Product Description

Provocative, personal, and inspirational, The Green Collar Economy is not a dire warning but rather a substantive and viable plan for solving the biggest issues facing the country—the failing economy and our devastated environment. From a distance, it appears that these two problems are separate, but when we look closer, the connection becomes unmistakable.

In The Green Collar Economy, acclaimed activist and political advisor Van Jones delivers a real solution that both rescues our economy and saves the environment. The economy is built on and powered almost exclusively by oil, natural gas, and coal—all fast-diminishing nonrenewable resources. As supplies disappear, the price of energy climbs and nearly everything becomes more expensive. With costs and unemployment soaring, the economy stalls. Not only that, when we burn these fuels, the greenhouse gases they create overheat the atmosphere. As the headlines make clear, total climate chaos looms over us. The bottom line: we cannot continue with business as usual. We cannot drill and burn our way out of these dual dilemmas.

Instead, Van Jones illustrates how we can invent and invest our way out of the pollution-based grey economy and into the healthy new green economy. Built by a broad coalition deeply rooted in the lives and struggles of ordinary people, this path has the practical benefit of both cutting energy prices and generating enough work to pull the U.S. economy out of its present death spiral.

Rachel Carson's 1963 landmark book Silent Spring was the pivotal ecological examination of the last century. Now, rising above the impenetrable debate over the environment and the economy, Van Jones's The Green Collar Economy delivers a timely and essential call to action for this new century.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #165830 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-01
• Released on: 2008-10-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780061650758
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. As the "ecological crisis nears the boiling point," human rights activist and environmental leader Jones (president of the national organization Green For All) lays out a visionary, meticulous and practical explanation of the two major challenges the U.S. currently faces-massive socioeconomic inequality and imminent ecological catastrophe-and how the current third wave of environmentalism, the "investment" wave, can solve both. If industry players want to take advantage of growing consumer demand for green solutions, they'll have to follow principles of inclusiveness as well as conservation and inventiveness to create "broad opportunity and shared prosperity" for citizens at all levels of society. Rife with statistics, facts and history lessons, Jones introduces a "Green New Deal," a re-imagining of FDR's original New Deal that makes the government "a partner" (as opposed to a "nanny" or "bully") of the people, and sets about defining the principles of a "smart, supportive, reliable" partnership. Jones examines success stories from around the world (included close looks at Chicago and Milwaukee), defines government priorities at national and local levels and offers concrete solutions; one major positive step for any "significant U.S. metropolis" is to "invest massively in constructing buses, light rail cars, and mass-transit projects," creating good jobs while cutting greenhouse gases. With both caution and hope, Jones concludes that "tens of thousands of heroes at every level of human society" will be needed to carry off this third, and perhaps ultimate, green initiative.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
"Brother Van Jones is a visionary who spells out real solutions in black and white - and, of course, green. Van’s vision of a thriving, green economy doesn’t have throw-away things or throw-away people. It’s the kind of environmentalism everyone can get behind." -- Mario Van Peebles, actor and producer, Mario's Green House

"It’s rare that someone with such a gift for speaking is able to convey the energy and excitement of his message equally well in writing. With The Green Collar Economy, Van Jones surpasses all expectations. The country seriously needs his take on the environment and the economy." -- Gavin Newsom, Mayor of San Francisco

"Jones accomplishes the super heroic feat of linking together the solutions for poverty, the energy crisis, and global warming. Van is a visionary of our times, and one of my personal heroes. Every relevant 21st century leader needs to read Van’s book." -- John Hope Bryant, Founder & CEO, Operation Hope

"The Green Collar Economy is a both a rallying call and a road map for how we can save the planet, reduce our dependency on budget-busting fossil fuels, and bring millions of new jobs to America." -- Fred Krupp, Environmental Defense Fund President and New York Times best-selling co-author of "Earth: The Sequel"

"The baton is passed to climate advocate Van Jones who clearly sees that our future must be green and must include everyone. His powerful new book ‘The Green Collar Economy’ shows us how to accomplish it." -- Laurie David

"This book illustrates the link between the struggle to restore the environment and the need to revive the US economy. Van Jones demonstrates conclusively that the best solutions for the survivability of our planet are also the best solutions for everyday Americans." -- Al Gore

