Minneapolis, MN (November 6, 2008) The BlueGreen Alliance today said green jobs were a defining issue in the 2008 elections. And with news today that the number of people continuing to receive unemployment benefits reached its highest level in more than 25 years, the national partnership between labor unions and environmental organizations also said that the U.S. should move forward with a “green recovery” to create jobs, increase energy independence and reduce global warming pollution.

The following is a statement from Blue Green Alliance Executive Director David Foster:

“This election showed us that Americans are ready for a change – they are ready to fix the economy, ready to change the way we produce and consume energy and ready to tackle global climate change.

“Our energy, environmental, and economic problems are interdependent – and so are the solutions.

“Moving forward, this nation needs a ‘green recovery’ – investments in global warming solutions that put Americans back to work. By setting a goal of creating two million jobs in the next two years with investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency strategies – including mass transit, wind and solar power, ‘smart’ electrical grid transmission systems, and building retrofits – we can create middle-class jobs, start our country down the path to energy independence and help to reduce global warming simultaneously.

“The next four years present enormous challenges for the United States – but also incredible opportunities. By taking advantage of these opportunities, the transition to a green economy will become a reality.”

-30-

The BlueGreen Alliance is a strategic partnership between labor unions and environmental organizations to expand the job-creating potential of the green economy. The Alliance is comprised of the United Steelworkers (USW), the Sierra Club, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).