White House House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) chairwoman Nancy Sutley has announced that Van Jones will help direct the Obama administration’s efforts to create new green collar jobs.
Jones is the founder of Green for All and the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, and a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. He will reportedly begin work next week as the Special Adviser for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, with a particular focus on “vulnerable communities.”
“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,” Sutley said in a statement.
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When rumors began to swirl around the interwebs on Monday as news broke that Van Jones would likely be named as some sort of “Green Jobs Czar” in the Obama administration, many of us here at Green Options were reminded of David Anderson’s persuasive argument for Van Jones as the next “Secretary of Prosperity.”
I’ve argued before that Van Jones gets what green collar jobs are all about and understands what they mean for the environment and for the economy. Jones’ brand of environmentalism is not so much about the preservation of pristine wilderness areas (though I’m sure that’s part of it), as it is about creating jobs in urban communities in the construction, building efficiency, and renewable energy sectors.
Notwithstanding the fact that there is actually no such thing as a Secretary of Prosperity (yet), we’re pretty jazzed about the Van Jones appointment and look forward to seeing what he can accomplish working from inside government, because we’ve already seen what he can doing working outside it.
Image: Center for American Progress
About Timothy B. Hurst
An excellent choice and hopefully the a future Secretary of Prosperity in U.S…..czar???.
I think US needs a more hopeful, positive title for such an innovative leader!
I have read about Van Jones and met him on one occasions following on of his very passionate presentations. I have followed some of his efforts in the east bay with interest in his creativity. He is outspoken and clear on his interest in helping to move the underserved and hard to employ citizens in inter-cities into the mainstream through jobs, health benefits etc. I believe he has some very good ideas that make sense. At a minimum, you will know where he stands on issues and he will make you think and even consider the possibility that he may be right on many of his recommendations and that maybe you should consider getting onboard.