Jobs tour highlights benefits of transitioning to a clean energy economy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Alliance for Climate Protection’s Repower America campaign, in partnership with the Blue Green Alliance and its labor and environmental partners, today embarked on a nationwide Made in America Jobs tour, highlighting the benefits to American workers and businesses of transitioning to a clean energy economy that will create millions of jobs.

“American workers and their families need jobs, and a clean energy economy is a sure-fire way to put our country back to work and on a path toward long-term economic prosperity,” said Maggie L. Fox, President and CEO of the Alliance for Climate Protection. “The Alliance for Climate Protection and the Blue Green Alliance are crossing the country to show Americans – through tours of clean energy businesses, conversations with workers making the parts that harness clean energy and rallies with local residents – that the benefits of transitioning to a clean energy economy are available today through good-paying jobs which are giving new meaning to the term Made in America.”

A recent BlueGreen Alliance report found if the U.S. instituted a national renewable energy standard, more than 850,000 manufacturing jobs at firms already in existence across all 50 states could be created manufacturing the parts for wind, solar, geothermal and biomass power. A Center for American Progress report also found that investing $150 billion a year in America’s clean energy economy could create 1.7 million jobs, which could include jobs like retrofitting and constructing new energy efficient buildings and manufacturing next-generation, plug-in hybrid and electric cars.

“We can create millions of jobs building the clean energy economy – whether it’s manufacturing the parts for windmills, building hybrid car batteries or weatherizing homes to make them more efficient,” said David Foster, executive director of the Blue Green Alliance. “Now we’re combining our efforts to spread the message that by transitioning to a clean energy economy, we can revitalize America’s manufacturing sector and boost our economy for the long run – and create jobs Made in America.”

The Made in America Jobs Tour will kick off Thursday, August 20 in Cleveland, Ohio, and consists of more than 50 events in 22 states, including St. Louis, Missouri; Detroit, Michigan; Gary, Indiana and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and will stress the job-creation benefits of clean energy policies.

“Building a clean energy economy can revitalize American manufacturing, but only if we commit to using domestically produced components,” said United Steelworkers International President Leo W. Gerard. “In confronting the challenges of recession, global warming and energy independence, we have an opportunity to transform our economy and create good jobs that truly are ‘made in America.'”

“These events show the groundswell of support for action on clean energy and climate solutions that will help move our country in a new direction,” said Frances Beinecke, President of the Natural Resources Defense Council. “At this critical moment-when Americans need to get back to work and the impacts of global warming are already being felt-we need our elected officials to act on legislation that will unleash investments that will create jobs and move America to a clean energy future.”

For more information about the Made in America Jobs Tour, visit Repower America www.repoweramerica.org/tour or the Blue Green Alliance at www.bluegreenalliance.org.

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About the Blue Green Alliance

The Blue Green Alliance is a national partnership of labor unions and environmental organizations dedicated to expanding the number and quality of jobs in the clean energy economy. Launched by the United Steelworkers and the Sierra Club in 2006, the Blue Green Alliance now includes the Natural Resources Defense Council, Communications Workers of America, Service Employees International Union, Laborers’ International Union of North America, Utility Workers Union of America and American Federation of Teachers.

About the Alliance for Climate Protection’s Repower America:

The Alliance for Climate Protection launched the Repower America campaign to galvanize the American public around a bold new clean energy plan and a revitalized national energy infrastructure that will jumpstart our economy and create millions of jobs; help end our dependence on foreign oil; reward innovation and job creation, not polluters; and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow the threat of climate change.

The Made in America Jobs Tour is supported by the Blue Green Alliance Foundation, a 501 c(3) organization dedicated to educating the public about the job-creating potential of global warming solutions, including the expansion of renewable energy and energy efficiency across the United States.