Conference Workshops 2012
Los Angeles - March 15, 2012
Workshop Session I: Thursday, March 15, 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Infrastructure and Cleaner, More Efficient Transportation
Workshop
Session I: Thursday, March 15, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Concentration: Infrastructure and Cleaner,
More Efficient Transportation
Green Transportation is a growing source of green jobs regionally and nationally. California’s High-Speed Rail project is the largest infrastructure project underway in the nation. The project is anticipated to cost approximately $98 billion and create tens of thousands of jobs. The California High Speed Rail Authority and Amtrak (“America’s Railroad”) will share plans for regional high-speed rail, as well as their plans for intercity transit coordination with high-speed rail and key job-creating Sustainable Transit Guideline Initiatives by the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and transit agencies with over 13,400 employees.
Moderator:
André Villaseñor, Southern
California Sustainability Coordinator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Presenters:
Tian Feng,
District Architect, Bay Area Rapid Transit District
Sarah Jepson,
Sustainability Policy Manager, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority
Rob Eaton,
Government Affairs Director, Amtrak
Gregg
Albright, Interim Deputy Director for Planning, Parsons
Brinckerhoff
Responsible Investment
Workshop Session
I: Thursday, March 15, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Responsible Investments to Rebuild the American West
How do we find responsible investment capital for infrastructure and energy efficiency? Large pension funds and institutional investors are searching for opportunities to invest in this field. New responsible investment (RI) strategies and partnerships are emerging, and this workshop focuses on worker-friendly funds’ efforts to finance infrastructure and energy retrofits of commercial real estate.
This educational presentation on public-private partnerships shows how workers’ capital can play a role in new financing strategies. Utilities, transportation, social, and specialist infrastructure sectors will be discussed as they relate to clean and efficient energy production and savings. Project delivery methods can decrease or increase the risk to the investor depending on the level of private control. Real estate industry experts will provide updates on energy efficiency in new construction.
Moderator:
Debbie C. Nisson,
CRE, VP Investments, Ullico Investment Advisors, Inc
Presenters:
Sarah Stattinius,
Vice President, Landon Butler Co., MEPT
Leanne Tobias,
Managing Principal, Malachite LLC (Invited)
Workshop Session
I: Thursday, March 15, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Responsible Investments to Rebuild the American West
Responsible investors (RI) — including smart enterprise fund managers capitalized by workers’ pensions — are making significant investments in sustainable businesses and other clean economy industries, such as advanced manufacturing.
RI investors incorporate environmental, social and governance criteria into their investment decisions, and have created and saved hundreds of thousands of good jobs, including union jobs. As such, RI investors have been wisely growing or restructuring businesses, not stripping and loading them with unnecessary debt.
This workshop will provide presentations by RI fund managers and developers on successes and challenges in investing in key sustainable industries, including advanced manufacturing, clean tech and green businesses, logistics and efficient transportation, natural resources stewardship and service sector firms.
Moderator:
Thomas
Croft, Managing Director, Heartland Capital Strategies
Presenters:
Jeff
Pelletier, Operating Partner, The Yucaipa Funds (Invited)
Lou
Giraudo, Managing Partner, GESD Capital Partners (Invited)
Adam
Blumenthal, Managing Partner, Blue Wolf Capital Management (Invited)
Regional, State and Local Initiatives and Partnerships
Workshop
Session I: Thursday, March 15, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Concentration: Regional, State and Local
Initiatives and Partnerships
This session will describe
research work that estimates the employment impacts of various greening
policies. This is very relevant given the current economic recession with high
unemployment. The research presented in this session provides examples and analyses
of how these challenges are currently and prospectively being met.
Presenters:
Jeffrey O’Hara,
Agricultural Economist, Union of Concerned Scientists
Lewison Lem,
Principal
Consultant and Practice Leader, Jack Faucett
Associates
Jeannette Wicks-Lim, Research Fellow, Political Economic Research
Institute, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Hal Nelson, Professor, School of Politics and Economics,
Claremont Graduate University
Workforce and Economic Development
Workshop
Session I: Thursday, March 15, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Concentration: Workforce
and Economic Development
California invests billions of dollars in energy efficiency and clean energy, having a significant economic impact on the state and generating new jobs doing green-related work. The design and implementation of green policies at the state level can thus play a huge role in shaping workforce development practices and labor standards for the jobs generated. This panel will discuss ways that workforce practitioners and labor unions in California have worked through state agencies and the legislature to shape energy and environmental policies that ensure jobs generated by green investments support best practices for good jobs and career pathways.
Presenters:
Carol Zabin, Ph.D, Research Director, UC
Berkeley Labor Center
Jessie Halpern-Finnerty, Policy Analyst, UC
Berkeley Labor Center
Jeremy Hays, Chief Strategist for State and Local
Initiatives, Green For All
Erik S. Emblem, Western States Council of Sheet Metal
Workers
Jennifer Somers, Team Lead, Training and Technical Assistance and Senior Policy Advisor,
Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program, Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy
Clean Energy Manufacturing
Workshop
Session I: Thursday, March 15, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Clean Energy Manufacturing
How can states play a role in ensuring a clean energy manufacturing base in America? While policies to scale-up clean energy technologies are stalled on the federal level, many states are still making investments in clean energy projects and installations. As states take these bold steps towards the clean energy economy, how can they ensure domestic manufacturing takes the leap with them? This workshop will explore the various state-based procurement initiatives underway to ensure that the state funds used to pay for clean energy projects place a preference on American-made components in order to effectively grow and sustain a clean energy manufacturing base in America.
Presenters:
Linda Andros, Legislative Counsel, United
Steelworkers
Scott Boos, Deputy Director, Alliance for American Manufacturing
Brian Lombardozzi, Senior Policy
Analyst, BlueGreen Alliance
Emerging Green Sectors
Workshop
Session I: Thursday, March 15, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Emerging Green Sectors
How are state and federal policies moving our country towards the production and use of safer chemicals? How are consumer-focused campaigns and new chemical information tools adding to this effort? How can these policy and advocacy efforts combine to create jobs and improve the health of people and the environment?
