Local Government Green Jobs Pledge: Who will sign from Ohio?

[irishbobcat]

Local Government Green Jobs Pledge: Who will sign from Ohio?

The 21st century is our time to build an inclusive green economy in the United States that benefits our neighborhoods, our
working families and our planet. Our green future will be invented at the local level and crafted by local leaders, and our
actions will provide an example and a challenge to our state and federal governments. We are ready to rebuild American
competitiveness and environmental leadership by growing a green economy that fights global warming, pollution and
poverty at the same time.
AS LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS, WE COMMIT TO:
Focus on green-collar jobs as a central strategy for advancing environmental, economic, and climate protection
goals. Green-collar jobs:
k Provide pathways to prosperity for all workers;
k Offer competitive salaries and lead to a lasting career-track, thereby strengthening the US middle class;
k Emphasize community-based investments that cannot be outsourced;
k Contribute directly to preserving or enhancing environmental quality.
Grow an inclusive sustainable economy that creates green-collar jobs that:
k Strengthen and make further progress on our stated commitment to improving the environment in
ways that grow both the green economy and green-collar jobs locally;
k Build on climate and environmental commitments to create market demand for green products,
services, and skilled workers and create more prosperous local economies;
k Catalyze green-collar job creation and training by supporting policies that drive public and private
investment in an inclusive local green economy; and
k Develop education and job training programs that improve social equity and provide pathways out of
poverty for our residents while strengthening our middle class by equipping workers for high demand
jobs in the green economy.
Execute tangible actions that place priority on building an inclusive green economy that will:
k Involve our communities in developing and enacting green-collar jobs initiatives;
k Drive accountability and resolve to continuously improve and strengthen our efforts to invest in climate
solutions that create economic opportunity and build sustainable communities;
k Provide accessible leadership that is responsive to our communities as we evolve the green economy;
k Use the purchasing power of our local governments to create markets for renewable energy, energy
efficiency and other green industries; and
k Invest new local government resources in programs and initiatives that build an inclusive green
economy, while leveraging and aligning existing public resources, and private sources of capital and
finance, toward these same goals.
We commit to join together as a movement of local governments across the United States to seize the economic,
environmental and social opportunities offered by building an inclusive green economy of high quality jobs and a thriving
green-collar workforce.
Let's do it now—together. There is no time to waste.
SIGNED
TITLE
DATE
CITY OR COUNTY

Which local communities will step to the plate and take action in 2009?

Dennis Spisak
Mahoning Valley Green Party
Ohio Green Party

www.ohiogreens.org

www.votespisak.org/thinkgreen/