Kevin Wilhelm

There is currently a flurry of talk on Capitol Hill around the need for an additional stimulus package; and if so, what should it include and when it should go into effect?

One thing is clear: The political will to “green” this stimulus package is finally here, and if done correctly, the package could be our country’s first major, nationwide step towards addressing climate change.

While pushing for a cap-and-trade program or a carbon tax would certainly be the most effective way to curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the country, we are a long way from seeing either of them come to fruition. A national cap-and-trade system is inherently complicated, and it will take years of negotiation to get up and running (as we’re seeing with the Western Climate Initiative).

Moreover, even a common-sense, revenue-neutral carbon tax such as the one proposed by University of Washington economist Yoram Bauman does not stand a chance in this current economic or political environment. Our best option is to aim for other projects that show potential to reach the market faster and to create immediate GHG emissions reductions.

The  additional stimulus, which will focus on job creation and infrastructure improvements instead of rebate checks to encourage consumption, provides a unique opportunity to ensure that a major portion of new jobs are so-called green-collar jobs. Such initiatives will not only put people back to work, but they will also demonstrate to cynics and believers alike that a new form of economic development can also lead to carbon reduction.

So what type of green-collar jobs should the stimulus package support? There has been plenty of emphasis lately on the green job potential of both solar and wind power development: Politicians often paint the picture of an “upskilled” engineer or roofer installing solar panels, which is a job that cannot be outsourced to China or India.