Come hear economists, health and
safety specialists, and leaders of successful safer chemical campaigns answer
these questions. The Audience is also
encouraged to bring a few questions and answers to add to the conversation.
Moderator:
Charlotte
Brody, Director of Chemicals, Public Health and Green
Chemistry, BlueGreen Alliance
Presenters:
Gail Bateson, Executive
Director, Worksafe
Ken Geiser, Professor of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell;
Co-Director, Center for Sustainable Production
Jeanne Rizzo, President
& CEO, Breast Cancer Fund
Michael Wilson, Director, Labor Occupational Health
Program, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley
Business, Investments and New Markets
Workshop
Session I: Thursday, March 15, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Business, Investment, and New Markets
Our democracy is at stake. Global trade agreements, which are international treaties, limit democracy by giving corporations rights not available under national laws. Corporations want to extend an investor-state dispute resolution to future trade agreements in order to avoid environmental and labor regulations that affect their bottom lines.
The Sierra Club's Trade, Human Rights and Environment Team will present
an interactive slide presentation to help people better understand free trade
agreements and what is at stake. Labor representatives and other experts will
join them for a discussion on how we put people and the environment ahead of
profits.
Presenters:
Andrew Christie, Director, Santa Lucia Chapter, Sierra Club
Larry Fahn, Past President and Board Member,
Sierra Club
Chris Kennedy, Activist, Trade, Human Rights &
Environment Team, Sierra Club
Martin Schlageter, Campaign Director, Coalition for
Clean Air
Tim Robertson, Director, California Fair Trade
Coalition
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Workshop Session I: Thursday, March 15, 10:30
a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Concentration: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency and weatherization retrofits are widely regarded as the “low hanging fruit” of green job creation and emission reduction. Unfortunately, securing upfront capital, mortgage regulations, and aggregation challenges have delayed or deterred the investment needed to maximize the full potential of this strategy. New partnerships are forming around the country that are helping break down these barriers and create good, green, local jobs that can’t be outsourced. This workshop will convene experts on innovative public, private, and hybrid approaches to city-scale retrofit initiatives and engage the audience on other successful models in cities and communities throughout the region.
Presenters:
Mac
Lynch, Senior Manager of State & Local Affiliates, BlueGreen
Alliance
Barbara
Byrd, Secretary Treasurer, Oregon AFL-CIO
Daniel
Villao, CCA State Director, California Construction
Academy of UCLA
David Hodgins, President of
Sustento Group, LA Commercial Building Performance Partnership
Workshop
Session I: Thursday, March 15, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Concentration: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), along with all other California electric utilities, is tasked with achieving aggressive Energy Efficiency goals as part of an overall renewable power strategy. At the same time, an aging utility workforce is threatening to create a tremendous knowledge and experience gap as expected retirements finally materialize as the national economy recovers.
In cooperation with business, labor, and community organizations, LADWP has instituted the Utility Pre-Craft Trainee (UPCT) program, enabling the creation of a large feeder pool of motivated and qualified candidates capable of transitioning to critical skill positions while at the same time performing work in areas of weatherization, lighting retrofits, and solar installations, to meet overall strategic objectives.
This session will feature utility experts and partners from local labor organizations who will speak to how these programs and job creation were combined and implemented successfully.
Workshop Session II: Thursday, March 15, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Infrastructure and Cleaner, More Efficient Transportation
Workshop Session II: Thursday, March 15, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Infrastructure and
Cleaner, more Efficient Transportation
Major
transit investments are an opportunity to infuse equity, job quality,
affordable housing, and community values into the next wave of urban
development. In cities across the country, broad-based movements are leveraging
community power around multi-billion dollar projects to move Transit-Oriented
Development (TOD) from opportunity to equitable outcomes. This workshop will
explore TOD work currently underway in Denver, Colorado and Seattle,
Washington, with a special focus on efforts to tie TOD to high-quality jobs,
affordable housing and community accountability.
Presenters:
Kevin Abels, Executive Director,
FRESC: Good Jobs, Strong Communities
Nghia Nguyen, Coordinator,
Ironworkers
Yvette Salazar, International
Vice President, Amalgamated Transit Union (Invited)
Rob McCulloch, Senior Policy and
Legislative Advocate, BlueGreen Alliance
Responsible Investment
Workshop Session II: Thursday,
March 15, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Responsible Investments to Rebuild the American West
The wind, solar and clean energy sectors are among the fastest growing segments of the economy. Large pension funds and institutional investors are searching for opportunities to invest in the clean economy. New responsible investment (RI) strategies and partnerships are emerging.
This workshop will examine new RI partnerships in financing and project development that could provide durable new models that hold out the promise for the clean energy jobs boom to happen in the U.S., and not just offshore. One model is an important solar farm planned for SE Ohio that would bring a new solar factory for the state. Participants include responsible investors and renewable project developers.
Moderator:
Jennifer Von Bismarch,
President, Towpath Renewables
Presenters:
Mark Austin,
Managing Director, North Sky Capital (Invited)
David Wilhelm,
CEO, New Harvest Ventures (Invited)
Workshop Session II:
Thursday, March 15, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Responsible
Investments to Rebuild the American West
Five responsible property investors — capitalized by $22 billion from public and labor pension plans from 1995 to 2010 — are creating housing and commercial opportunities rebuilding cities and putting tens of thousands of people to work. These economically targeted investments in low-income, workforce and multi-family housing and commercial revitalization projects created 161,083 job years, according to a report by American Rights at Work Educational Fund.
This workshop shows how some of these real estate investors focused on good job creation and urban regeneration are also integrating efforts with green building practices, environmentally-sustainable strategies and transit-oriented development. Presenters—responsible fund managers-- will focus on both responsible real estate investment strategy development and exemplary portfolio projects.