"Van Jones has a unique ability to inspire people of all colors, classes and generations to uplift vulnerable people, while protecting our vulnerable planet. His sparkling intelligence, powerful vision and deep empathy are all on full display in The Green-Collar Economy." -- Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives

"Van Jones reminds us that the worst of times can also be the best of times -- that a nation with an abundance of resources it’s wasting -- beginning with its youth -- has an enormous opportunity to stop foolishly bankrupting itself by chasing resources it is running out of -- like oil." -- Carl Pope, Executive Director Sierra Club

"Van Jones’ authentic and passionate arguments trump the status quo. In The Green Collar Economy he holds the welfare of our neediest people front and center as he lays out a viable plan for the remainder of the 21st century." -- Tavis Smiley, Author, Television and Radio Host

"Van’s words echo the sentiments of many indigenous communities, who have endured the effects of coal strip mining, uranium mining and mega dams. The Green Collar Economy outlines industrial society’s path towards a just future." -- Winona LaDuke, Native American and environmental activist

Review
"Once in a very long while, a truly original voice enters our national political discussion--and changes the conversation for the better. [...]Van Jones does just that. The Green Collar Economy lets us envision a world in which the Earth and everyday people both thrive." (Senator Tom Daschle )

"In looking at the bigger picture, Jones provides ideas for rebuilding infrastructure and creating alternative energy sources, which would have the double bonus of boosting the economy through increased employment and higher wages while decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels . . . recommended for all libraries." (Library Journal )

"The baton is passed to climate advocate Van Jones who clearly sees that our future must be green and must include everyone. His powerful new book 'The Green Collar Economy' shows us how to accomplish it." (Laurie David, global warming activist )

"Van Jones' authentic and passionate arguments trump the status quo. In The Green Collar Economy he holds the welfare of our neediest people front and center as he lays out a viable plan for the remainder of the 21st century." (Tavis Smiley, Author, Television and Radio Host )

"It's rare that someone with such a gift for speaking is able to convey the energy and excitement of his message equally well in writing. With The Green Collar Economy, Van Jones surpasses all expectations. The country seriously needs his take on the environment and the economy." (Gavin Newsom, Mayor of San Francisco )

"Van Jones reminds us that the worst of times can also be the best of times-- that a nation with an abundance of resources it's wasting -- beginningwith its youth -- has an enormous opportunity to stop foolishly bankruptingitself by chasing resources it is running out of -- like oil." (Carl Pope, Executive Director Sierra Club )

"In The Green-Collar Economy, Van Jones has penned a working man's manifesto for the solar age. When green solutions finally catch on among everyday folks, Van and this book will deserve the lion's share of the credit." (Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Hip Hop Caucus )

"The Green Collar Economy is a both a rallying call and a road map for how we can save the planet, reduce our dependency on budget-busting fossil fuels, and bring millions of new jobs to America." (Fred Krupp, Environmental Defense Fund President and New York Times best-selling co-author of "Earth: The Sequel" )

"Van Jones represents a new generation of environmental leader - one who sees the Greening of America as both a moral imperative and a nuts and bolts economic issue. His passion, intelligence, and idealism shine through every page of this must-read book." (Arianna Huffington )

"Jones accomplishes the super heroic feat of linking together the solutions for poverty, the energy crisis, and global warming. Van is a visionary of our times, and one of my personal heroes. Every relevant 21st century leader needs to read Van's book." (John Hope Bryant, Founder & CEO, Operation Hope )

"Van Jones has a unique ability to inspire people of all colors, classes and generations to uplift vulnerable people, while protecting our vulnerable planet. His sparkling intelligence, powerful vision and deep empathy are all on full display in The Green-Collar Economy." (Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives )

"Van's words echo the sentiments of many indigenous communities, who have endured the effects of coal strip mining, uranium mining and mega dams. The Green Collar Economy outlines industrial society's path towards a just future." (Winona LaDuke, Native American and environmental activist )

"In The Green Collar Economy, Van Jones turns conventional environmentalism on its head. Watch out: this book could change everything." (Larry Brilliant, Google.org )

"As the Earth warms and the oceans rise, the civil and human rights agenda must expand. No one has worked harder to level the playing field in the rapidly growing green economy than Van Jones." (Ben Jealous, President, NAACP )

