[greenbuild] Something exciting on the political/ecological front
- From: Todd Rose <otherwyse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Todd Rose <otherwyse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2003 02:58:24 -0400
Thought you all might be interested to know about this, if you don't
already. It sounds to me like something well worth supporting.
The Apollo Project, an Energy/Jobs Program
by Bracken Hendricks
America needs jobs, and working families are hurting. At the same time,
the war in Iraq has heightened awareness of our dependence on foreign
oil and the vulnerability of our energy system. The time is right for a
national commitment to energy independence on the scale of John
Kennedy's Apollo Project, which put a man on the moon. A bold program to
advance energy efficiency and promote renewable energy, like wind and
solar power, and drive investment into new technology and public
infrastructure would create 2 million jobs and offer stimulus to our
flagging economy.
At the time of the 1973 oil embargo, the United States imported 35
percent of its petroleum. Today we import well over half. Since we
consume a quarter of the world's oil yet have only 3 percent of its
reserves, there's no way we can solve this problem with more drilling at
home. But our problems go deeper than oil: We use 25 percent of the
world's energy, nearly three times the amount of any other country,
while deregulation has upset the energy sector and environmental impacts
threaten to limit our growth.
For too long, Democrats have allowed the GOP to exploit old fault lines
between economic populists and environmentalists, pitting jobs against
the environment. But an energy Apollo project represents good policy and
good politics. Clean energy means jobs rebuilding the infrastructure of
our cities, supplying new markets for leading-edge technology and using
skilled labor and ingenuity to replace waste and pollution. At a time
when states and cities are struggling under the worst fiscal crisis
since World War II, investing in energy savings offers both stimulus and
budget relief. In the manufacturing sector, which has suffered 75
percent of the 2.7 million private-sector jobs lost since George W. Bush
took office, new investment in energy efficiency could anchor existing
plants and create demand for American-made technology.
A recent poll in the swing state of Pennsylvania showed strong approval
among voters--72 percent supported a federal program to invest $200-$300
billion in energy independence. Even more striking, support for an
energy Apollo program jumped to 81 percent among non-college educated
Democratic white men--a segment of the population that often breaks with
progressives and that could determine the outcome of the next election.
These "Reagan Democrats" have been burned by the current economy, and
they respond to a message of hope for good jobs and reinvestment.
Democratic presidential candidates, led by Dick Gephardt and John Kerry,
have made major policy addresses calling for large-scale public programs
to achieve energy independence. Gephardt predicts that "alternative
energy has the potential to be America's largest growth market and job
producer in the next ten years."
An Apollo project is attractive to swing voters, but it would also unite
the progressive base. By focusing on good jobs and new investment to
solve persistent energy and environmental problems, Apollo offers common
ground both for labor unions and for environmental advocates. "By
building fuel cells and wind turbines, by retooling American plants with
efficient technologies, we can create good jobs, a strong economy and a
sound environment," contends Tom Buffenbarger, president of the
International Association of Machinists. Says Steelworkers president Leo
Gerard, "In the face of a trading system that's devastating both workers
and the environment, an Apollo project for energy independence has the
potential to unite trade unionists and environmentalists in building an
economy that values every worker's right to bargain for a decent living
and every citizen's right to live in a healthier world."
So what might an Apollo project for energy independence look like? The
New Growth Initiative, a joint project of the Institute for America's
Future and the Center on Wisconsin Strategy, has laid out a bold $300
billion plan for the next ten years. It would be broad-based, sharing
the benefits of investment widely across the economy while insuring that
no single sector bears all the costs. And it would be immediate,
deploying proven and cost-effective technologies that exist today, not
placing all our hopes on long-term R&D, like the Bush plan for a
hydrogen "freedom car."
Such an Apollo project would promote renewable energy sources like wind
and solar. It would convert assembly lines to put American-made cars
using advanced technology on the road. It would help older plants
improve their environmental performance, preserving domestic
manufacturing jobs. It would deploy new technology for pollution control
as well as research how to capture carbon from coal plants, and it would
invest in research and development to deploy hydrogen fuel cells.
The Apollo project would promote high-performance "green" building and
push a new generation of energy-efficient appliances to market--driving
up efficiency without driving jobs overseas. It would support smart
growth and mass transit, increase brownfield redevelopment and rebuild
transportation and water infrastructure, relieving municipal budget
pressures. And an Apollo project would strengthen, not repeal,
regulatory protections for consumers, workers and the environment.
Unlike tax cuts for the rich, investing in new construction and
deployment of new technology would offer real stimulus to help working
families and people in need. As Michael Sullivan, president of the
Sheetmetal Workers' International Association, says, "We need to rebuild
and revitalize our economy. Working toward energy independence will make
a giant contribution toward that end--it means more economic security,
lower energy costs and healthier environments. The Apollo project offers
a long-term solution for energy independence that reinvests in
communities and the future of our nation."
The Apollo Alliance--a broad coalition including labor unions, green
groups, consumer advocates and socially responsible businesses--is now
forming ( www.apolloalliance.org <http://www.apolloalliance.org/> ) and
will be unveiled at a major conference in June. By building on the
example of past national challenges, the Apollo project reminds us that
the public is ready for Democrats to be Democrats again, facing tough
problems and believing again in the power of collective action.
Americans are ready to pull together and get to work for the good of the
economy, the nation and the planet.
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