Moderator:
Thomas Croft,
Managing Director, Heartland Capital Strategies (HCS)
Presenters:
Ted Chandler,
Chief Operating Officer, AFL-CIO HIT
Jim Lingberg,
Secretary-Treasurer, COO, AFL-CIO BIT (Invited)
Workforce and Economic Development
Workshop Session II:
Thursday, March 15, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Workforce and Economic Development
This workshop will highlight Jobs21!, a comprehensive national jobs plan developed by the BlueGreen Alliance. Presenters will describe how such a plan can revitalize the West's economy and protect the environment through a set of smart policies and investments in clean energy, green technology, and modernizing the region’s aging infrastructure.
Workshop
Session II: Thursday, March 15, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Workforce and Economic Development
This workshop will explore expanded job creation utilizing both organic and conventional food systems while creating a sustainable community based economic development model. Regional community-based organizations and business leaders will highlight successful economic development examples of job creation and career development utilizing cultural identification, technical education and environmental justice. The workshop will challenge participants to become fully engaged in creating geography specific local models, focused on socially disadvantaged communities in both rural and urban America and building upon successful strategies and best practices.
Moderator:
Michael
Harris, Project Director, Black Agriculture
Presenters:
Simeon Gant,
GreenTech
Erica Hall,
Healthy Solutions
Eugene Cook, Operations Manager, Truly Living Well Center, Natural Urban
Agriculture
Clean Energy Manufacturing
Establishing the U.S. as a Clean Energy Leader: How U.S. Trade Laws Can Help Level the Playing Field
Workshop Session II: Thursday,
March 15, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Clean Energy
Manufacturing
In order to establish the U.S. as a global leader in clean energy technologies and manufacturing, we need broad and comprehensive investment policies to create a stable clean energy market, but we also need a level playing field with other nations investing in clean energy. Unfortunately, other nations are rapidly outpacing the U.S. in clean energy investments. In 2009, China became the world’s leader in private investment in renewable energy, investing almost $35 billion in clean energy technologies compared to the U.S.’s almost $19 billion investment. In 2010, China’s clean energy investments surged to $54.4 billion. Much of these investments were and are unfortunately being done in direct violation of China’s obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization. These violations, which serve to stimulate and protect China’s clean energy producers, present an added impediment to the growth of the U.S. clean energy market and the jobs associated with it. In response to these violations, the United Steelworkers (USW) filed a petition under section 301 of the Trade Act on September 9, 2010.
This workshop will provide background into the USW’s case as well as touch on the recent trade case Solar World filed against China’s state-sponsored solar industry
Presenters:
Linda Andros, Legislative Counsel, United
Steelworkers
Emerging Green Sectors
Workshop
Session II: Thursday, March 15, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Emerging Green Sectors
Green jobs are not always safe jobs, and many hazards associated with green jobs are not unique. They can be the typical workplace hazards — including fall, lockout/tagout and confined space hazards — or new challenges discovered as workers and managers confront new processes and new materials. Yet employers are required to protect workers from the workplace hazards and follow Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements, whether "green or not." This panel will discuss typical green job hazards in different industries and the OSHA requirements that apply. They will also discuss safety and health-training programs that can help workers and employers address these requirements.
Presenters:
Ted Outwater,
Program Administrator, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Worker Education
and Training Program
William Hatch, HAZWOPER
Project Director, UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program
Jay Vicory, San Diego Area Director,
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Workshop
Session II: Thursday, March 15, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Emerging Green Sectors
This workshop will explore innovative
strategies being used to grow both the number and quality of jobs in the
recycling and zero waste industry, one of the leading sectors of the green jobs
economy. There are currently 800,000 jobs in recycling and another 1.5
million jobs could be added. These jobs will dramatically reduce greenhouse
gases and toxic pollution. Speakers will discuss recent findings about
the long-term potential of the recycling industry, as well as new work
happening on the ground in San Francisco and Los Angeles to reduce waste while
creating new, family-sustaining jobs.
Moderator:
Ananda Lee Tan, U.S. and Canada
Program Coordinator, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives
Presenters:
Greg Good,
Director, Don’t Waste LA
Adrian Martinez, Staff
Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council
Pauli Ojea, Green Jobs Associate
Coordinator, San Francisco Department of the Environment
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Workshop
Session II: Thursday, March 15, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Renewable Energy and Energy
Efficiency
IUE-CWA and the Environmental Defense Fund have partnered to train IUE-CWA members to identify energy-efficiency opportunities through “Treasure Hunts” that improve the competitiveness of manufacturing facilities, save companies money, and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Treasure Hunts leverage the expertise of the workforce to investigate a facility’s energy and natural resource consumption. The teams identify, quantify, and recommend projects to maximize efficiency and minimize waste. Attend this workshop to learn how this project works to develop union capability to conduct Treasure Hunts in order to catalyze wider energy-efficiency awareness among the entire labor movement.
Presenters:
Lauren Asplen, Assistant to the
President, IUE-CWA
Ed Derr, Lean Coordinator, IUE-CWA
Local 648
Bill Draves, Treasure Hunt Team
Leader, IUE-CWA Local 722
Brendan FitzSimons, Corporate Partnerships
Project Manager, Environmental Defense Fund
Bruce Bremer, Bremer Energy Consulting
Services
Youth, Education and Green Schools - Building a Clean Energy Movement
Workshop
Session II: Thursday, March 15, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Youth, Education and Green
Schools
Explore the latest
program models and resources developed by three leading women advocacy groups: the
U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau, Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW) and the Los Angeles
Trade-Technical College (LATTC).
Participants will learn why green is good for women and review the Women’s
Bureau latest resources including, “A Guide to a Sustainable Career.” WOW and the Apprenticeship and Non-traditional Employment
for Women program will showcase gender-focused practices for recruitment and
training along with job placement strategies that utilize community benefit
agreements and equal employment and affirmative action policies to build
industry engagement. The Women in Transportation (WIT) training program at
LATTC, funded by a Pathways Out of Poverty grant, will highlight their efforts
introducing women to sustainable transportation careers and creating learning
environments that support women in non-traditional employment fields.
