The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems
By: Van Jones
Happy April friends! Earth day is approaching near the end of the month which provides a reminder to reflect on how your future career can benefit our environment. For the month of April, we will be reading: The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems. Written by Van Jones, The Green Collar Economy discusses avenues to forge a career in a new economy. This is a great read for students looking to start environmentally conscious careers.
The author, Van Jones, earned his Bachelor’s degree in political science and communication from the University of Tennessee. He then went on to earn his Law degree from Yale before beginning his career. He currently works as a CNN host and at his company the Dream Machine Innovation Lab which works to create global networks to inspire change in areas such as the environment, prison reform, and poverty.
The Green Collar Economy is divided into seven chapters. Chapter 1: “The Dual Crisis” discusses the current state of environmental affairs and the rise of socioeconomic inequality. The discussion of impactful disparities provides a solid foundation for understanding ways to elicit change. Chapter 3: “Eco-Equity” highlights principles of equal protection and equal opportunity for all which are essential to understanding the changes needed to promote equity in spaces where it has been previously lacking. Chapter 5: “The Future Is Now” is most relevant to students. This chapter discusses the benefits and opportunities of entering careers related to food systems, energy, waste, and transportation. All of the majors in Human Ecology are good preparation for work in these fields and bettering the lives of people across the globe.
If you want to learn more about The Green Collar Economy, stop by the CEC in MVR 1203 to check out the book, look through resources for your major, or meet with Career Assistants to discuss your future career goals!
