The Metropolitan King County Council moved Aug. 5 to ensure that the region is in position to take advantage of the economic benefits of addressing the global climate crisis. The Council unanimously passed a motion sponsored by Councilmember Larry Phillips encouraging the formation and investment in green collar jobs.
“Global warming brings great challenges, but in responding to those challenges, we have opportunities for new jobs and innovations that can bring economic benefits to King County families and businesses while helping the environment,” Phillips said. “This legislation will allow King County to harness our energies in a way that catalyzes creation of green collar jobs. These are local jobs that cannot be exported to other countries.”
The adopted motion includes the following steps by the county:
• Dedicating a portion of King County’s Jobs Initiative funding to train low-income individuals for entry-level, green-collar jobs;
• Collaborating with “enterpriseSeattle” and private employers to identify the current skill requirements for entry-level green jobs;
• Working with the Workforce Development Council to identify additional resources for entry-level, green-collar jobs;
• Collaborating with vocational schools, community colleges and other training providers to develop short-term, pilot curriculum for entry-level jobs; and
• Evaluating the effectiveness and appropriateness of pilot training programs for green collar jobs that may be undertaken.
Phillips and the County Council hosted a Town Hall meeting July 14 at the Seattle Aquarium to discuss ways to create a green economy in King County. Ideas advanced at the town hall meeting were incorporated into Phillips’ motion.
“We saw with Hurricane Katrina that the perils of the global climate crisis will disproportionately impact our poorest citizens,” Phillips said. “We must take great care to ensure that low-income individuals have access to the economic benefits that will come from our emerging green economy.”
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