Presenters:
Jenny Erwin,
Regional Administrator, Women’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor
Irene Stillings,
Executive Director, California Center for Sustainable Energy
Alexandra Torres Galancid,
Executive Director, Women in Non-Traditional Employment Roles
Lauren Sugerman, Women
and Work Project Director, Wider Opportunities for Women
Leticia Barajas, Vice
President of Academic Affairs and Workforce Development, Los Angeles
Trade-Technical College
Jess Guerra, Vice
Chair, Transportation Technology, Los Angeles Trade Technical College
Workshop
Session II: Thursday, March 15, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Youth, Education and Green
Schools
Through its work as a joint labor/management educational program
for eligible members of the United Steelworkers and a Department of Labor
grantee, Institute for Career Development (ICD) will share its unique perspective
on how it has contributed to building a clean energy movement one Steelworker
and one citizen at a time. ICD staff members will share examples of coursework
offered through local Career Development programs that have affected how
Steelworkers think about and use energy. Many of ICD's local programs have had
success in offering introductory level type classes on solar energy and home
efficiency. The workshop will also focus on the high-level heating and air
program that has established itself as an industry leader.
Presenters:
Randy Noak, Technology Coordinator,
Institute for Career Development
Andy Mihalik, Western
New York Regional Coordinator, Institute for Career Development
Workshop
Session II: Thursday, March 15, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Youth, Education and Green
Schools
California is leading the nation in greening our schools, and other Western states, like Oregon, are driving green schools initiatives. Across our country, there are cutting edge examples of policies (local, state and national) that green our schools and create jobs. The greening of our schools refers to everything from energy-efficient buildings and solar on schools to toxic-free environments, healthy nutrition programs, school gardening, and environmental sustainability curriculum. Come learn from a group of experts and practitioners about the policy and organizing efforts behind this movement and how you can get involved.
Moderator:
Lisa Hoyos, California Director, BlueGreen
Alliance
Presenters:
Charlotte Brody, Director
of Chemicals, Public Health and Green Schools, BlueGreen Alliance
Deborah Moore, Executive
Director, Green Schools Initiative (Invited)
Erik Emblem, Regional Director, Executive
Administrator, Western States Council of Sheet Metal Workers (Invited)
Monique Ramos,
Legislative Director, State Superintendent of Public Instruction's Office
(Invited)
Los Angeles - March 16, 2012
Workshop Session I: Friday, March 16, 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Infrastructure and Cleaner, More Efficient Transportation
Workshop Session I: Friday, March 16, 10:30
a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Infrastructure and Cleaner, More Efficient Transportation
Electrification of the transportation industry has taken off with new opportunity for expanding the markets for OEM vehicles manufacturers and the support infrastructure related to it. Electric vehicles )(EV) open the door for an improved environment, promotes customer efficiency, and has potential to create jobs. This workshop explores job opportunities and challenges from various industries as they forge ahead with new products and services to support this emerging market. Industry leaders representing EV manufacturing, EV charger installation services, the electric utility, regional policy makers, and a contractor organization will share the business models and opportunities they see for now and the future. Presentations and a panel discussion will provide opportunity for an interactive discussion.
Workshop Session I: Friday, March 16, 10:30
a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Infrastructure and Cleaner, More Efficient Transportation
California's
historical, automobile-centered development patterns have led to traffic
congestion, dependence on oil, and unhealthy air pollution. But the trend is
changing: California is receiving national attention and interest for its
innovative approaches to sustainable land use and transportation. This workshop
will provide information and updates on California's most recent efforts to
create more livable communities that offer an array of transportation choices.
Panelists will discuss regional plans to implement SB 375, California's effort
to reduce GHGs through better planning; Los Angeles' 30/10 transit expansion
program; and continuing efforts to increase mobility, reduce oil dependence,
and create jobs.
Presenters:
Amanda Eaken, Deputy
Director, Sustainable Communities, Natural Resources Defense Council (invited)
Victoria Rome, Deputy
Director, California Advocacy, Natural Resources Defense Council (invited)
Darrell Clarke, Beyond Oil
National Co-Lead, Sierra Club
Regional, State and Local Initiatives and Partnerships
Workshop Session I: Friday, March
16, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Concentration: Regional, State
and Local Initiatives and Partnerships
This workshop will examine four major factors that have subverted our democratic rights and identify what we can do about each of them: corporate campaign financing and lobbying, voter suppression, immigration, and Senate rules. These policies have created a firewall against the passage of such progressive policies. Conversely, pro-corporate policies such as Free Trade Agreements often sail through the process. The panel will discuss how we can establish an economically and environmentally sustainable society by restoring our basic democratic rights and hold corporations, government and politicians accountable.
Workshop Session I: Friday, March 16, 10:30
a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Concentration: Regional, State
and Local Initiatives and Partnerships
The Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy (PNCECE) is a Centralia College Partnership headquartered in Centralia, Washington. The partnership includes consumer and investor-owned utilities, federal power-marketing administration (Bonneville Power Administration), organized labor, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and numerous community colleges and universities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Utah. The evolution of this five state consortium was sanctioned by a U.S. Department of Energy $5 million grant to create an energy workforce prepared for the implementation of a smarter grid in the Pacific Northwest. Hear from energy industry, education, and labor experts how this regional Center of Excellence was developed.
Moderator:
Barbara Hins-Turner, Executive Director, Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for
Clean Energy, Centralia College
Presenters:
Arlene
M. Abbott, M.Ed., Principal,
Polar Star Consulting
Troy Nutter, Manager, Training and Apprenticeship,
Puget Sound Energy
Kairie Pierce, Community and Technical College Labor
Liaison, Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO
Sally Zeiger Hanson, Workforce Research Associate,
Extension Energy Program, Washington State University
Workshop Session I: Friday, March 16, 10:30
a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Concentration: Regional, State
and Local Initiatives and Partnerships
Illuminating the false choice of jobs versus the environment is what
BlueGreen Alliance is all about. Here in California we have a growing list of
real-world examples of environmental and labor groups working together to
foster a clean, healthy environment and good jobs. This workshop will present aspects
of the common labor and environmental agenda for clean energy jobs, healthy
workplaces, and livable communities. Presenters will discuss initiatives where
labor and environmentalists worked together including
the No on Proposition 23 campaign, the Renewable Portfolio Standard, keeping the
California Environmental Quality Act strong, promoting greener shipping ports,
and increasing municipal waste recycling programs.
