Defining Green

The current trend toward a green economy in America has been long in coming.  Many of our partners and allies have been innovating green growth and jobs principles for years, frustrated at the lack of leadership at the state and federal level.  Now it is up to us to ensure that this opportunity doesn't pass by the workers and communities who can benefit from and guarantee the widespread success of a new environmentally friendly growth agenda in our cities and states.

From the earliest campaigns incorporating green building and smart growth principles in new development, to the pending transformation of the polluting practices of entire industries, our partners are innovating to build a just and green economy one city at a time.  This is the work that will truly add up to raise expectations and standards at the local level.  As the federal government scrambles to fund green technology and the renovation of our cities and energy sources, Partnership affiliates are poised to direct these efforts through organizing and a true vision of sustainability that adds a layer of economic justice to climate and economy friendly projects.

As our country focuses on the expansion and maintenance of our national infrastructure, the connection to job and environmental quality must be maintained.  LAANE's groundbreaking CBA surrounding the expansion of the LA Airport was a phenomenal effort to reduce air pollution poisoning our communities and raising asthma rates among children, while ensuring that job standards at the airport were improved significantly.  In Denver and Atlanta, our partners at FRESC and Georgia STAND UP are working to ensure that new mass transit infrastructure marries equity to the environment in the form of jobs and housing for low and moderate income communities.  Both EBASE and LAANE are creating a new standard for America's Ports and trucking industries, tackling true David and Goliath odds to build an economically and environmentally healthy economy in neglected port communities.

Around the country communities have been integral to building the grassroots pressure for sustainable growth for decades.  In turn, we must be part of the implementation process to ensure equity and shared prosperity as leaders in government work to operationalize a green agenda.  Below are stories - mirrored across The Partnership and around the country - of communities organizing for a green economy that lifts workers, community and environmental standards in unison.  This is the vision that will carry us forward - one of inclusion and hope for generations to come.