NEW EFFORT LINKS CLIMATE SOLUTIONS & URBAN OPPORTUNITY

Oakland, CA – Green For All and the “We” campaign today announced a partnership designed to ignite awareness of the ways in which climate protection policies can bring economic opportunities to some of America’s largest cities.

At a Green For All Academy, planned for this fall, dozens of leaders from major urban centers will participate in a rigorous program to explain the urgency of the climate crisis and the economic opportunity that comes with solving it.  They will receive training in climate science, economic development and community organizing. 

“This is seed capital for a game changing initiative,” said Cathy Zoi, CEO of the Alliance for Climate Protection, which launched the “We” Campaign earlier this year.  “This first group of elite leaders will be key in building and sustaining growth in the clean energy sector.  They’ll help make the case that the tremendous job opportunities in energy efficiency and renewable power can be made available to Americans from all walks of life.”

“The environmental movement desperately needs to expand its reach – both in fact and in its image,” said Van Jones, founder and president of Green For All.  “This partnership will reach communities of color that have not yet engaged on this issue and communities that have only just begun to pay attention.”

“Today, we’re seeing that the social justice and environmental justice movements can follow a similar path,” continued Jones.  “As we create thousands of high-paying jobs in urban centers and revolutionize the way Americans consume energy, we can help those most in need of an economic boost play a crucial role in a greener economy.”

This first leadership class, which will be identified through a highly competitive application process, will help develop a program that is expected to be rolled out nationally in 2009.  The goal is to establish a highly organized and visible base of support for climate solutions in America’s cities, thereby propelling the hopes of millions of lower income people of color about the jobs that come with solving the climate crisis.

“This solutions-oriented approach will lead to new jobs in energy efficiency and renewable power,” Jones said.  “It will lead to new opportunities, wealth and health in low-income communities. It can bring millions of Americans into the movement for sane climate policy.”

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About Green for All:
Green For All is a national organization dedicated to building an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.  By advocating for local, state and federal commitments to job creation, job training, and entrepreneurial opportunities in the emerging green economy – especially for people from disadvantaged communities – Green For All fights both poverty and pollution at the same time.  For more information, visit www.greenforall.org.

About the “We” Campaign:
The “We” Campaign is a commercial-scale effort using paid advertising, grassroots partnerships and online mobilization to build strong support for solutions to the climate crisis.  The scale of the campaign is unprecedented – it is on track to be the largest public policy advocacy campaign ever and expects to reach 10 million members within three years.  It is the work of the Alliance for Climate Protection, a group founded by former Vice President and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore, who currently serves as the chairman of the bipartisan board of directors.  For more information, visit www.wecansolveit.org.