Presenters:
Ann Notthoff, California
Advocacy Director, Natural Resources Defense Council (invited)
David Pettit, Senior Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council
Roxana Tynan, Executive
Director, Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy
Hillary Gordon, Chair,
Zero Waste Committee, Sierra Club Angeles Chapter
Tom Politeo, Chair, Harbor Vision Committee, Sierra
Club Angeles Chapter
Workshop Session I: Friday, March 16, 10:30
a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Concentration: Regional, State
and Local Initiatives and Partnerships
Climate protection was the principal goal behind California’s AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act. The same is true for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Their implementation requires investments in renewable energy and efficiency that are creating thousands of jobs. Passing climate protection policies is a strategic and essential driver in job creation. This workshop will explore how to grow and expand these policies — both in the U.S. and around the world — and what role labor, environmental and public health movements play.
Moderator:
Lisa Hoyos, California Director,
BlueGreen Alliance
Presenters:
Mark Hertsgaard, Investigative Reporter and Journalist (Invited)
Danny Kennedy, Sungevity (Invited)
Victor Menotti, Executive Director,
International Forum on Globalization
Workforce and Economic Development
Workshop Session I: Friday, March 16, 10:30
a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Workforce and Economic Development
The energy efficiency sector has become a major focus for job creation and training. It is now evident that the key to success of these programs is building strong labor-community cooperation. This workshop will highlight several important “best practices” that have surfaced from this work in the western region: the development of union-contractor partnerships in the emerging residential weatherization industry, the strengthening of relationships between unions and community organizations representing minority and women workers, and the creation of pathways out of poverty tied to the energy efficiency sector. Examples will be drawn from Oregon, Washington, and California.
Moderator:
Barbara Byrd, Secretary-Treasurer,
Oregon AFL-CIO
Presenters:
Connie
Ashbrook,
Executive Director, Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.
Louise Auerhahn, Associate Policy
Director, Working Partnerships USA
Diane Davies, Director, Pre-Apprenticeship
in Construction Trades (PACT) program, Seattle Vocational Institute
Clean Energy Manufacturing
Workshop Session I: Friday, March 16, 10:30
a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Concentration: Business, Investments and New Markets
California is the leading
manufacturing state in the nation and is also a leader in clean energy
demand. 26 percent of the green jobs in California are in manufacturing. Increasing
global demand for the equipment needed to generate clean energy provides an
opportunity to grow more middle-class, clean energy manufacturing
jobs. How do we capitalize on this opportunity in light of stiff
international competition? In 2011, the BlueGreen Alliance’s Apollo
Project carried out research and convened a task force of labor, manufacturing,
and environmental leaders to help answer this question. This panel will
discuss the resulting policy recommendations and implementation strategies.
Presenters:
David Hochshild, Vice President for External Relations, Solaria
Rhonda Mills, Southern
California Program Director, Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies
Manuel Pastor, Professor,
University of Southern California
Business, Investments and New Markets
Workshop Session I: Friday, March 16, 10:30
a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Concentration: Business, Investments and New
Markets
Now that a number of organizations have launched and began to make headway on clean economy initiatives, a strategic discussion about sustained and diversified funding is necessary. Public policy and public funding have fueled growth and advancement in this space but capital investment, financing, market development, and demand generation are still significant hurdles to a transformed market and scalable industry. We will organize this session to include a panel of dynamic leaders, combined with facilitated, subject-specific breakout sessions. Each breakout will work on questions, share information relevant to their organization, and present discoveries back to the whole group.
Presenters:
Jules Bailey, State Representative, Oregon
Derek Smith, CEO, Clean Energy Works Oregon
Jeremy Hays, Chief Strategist for State and Local
Initiatives, Green for All
Workshop Session I: Friday, March 16, 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Concentration: Business, Investments and New Markets
New and powerful voices are
emerging within America’s business community willing to advocate for
sustainable and progressive policies. These ‘triple bottom line’ companies and
business associations are educating policymakers and the media on how
sustainability is good for business, the economy and society. From clean energy
to affordable health care, domestic manufacturing, campaign finance, and tax
reform, business leaders are supporting sustainable economic policies.
This session features business leaders actively engaged in the policy process at the federal, state, and
municipal level. Join us for a lively
discussion about how businesses can support laws and regulations that create new market opportunities and jobs
while accounting for social and environmental impacts.
Presenters:
Elena
Christopoulos, Executive Director, Green Chamber of Commerce
Richard
Eidlin, Policy Director, American Sustainable Business Council
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Workshop Session I: Friday, March 16, 10:30
a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Concentration: Renewable Energy
and Energy Efficiency
This workshop will feature panelists from the region highlighting the growth of green jobs in the wind energy sector. The panel will highlight the overall market growth and potential in the region for each workshop, including data on the industry's growth and an update on policy from Washington, D.C., and will then focus on regional specific growth and case studies including examples of wind project development and construction, wind turbine manufacturing and supply chain component supply, and economic development.
Presenters:
Jacques Koppel, Program Director, BlueGreen Alliance
Foundation
Ed Weston, Director, GLWN
Emily Williams, Research Analyst, AWEA
Dana Sevakis, National Program Manager,
BlueGreen Alliance Foundation
Workshop Session I: Friday, March 16, 10:30
a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Concentration: Renewable Energy
and Energy Efficiency
As national leader in solar power, California has implemented many excellent policies that are helping increase demand for solar including a 33 Percent Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), the Million Solar Roofs Initiative and a State Climate Action Plan (AB 32). This workshop will convene experts from business, environmental, and community groups to examine policy options — such as Net Metering, CLEAN Contracts (aka Feed in Tariffs), and other incentives to maximize the private investment critical for the industry to reach its full potential — for continuing to create and train for high road jobs in the manufacture and installation of solar panels.
