant
* Trustees of Reservation, a Brockton, MA non-profit park and outdoor spaces preservation organization  
* Green for All, green development advocacy group 

Audience & Agenda: The Nation magazine was founded in New York City in 1865. A section from its founding prospective reads, “The Nation will not be the organ of any party, sect, or body. It will, on the contrary, make an earnest effort to bring to the discussion of political and social questions a really critical spirit, and to wage war upon the vices of violence, exaggeration, and misrepresentation by which so much of the political writing of the day is marred.” It strikes me as a liberal publication that takes the meaning of an independent press seriously. It is also a publication that is not a fan of George W. Bush. On the front page of its website, the magazine has an ad announcing the winner(s) of its “Retire Bush” contest. The front page also features an article by Naomi Chazan called “Reflections of a Troubled Israeli.” The Nation is also very open about its anti-war and anti-Iraq agenda. The publication wants to expand and promote its agenda by offering jobs and internships to anyone who is interested. 

Usefulness: This article was loaded with many resources. I was glad it focused on the importance of recruiting youth into the green job sector. The article seemed qualified and well-researched. It referred to statistics and at least two studies to support its claim that focusing on increasing the number of green jobs was critical to improving the state of America’s economy. It also included the successful experiences of two youth males who were able to improve their careers through working within the green job sector.

Works Cited:  
* American Solar Energy Society, 2006. Accessed February 5, 2009. (Link no longer exists.) 
* Apollo Alliance, resources site, 2008. Accessed February 5, 2009. 
http://www.apolloalliance.org/resources.php
* Arboriculture, “Arboriculture: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” January 25, 2009. Accessed February 5, 2009.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arboriculture 
*  Center for American Progress Task Force on Poverty, “From Poverty to Prosperity: A National Strategy to Cut Poverty in Half,” Center for American Progress. April 25, 2007. Accessed February 5, 2009. 
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/04/poverty_report.html 
* Greener Pathways report. Accessed February 5, 2009. (Link no longer exists.)
* Walsh, Bryan. “What is a Green-Collar Job, Exactly?,” TIME. May 26, 2008. Accessed February 5, 2009.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1809506,00.html 

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