"Van Jones is someone who makes you feel like an underachiever, no matter if you're a NASA scientist or a captain of industry. . . . Echoes of his ideas can be heard among lawmakers from Sacramento to Washington..." (San Francisco Chronicle )

"In less than two years, Jones has risen from local grass-roots organizer to shepherd of a national movement to build an inclusive green economy... Jones is making sure that our planet and our people will not just survive but also thrive in a clean-energy economy." (Leonardo DiCaprio in Time magazine )

"Van Jones has made a national name for himself by finding one solution to three persistent problems: poverty, racial inequality, and the environmental crisis. He wants to solve these problems by creating green jobs filled by the poor and people of color-the groups often left behind during technological advances." (Boston Globe )

"Jones, the head of the non-profit Green For All and the author of the new book The Green-Collar Economy, could represent the future of environmentalism in America and a way for the movement to survive and even thrive through the coming recession. (Time )

"[Jones] new book -- which details how an ambitious public spending program on energy efficiency and renewable energy can stimulate the economy and create good jobs for the poor and unemployed -- couldn't have landed at a better time." (Washington Post )

"Pay attention: we are witnessing the debut of a major American voice." (Paul Hawken, author of Blessed Unrest )

"This book illustrates the link between the struggle to restore the environment and the need to revive the US economy. Van Jones demonstrates conclusively that the best solutions for the survivability of our planet are also the best solutions for everyday Americans." (Al Gore )

"Brother Van Jones is a visionary who spells out real solutions in black and white - and, of course, green. Van's vision of a thriving, green economy doesn't have throw-away things or throw-away people. It's the kind of environmentalism everyone can get behind." (Mario Van Peebles, actor and producer, Mario's Green House )

Customer Reviews

Leaves much to be desired
The Green Collar Economy covers a very important issue, at a very important moment in history, so I wish Van Jones had done a better job.

My largest complaint is that so much of this book (the first 65 pages) covers nothing but Hurricane Katrina and race relations. You would never tell from the cover descriptions or introduction that this really is a book about race and class. Van Jones comes across as obsessed with this issue, yet fails to convince me of a real connection between race and the environment.

Van Jones is also very non-specific throughout most of the book. He desperately needs more evidence, comparisons, and statistics to back up his claims. Not until the second to last chapter do we learn of specific policy solutions.

The Green Collar Economy also neglects some of the most important green issues. He dedicates less than one page to suburban sprawl vs. transit oriented development, which is really a paramount topic. Rail as a means of intercity travel is barely mentioned. He hardly mentions Europe, even though the US has so much to learn from them (How can you write book on anything green without drawing comparisons to Europe?).

Bottom line is I'm not sure who this book is for. Environmentalists will be unsatisfied with the lack of new information, and conservatives will remain unconvinced that Van Jones' proposals will actually work.

Not well researched
The author is on the right track in that we definitely need a green revolution, and this could help the economy. Unfortunately, there isn't hard data in the book really backing up much of the author's statistics and data. It is argued, for instance, that we could run out of coal. We supposedly have enough to last 250 years, although coal is only 49% of our electricity, and 22% of our energy. So, if we ramped it up, we could run out in our lifetime (and this would kill the planet). It would have been nice to see more data about fossil fuel reserves, or how much land would be needed to replace coal with solar, or how much battery technology would be needed to store it for night, etc.
Most glaring is the author's dismissal of nuclear power in one paragraph. The author suggests we could run out of uranium. This is only possible if we use light water reactors. Using Integral Fast Reactors, the fuel supply is unlimited. IFR reactors are 100 to 300 times as efficient, and can use very low grade ores, like uranium in granite or seawater! Obviously, the author is not an energy expert. I would recommend "Prescription for the Planet," by Tom Blees, or "Beyond Fossil Fools," by Joe Shuster, for an alternate point of view that does nuclear justice. The author may be in for a big surprise, since based upon current technology only nuclear plants can meet our energy challenge.

The Reality Check on nuclear power is itself detached from reality
More nuclear power is produced here in American than in France and nuclear power provides 77 percent of France's electricity. But yet Van Jones dismisses nuclear power in one short paragraph (13 lines). Is he serious that things like more caulk guns will solve our growing energy needs? And if he really believes that there are viable energy solutions contained in this book why didn't he bother to create an index so that they can be found more easily by readers seriously looking for realistic answers to our complex energy challenges?