Presenters:
Adam
Browning, Executive
Director, Vote Solar
Ted
Ko, Associate
Executive Director, CLEAN Coalition
Scott Metko, Vice President of Project Development,
Modern Infrastructure
Joshua Arce, Executive Director, Brightline Defense
Workshop Session II: Friday, March 16, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Infrastructure and Cleaner, More Efficient Transportation
Workshop Session II: Friday,
March 16, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Infrastructure
and Cleaner, More Efficient Transportation
Southern California has historically relied on imported water to supply the ever-growing population demand. With the challenges of water shortages, the development of local sustainable water supplies is a high priority. Expansions of existing water conservation, stormwater capture, and recycled water programs all have potential for job creation. This workshop explores potential job opportunities for the local community and from various industries as we move ahead with innovative ideas and services to support water sustainability. Industry leaders representing water suppliers, non-profit stakeholder organizations, and private sector businesses will share the opportunities they see in the area of local water supply development and job creation for now and the future. Presentations and a panel discussion will provide opportunities for an interactive discussion.
Workshop Session II: Friday,
March 16, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Infrastructure
and Cleaner, More Efficient Transportation
The global logistics industry is cited as one
of the largest economic engines in the country. Yet, communities living
near sea ports and trade corridors have felt some of the worst impacts the
industry has left in its tracks — increased air pollution and low-paying
jobs. Coalitions have formed across the country to wage innovative
campaigns to ensure that as the global logistics industry grows, communities
and workers see that growth accompanied by good jobs, clean air, and new
low-emission and zero-emission technology. Join a panel of labor,
community, and environmental leaders that will share their strategies for
making global logistics a high-road industry.
Regional, State and Local Initiatives and Partnerships
Workshop Session II: Friday,
March 16, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Regional, State
and Local Initiatives and Partnerships
Powerful
interests are waging aggressive attacks on clean energy and climate protection,
as well as the movement to grow clean energy jobs. As countries like China and
Germany continue to outpace us in investing and scaling renewables and
efficiency, it is critical that advocates committed to the clean energy economy
sharpen their ability to fend off attacks and promote their own vision. In
addition, clean energy and climate advocates have an important opportunity to
support a scientific approach to shaping climate policy and to counter efforts
by climate deniers. This workshop will examine the power structure behind the
attacks on clean energy and explore which messages to advance our vision are
most effective and why.
Moderator:
Lisa Hoyos, California Director,
BlueGreen Alliance
Presenters:
Tim Goodrich, Partner, Truman Project
(Invited)
JB Tengco, Vice President, Tigercomm Communications
Chris Lehane, Principal, Fabian and
Lehane Consulting
Susan Frank, Executive Vice President, Better World Group
Workforce and Economic Development
Workshop Session II: Friday,
March 16, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Workforce and Economic Development
Veterans are one of the largest populations of unemployed and underemployed citizens. Many nonprofits understand this need and have developed training programs to employ our veterans and meet our environmental needs.
This panel will highlight creative programs developed by nonprofits. Earth Resource Foundation will describe the new Zero Waste Economy and how innovations in rethinking, reducing, reusing and recycling are building a foundation for a strong new economy. Green Vets LA works with a military supply company using excess material to make reusable bags, which meets the needs of preventing plastic pollution by eliminating plastic shopping bags. U.S. Vets is leading the way with engaging business is hiring veterans for green jobs. And the Sierra Club – Mission Outdoors program is working to improve the physical, mental, and emotional health for our veterans and their families.
Presenters:
Stephanie Barger, Executive Director, Earth Resource
Foundation
James Cragg,
Founder, GreenVetsLA
Karl Creek, M.S., Program Manager for Green Jobs, U.S.
Vets
Tiffany Saleh,
National Youth Outreach Representative, Sierra Club
Workshop Session II: Friday,
March 16, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Workforce and Economic Development
High
road agreements have become a part of energy efficiency retrofits programs
across the country. They are ways for these investments to not only result in
local energy savings and financial activity, but also to result in equitable
working conditions, family supporting jobs, and diverse business development.
This panel will explore the levels of implementation and progress to date of
several energy efficiency programs that have both successful and challenging
experiences surrounding their high road agreements. This discussion will focus
on lessons learned and best practices of high road agreement national models.
Moderator:
Jeremy Hayes, Chief Strategist,
State and Local Initiatives, Green for All (Invited)
Presenters:
Louise Auerhahn, Associate Policy
Director, Working Partnerships USA
Kelly Haines, Workforce Specialist, Clean Energy Works Oregon
Andrea Petzel, Residential Sector Manager, Community Power Works
Workshop Session II: Friday,
March 16, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Workforce and Economic Development
The workshop will explore two case studies from indigenous communities
implementing green jobs programs. The Washoe Tribe is incorporating an
apprenticeship program with renewable energy projects. The Navajo
Nation created the nation's first Green Economy Commission and Green Investment
Fund. The workshop will include panelist from each tribe describing the
programs and their challenges.
Presenters:
Tara Hess-McGeown,
Environmental Specialist II, Washeo Tribe of Nevada and California
Anna Rondon, Chairwoman, Navajo Nation’s
Green Economy Commission
Claudia
Jackson, Coordinator, Diné Binaanish Yá'át'éehgo Nooséél (Navajo Green
Jobs) Coalition
Workshop Session II: Friday,
March 16, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Workforce and Economic Development
California’s Apprenticeship system is often called the “best-kept secret” of workforce development in the state. As the state continues to invest heavily in energy efficiency, new jobs will open up for unemployed construction workers. In order to ensure that energy efficiency work is done correctly, and that workers have good wages and benefits and a pathway to advance in their careers, we should tap into the tremendous asset that California has in the state-certified apprenticeship system. The panelists will discuss several innovative approaches for integrating green training into apprenticeship, and incorporating the apprenticeship system into clean energy programs and policies.
