The Bee issues a call to arms to attract green businesses!

The Sacramento Bee issues a strong call to action for area businesses and governments to step up efforts to make the area more attractive to green businesses.

Why is this here? We worked with the Bee editorial board to help them understand the issue and help raise awareness of the Sacramento Region Clean Energy Showcase on October 11 at UC Davis. Not registered yet? Go to the event and register onsite!

Editorial: Is our region ready to be a clean-tech mecca?

Local actions will determine whether companies want to make their home here

Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Story appeared in EDITORIALS section, Page B6

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Unless you are awakening from a Rip Van Winkle nap, you've probably noticed that the hottest field of California business is the so-called "clean-tech" sector.

Clean tech is a catchall term for small and large businesses devoted to alternative power, energy efficiency, green building products and environmental technologies. In the first quarter of this year, U.S. venture capitalists invested $264 million in 23 clean-tech deals, with much of that capital flowing to and from California businesses -- for obvious reasons.

More than any other state, California has passed laws to encourage sustainable energy and development practices. The state's global warming law, its renewable energy standard and its solar initiatives are just some of the measures driving entrepreneurs to innovate and market new practices and products.

Full article here.

John Edwards Thinks There's Opportunity in Green Collar Jobs!

"Which is why America needs to make a switch from our addiction to oil and carbon-based fuels to wind, solar, safer biofuels, and cleaner renewable energy, which will have positive impacts far beyond economic impacts. No. 1: It will create at least 1 million "green-collar jobs" in this country."

This is from an interview with Salon that ran Monday here. Green collar jobs are already happening here in the Sacramento region. Some of the companies hiring in this area in this sector are SunTechnics, Solar Power Inc, EcoStream and I'm sure there are many others. Anyone know of any other companies that are hiring green collar workers?

"Green Jobs Bill" Passes US House

From a press release from US Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA)

Washington, D.C. - Today, the U.S. House of Representative approved the Green Jobs Act of 2007, legislation introduced by Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (D-CA) to help train American workers for jobs in the renewable energy and energy-efficiency industries – industries that are key to U.S. and world efforts to combat global warming. The bill was passed as part of H.R. 3221, the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act.

We're not endorsing the bill just using it to point out the momentum and opportunity for businesses and municipalities to build with 'green jobs.'