A Breakdown of the Growing Environmental Industry within our Workforce and What It Entails<\/span><\/h1>\nThe federal governments of the United States and Canada (amongst other countries), promise an increase in
\n\u201cgreen-collar work\u201d… but what does this really mean? A lot of ambiguity exists when the term is used, as a green job may include numerous different traits and employment positions from environmental consultants to farmers.<\/span><\/p>\nEvery governmental definition of \u2018green jobs\u2019 differs slightly because it reflects different political and economic interests;\u00a0 <\/span>however, emphasis always remains on the environment and sustainability. <\/b><\/span><\/p>\nThe original \u201cgreen\u201d jobs were in farming and forestry.\u00a0 However, due to technological advancements, many machines have taken over individual green labour jobs in this area.\u00a0 <\/span>High-tech machines have increased efficiency and decreased the amount of farming and forestry labour positions that the industry once needed.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/psdinst.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Green-Jobs-Image-2.jpg\")
Greenwashing<\/strong>: misinformation provided by an organization to display an environmentally responsible image.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tVarious institutions often classify green jobs differently.\u00a0 NGOs often define them with more detailed criteria.\u00a0 For example, \u201cit has to pay decent wages and benefits that can support a family. It has to be part of a real career path, with upward mobility. And it needs to reduce waste and pollution and benefit the environment…you don\u2019t want to greenwash, you don\u2019t want to call something a green collar job that doesn\u2019t have the wages or background to support it\u201d (Apollo Alliance – an association of labor, business and environmental groups advocating green employment).<\/p>\n
Similarly, David Thompson of the Sierra Club proclaims that \u2018green jobs\u2019 must include the following criteria: \u2018good jobs\u2019; safe, healthy, equitable; traditional occupations; new occupations, community-based; training programs; and greening the economy. One can argue that these NGO positions are using the lack of clarity on the green jobs definition as an opening to promote a much broader social agenda.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/psdinst.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Green-Jobs-Image-3.jpg\" "\\"Green")
<\/span><\/div><\/div>The question of what can be considered a \u2018green job\u2019 can only be answered individually or within the organization that is using this terminology. At this moment, there is no universally agreed upon definition of \u2018green jobs\u2019 nor are there guidance criteria to classify a job as \u2018green\u2019. That being said, most governments\u2014especially those that are trying to promote green jobs and a green economy\u2014do provide a vague definition of \u2018green jobs\u2019. It is important to note that when a government, NGO or the industry defines the term \u2018green jobs\u2019, that definition will reflect the political, economic and environmental interests of that organization. Thus, careful consideration must be given before that same definition is applied elsewhere.<\/p>\n
In 2013 the United States Government Accountability Office\u2019s federal audit claimed that almost a half-billion U.S. taxpayer dollars were allocated towards training workers for \u201cgreen jobs,\u201d but only 55% of the people that were trained were placed in new jobs that were linked directly or indirectly towards \u201cbeneficial environmental outcome.\u201d<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/psdinst.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Green-Jobs-Image-4.jpg\")
A Green Economy<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n
While having broad definitions of what green jobs are can give institutions flexibility in what characteristics of sustainability they want to imply by being \u201cgreen,\u201d the vagueness can also lead to governments and industries claiming they are creating \u201cgreen jobs\u201d when they may barely or not at all reduce environmental impacts.\u00a0 Meanwhile, NGOs that promote sustainability, conservation, and other various environmental issues tend to have very complex definitions of \u2018green jobs\u2019 that bring in other social agendas which further contribute to confusing what a green job really is.\u00a0 Achieving a universal definition of what a green job is might help society more accurately gauge green job creation\u2014but this will require agreement among key stakeholders.\u00a0 Given the differing perspectives, this is not likely to be attained in the near future.<\/p>\n
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\n\u201cgreen-collar work\u201d… but what does this really mean? A lot of ambiguity exists when the term is used, as a green job may include numerous different traits and employment positions from environmental consultants to farmers.<\/span><\/p>\n
Every governmental definition of \u2018green jobs\u2019 differs slightly because it reflects different political and economic interests;\u00a0 <\/span>however, emphasis always remains on the environment and sustainability. <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n The original \u201cgreen\u201d jobs were in farming and forestry.\u00a0 However, due to technological advancements, many machines have taken over individual green labour jobs in this area.\u00a0 <\/span>High-tech machines have increased efficiency and decreased the amount of farming and forestry labour positions that the industry once needed.<\/span><\/p>\n\n Various institutions often classify green jobs differently.\u00a0 NGOs often define them with more detailed criteria.\u00a0 For example, \u201cit has to pay decent wages and benefits that can support a family. It has to be part of a real career path, with upward mobility. And it needs to reduce waste and pollution and benefit the environment…you don\u2019t want to greenwash, you don\u2019t want to call something a green collar job that doesn\u2019t have the wages or background to support it\u201d (Apollo Alliance – an association of labor, business and environmental groups advocating green employment).<\/p>\n Similarly, David Thompson of the Sierra Club proclaims that \u2018green jobs\u2019 must include the following criteria: \u2018good jobs\u2019; safe, healthy, equitable; traditional occupations; new occupations, community-based; training programs; and greening the economy. One can argue that these NGO positions are using the lack of clarity on the green jobs definition as an opening to promote a much broader social agenda.<\/p>\n The question of what can be considered a \u2018green job\u2019 can only be answered individually or within the organization that is using this terminology. At this moment, there is no universally agreed upon definition of \u2018green jobs\u2019 nor are there guidance criteria to classify a job as \u2018green\u2019. That being said, most governments\u2014especially those that are trying to promote green jobs and a green economy\u2014do provide a vague definition of \u2018green jobs\u2019. It is important to note that when a government, NGO or the industry defines the term \u2018green jobs\u2019, that definition will reflect the political, economic and environmental interests of that organization. Thus, careful consideration must be given before that same definition is applied elsewhere.<\/p>\n In 2013 the United States Government Accountability Office\u2019s federal audit claimed that almost a half-billion U.S. taxpayer dollars were allocated towards training workers for \u201cgreen jobs,\u201d but only 55% of the people that were trained were placed in new jobs that were linked directly or indirectly towards \u201cbeneficial environmental outcome.\u201d<\/span> A Green Economy<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n While having broad definitions of what green jobs are can give institutions flexibility in what characteristics of sustainability they want to imply by being \u201cgreen,\u201d the vagueness can also lead to governments and industries claiming they are creating \u201cgreen jobs\u201d when they may barely or not at all reduce environmental impacts.\u00a0 Meanwhile, NGOs that promote sustainability, conservation, and other various environmental issues tend to have very complex definitions of \u2018green jobs\u2019 that bring in other social agendas which further contribute to confusing what a green job really is.\u00a0 Achieving a universal definition of what a green job is might help society more accurately gauge green job creation\u2014but this will require agreement among key stakeholders.\u00a0 Given the differing perspectives, this is not likely to be attained in the near future.<\/p>\nGreenwashing<\/strong>: misinformation provided by an organization to display an environmentally responsible image.<\/p>\n<\/span><\/div><\/div>