Presenters:
Dr. Carol Zabin, Research Director, UC Berkeley Labor Center
Kokayi Kwa Jitahidi, Senior
Community Organizer, Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy
Daniel Villao, State
Director, UCLA Labor Center, California Construction Academy
Emerging Green Sectors
Workshop Session II: Friday,
March 16, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Emerging Green Sectors
What lessons
are we learning about safety and health, and how to best safeguard our
workplaces, communities, and environment?
This panel will feature national experts describing the challenges and
opportunities for cleanup workers, first responders, environmentalists, health
care providers , and businesses.
Presenters will discuss coordination strategies for better responding to
events after they happen, along with prevention strategies to avert future
catastrophes that don't have to happen.
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Workshop Session II: Friday,
March 16, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
On Bill Repayment (OBR) allows private loans for investment in building efficiency upgrades and renewable electricity generation to be repaid on utility bills. Potentially billions of dollars could be made available at attractive terms for a variety of buildings, including single-family homeowners who are upside down on their mortgages, small businesses, and multi-family rental buildings.
This workshop will start with a description of OBR, provide a status report of regulatory developments, and will then consider program design tradeoffs. Hosted by Environmental Defense Fund, the panel will include perspectives from utilities, building contractors, and regulators. Audience engagement will be encouraged.
Presenters:
James Fine,
Economist, Environmental Defense Fund
Brad Copithorne, Financial
Policy Specialist, Environmental Defense Fund
Workshop Session II: Friday,
March 16, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Creating
demand for residential energy efficiency is one of the major challenges to
growing the clean energy sector. Weatherize for Good, SustainableWorks and
RePower Bainbridge have piloted diverse consumer lead generation strategies in
multiple markets and successfully developed community-based outreach models
that educate the public, generate interest in energy audits, and drive demand
for residential energy upgrades while creating quality jobs. This panel will
focus on the lessons learned from programming in Portland, Oregon and Seattle,
Spokane, and Bainbridge Island, Washington, with a particular focus on the
value and unique role of partnerships between efficiency programs, contractors,
and environmental, religious and community organizations.
Presenters:
Sol Bey, Founder and President, Working
Green
Hilary Franz, Executive
Director, Futurewise
Kellie Stickeny, Manager of
Marketing and Outreach, Sustainable Works
Workshop Session II: Friday,
March 16, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
California’s AB 758 mandates a statewide
approach to improving energy efficiency in existing buildings. However, a shaky
housing market and various market barriers have hindered the expansion of a strong residential
energy efficiency retrofit market. Although there are a range of options for
overcoming these barriers, the best policy solutions trigger actions at moments
when homeowners are already making a large investment or have the opportunity
to avoid an increased energy cost. Well timed energy assessments, upgrades and
the disclosure of energy information have the potential to jumpstart this
market, thereby creating good jobs without overburdening homeowners.
Presenters:
Chris Busch, Director of Policy, BlueGreen Alliance
Krista
Kline, Senior Projects Coordinator for Sustainability, City of Los
Angeles
Mary
Luevano, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, Global Green
(Invited)
Robert Zardeneta, Executive
Director, LA Causa Youth Build
Workshop Session II: Friday,
March 16, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concentration: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
States in the Western U.S. have massive amounts of untapped renewable resources, which present tremendous opportunities to create new green jobs. The policies and programs that will be needed to force this clean energy transition must draw upon the full range of renewable technologies in every community and at every scale — from the largest wind farms to local, distributed generation applications like rooftop solar panels. This panel will discuss what Western states should be doing now to create new renewable energy generation capacity in the short-run and what long-term investments are needed to ensure states with already aggressive renewable energy programs — like California and Colorado — continue to push the envelope even further. Panelists will be asked to dive into tough questions including where are the low hanging fruit to create new renewable energy jobs now, what are the big challenges ahead where western states can collaborate to raise the bar for the whole region, and how should California realize the governor’s goal to install 12 GW of green distributed generation by 2020?
Moderator:
Laura
Wisland, Senior Energy Analyst, Union of Concerned
Scientists
Presenters:
Bill Gallegos, Executive Director, Communities for a Better Environment
Rachel
Shimshak, Executive Director, Renewable Northwest
Project
Tom Martinez, Business Development Director, International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers, Los Angeles Local 11 and National Electrical
Contractors Association - Los Angeles
David
Hochschild, Vice President, External
Relations, Solaria
Phil Hayes, Political and Legislative Director,
Colorado AFL-CIO
Workshop Session III: Friday, March 16, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Infrastructure and Cleaner, More Efficient Transportation
Workshop Session III: Friday, March 16, 3:30
p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Concentration: Infrastructure and Cleaner,
More Efficient Transportation
This workshop will focus on the Clean Transportation Manufacturing Action Plan (TMAP), a national strategy to leverage our federal investments to build a modern, efficient transportation system to create quality, high-paying manufacturing jobs. Developed by a task force of transportation, energy and economic development policy experts along with leading manufacturers and labor unions, TMAP examines how best to support the domestic manufacture of advanced transit and rail vehicles, efficient buses, clean trucks, and their component parts. It is a comprehensive strategy focused both on expanding domestic demand for these products and providing the investments and regulatory supports needed to ensure that American manufacturers are positioned to meet increased demand.
Regional, State and Local Initiatives and Partnerships
Workshop Session III: Friday, March 16, 3:30
p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Regional, State and Local Initiatives and Partnerships
This workshop will explore the successes, challenges, and lessons learned around the City of Los Angeles Green Retrofit & Workforce Program. Passed unanimously by City Council in 2009, this groundbreaking initiative will create good, green jobs and training pathways for retrofitting municipal buildings to be more energy and water efficient. Join staff from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s office, along with community, labor, environmental, and worker safety advocates from the Los Angeles Apollo Alliance, to discuss the partnerships and planning needed to win and implement this model program.
