Repower to promote green jobs

Carrying the important message of promoting growth while maintaining environmental sustainability, labor leaders and environmental activists have joined together in an effort to 'green' our planet while adding jobs and boosting the American economy.

Several members of Repower North Dakota, a state branch of the non-profit Repower America campaign will be on campus Monday to hold a town hall meeting as a part of the Made in America Job Tour.

The national organization launched a 22-state tour to show Americans that greening our country doesn't mean losing jobs. In fact, at a similar town hall meeting in Illinois last week, Lisa Jackson, head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that a clean-energy economy will mean a boost in jobs nationwide.

"This is a new path," she said. "This is different but it's one where our economy and our environment move hand in hand."

Energy in ND Repower North Dakota representatives are making a big effort in the state to get the word out that the nation's third least populous state may have the most potential for growth with a green energy economy.

Residents have long been told of wind power that could be generated within the state and companies like LM Glasfiber have opened their doors banking on the demand for turbine blades. Eric Mitchell, director for Repower North Dakota said that this state is in a prime position to take advantage of future national energy policies which could go into effect if environmentalists are successful in lobbying both sides of the Hill.

"We know that climate change is real-reputable scientists around the world say that. But whether you agree with that or not, we are in a position where we can take steps to slow down the precess of glibal climate change."

And North Dakota could be at the forefront, he said. Committees in the U.S. Senate will begin reviewing legislation this fall and Mitchell has high hopes that it will mean an instrumental change for the country and the planet.

Mitchell noted that during the New Deal of the Great Depression and America's effort to put a man on the moon during the 1960s, there were large group effort to change the country.

"We have not really seen a transformative time where the whole economic perspective slopes toward a new movement like this," Mitchell said about moving toward an energy efficient economy. As a state, North Dakota he says stands poised for some major changes. While much of the state's revenue comes from coal, oil and agriculture production and development, Mitchell said that a transition to clean alternatives will mean a dramatic shift, but at a benefit to North Dakotans.

"Legislation towards a clean-energy economy will mean a net gain of 4,200 jobs in North Dakota alone," Mitchell said. "People seem to think that moving away from coal and oil will mean jobs will be lost, but that's simply not the case."

In fact, when LM Glasfiber first began operating their turbine fabrication plant here in Grand Forks, the company struggled to find workers in the state and had to start looking outside state lines.

More jobs in North Dakota and other parts of the country means that UND graduates and other students will have an easier time finding a job closer to home. Mitchell pointed out that it won't just be blue collar positions that expand but in a wide range of white collar jobs as well-something that he said this country needs.

Other benefits Beyond job growth, Mitchell said that with the right infrastructure, North Dakota has the potential to power 32 million homes through wind energy alone-translating to what he called a "significant boost" for the local economy. And it doesn't stop there. North Dakota could largely benefit from solar energy production as well. "Solar panels actually do quite well in cold environments," he said. "Along with biomass advancements, these are all great opportunities that can catapult North Dakota to be the country's 'energy state.'"

Where to begin Much of the groundwork for this "transformative time" has already begun. Legislation will begin to be heard this fall and Mitchell says it could be on the President's desk as early as the spring and work could begin soon thereafter.

Mitchell hopes that much like the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, or the stimulus bill, funding will be distributed quickly so work can begin immediately.

"During the Depression, people just wanted jobs," Mitchell said. "Now, our demands have changed; we're talking about more than just creating jobs. We're talking about leading the world in clean energy alternatives. It's been a long time since we've done something like this and we need to get back to that point."

The town hall meeting will be held Monday in the Swanson Room in the Memorial Union at 7 p.m.