Presenters:
Elsa
Barboza, Campaign
Director, SCOPE
Teresa Sanchez, Director, Green Retrofit and Workforce
Program, Los Angeles Office of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
Jason Elias, Regional Coordinator, Service
Employees International Union, Local 721
Linda Delp, Director, Labor Occupational Safety
and Health program, UCLA
Bill Gallegos, Executive Director, Communities for a
Better Environment
Workshop Session III: Friday, March 16, 3:30
p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Regional, State and Local Initiatives and Partnerships
As federal progress on clean energy grinds to a halt, state ballot initiatives are an increasingly powerful tool for advancing or impeding good policy at the state and local levels. This workshop will look at how to proactively advance initiatives to move the West toward a cleaner, more equitable energy economy along with how to block initiatives that would hold the West back. Experts will explore the case study of Communities United’s win during the critical 2010 battle against the Proposition 23 (an attack on California’s comprehensive climate plan) and engage the audience on how to build the people power critical to success.
Presenters:
Katie DeCarlo,
Director, Green Collar Jobs Campaign, Ella Baker Center (Invited)
Roger Kim,
Executive Director, Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN)
Donnie Fowler, Founder & CEO, Dogpatch Strategies
Bryan Blum,
Director of Field and Political Campaigns, California Labor Federation
(Invited)
Workforce and Economic Development
Workshop Session III: Friday, March 16, 3:30
p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Workforce and Economic Development
Community Choice Energy, also known as Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), which was provided for by AB 117, allows California cities, counties, or groups of cities to pool or “aggregate” electricity customers in order to form a local electricity agency. This gives communities themselves the power to procure renewable energy by building local clean energy generation and providing energy efficiency services for local residential and business customers. In this way, a Community Choice program invests in the energy resource development of local communities, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and providing local jobs.
This workshop will discuss the potential for economic development and clean energy jobs through Community Choice programs and the efforts to fulfill this potential in several California cities and counties.
Moderator:
Al
Weinrub, Coordinator, Local Clean Energy Alliance
Panelists:
Paul
Fenn, Founder and President, Local Power Inc.
Lisa Maldonado, Executive
Director, North Bay Labor Council, AFL-CIO
Jennifer Badgley, Political Director
and Organizer, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 569
Workshop Session III: Friday, March 16, 3:30
p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Workforce and Economic Development
“EVS Green Careers” — a two-year Recovery Act-funded project operating nationally in four regions — is producing measurable green impacts on the bottom lines of two healthcare employers in Los Angeles. It has also developed a new college certificate course in Los Angeles and provided hundreds of Los Angeles EVS (housekeeping) workers with on-the-job green education. Nationally, the project created new green jobs with five employers, developed and launched the college certificate in four regions, educated over 2,000 workers at11 employers, and trained frontline workers and supervisors to become peer green educators. This workshop will present this project’s accomplishments and discuss best practices and thoughts for replication.
Moderator:
Nancy DellaMattera, National Project Coordinator, Healthcare
Career Advancement Program
Presenters:
Cheryl McDonald, Senior Program Manager, Workers Education
and Resource Center Los Angeles
Allan Gerber, Environmental Services Manager, LAC+USC
(Invited)
Jimmy Grisby, EVS Worker and Green Trainer, Los Angeles
County Department of Health Services LAC+USC (Invited)
Scott Goodell, Program Coordinator, Shirley Ware Education
Center
Kathy Ochoa, Healthcare Policy and Advocacy Director, Services Employees
International Union UHW
Abraham Villalobos, EVS Manager, Kaiser Permanent LAMC
Rodney Trammell, EVS Attendant, Kaiser Permanente LAMC
(Invited)
Workshop Session III: Friday, March 16, 3:30
p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Workforce and Economic Development
A unique workforce initiative at the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power has become the basis for a green jobs campaign that is bringing environmentalists, community organizations, labor, small business, and government together around a vision of a more modern utility that utilizes cleaner alternatives, saves customers money by making homes and businesses more energy efficient and provides career-path jobs for Los Angeles’ most disadvantaged communities. Representatives from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Local 18, LAANE, SCOPE, the Sierra Club and the Office of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will talk about how this new training program is helping the utility meet its workforce needs and environmental responsibilities, while putting Los Angeles back to work.
Presenters:
Elsa Barboza, Campaign Director, Strategic Concepts in
Organizing and Policy Education
Cynthia Strathmann, Research and Policy Analyst, Los Angeles
Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE)
Shawn McCloud, Senior Assistant Business Manager, International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers Local Local
18
Aram Benyamin, Senior Assistant General Manager in
Charge of the Power System, Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (Invited)
Evan Gillespie, California Campaign Representative,
Beyond Coal Campaign, Sierra Club
Larry Frank, Deputy Mayor of Neighborhood and Community
Services, Office of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (Invited)
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Workshop Session III: Friday, March 16, 3:30
p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Concentration:
Regional, State and Local Initiatives and Partnerships
The green economy and clean technology are growing quickly. According to one recent estimate, the clean technology market is currently valued at $2 trillion globally. This is expected to grow to almost $4 trillion by 2020. This workshop explores some of the efforts Los Angeles is undertaking to capture a share of that industry and create good green jobs in the West.
Youth, Education and Green Schools - Building a Clean Energy Movement
Workshop Session III: Friday, March 16, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00
p.m.
Concentration: Youth, Education and Green Schools
This workshop will feature youth panelists presenting original research on the age breakdown of green jobs across the U.S. economy and strategies to increase youth green employment. Based on preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Brookings Institution, youth are somewhat underrepresented in the green economy in comparison to the economy overall. However, due to indirect job creation and worker preference, youth are expected to benefit nonetheless from green jobs programs. Still, green jobs analysts need to track demographic data, like age, to understand if all are benefiting from a green economy. Panelists will present ongoing international efforts to incorporate the benefits to young workers into future green jobs policies. These policies — such as initiatives to increase education, internship opportunities, and support for youth entrepreneurs, scientists, and engineers — will be core demands on governments when they convene the Rio+20 Earth Summit in June in Rio de Janeiro to discuss how to bolster a global green economy.
Presenters:
Kyle Gracey, Director, SustainUS
Michael Davidson, China Climate Fellow, Natural Resources Defense Council
(Invited)
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