2009.09.16 Press Release
Greening Louisiana
Contact: Jordan Macha, Conservation Organizer
504.861.4837 / jordan.macha@sierraclub.org
Sierra Club hosts state and industry leaders to come together and discuss green jobs and our climate.
On September 15th, over 70 citizens from the metro New Orleans area came together for an evening of education and dialogue on addressing Louisiana's economic and energy challenges through the creation of green jobs and training programs in areas like energy efficiency, solar and wind.
The panel featured Senator Nick Gautreaux, Representative Walter Leger, Troy Von Otnott of South Coast Solar and Dawn Falgout-Loebig of the Old City Building Center. The conversation between the panelists ranged from green jobs, energy efficiency, renewable resources and how these initiatives fit into the 2009 state legislation just passed, regulatory programs that the state and the city of New Orleans is considering and the challenges and benefits we will face with the adoption of these programs.
"We are in a time where critical decisions need to be made regarding energy, climate change and its impacts on Louisiana and the nation. We have the opportunity to provide green jobs to stimulate the economy and help reverse the consequences of our past choices," notes Jordan Macha, Sierra Club Conservation Organizer in Louisiana. "Today’s leaders and youth will inherit this crisis and are in need of serious education on the issue."
This event highlighted that doing more of the same is not only dangerous to the health of our coasts, but it won't solve our problems. Embracing clean energy options and efficiency measures can accelerate the transition to new energy while creating new jobs, spurring investment in new industries and curb the effects of global climate change. "This should not be a division between the haves and have-nots," said Troy Von Otnott. Von Otnott and Dawn Falgout-Loebig stressed the importance of making energy efficiency measures affordable to the public, and providing training for green industry jobs keep jobs local and help move New Orleans and Louisiana into a clean energy economy.
Both Senator Gautreaux and Representative Leger recognized the need for the state to step up and create incentives for industry to move in an environmentally conscious direction. The representatives each authored and passed legislation to encourage "green industry" in the state this past session. Representative Leger noted that we must begin to focus on the fact that "a job is a job", and as industry becomes more environmentally mindful, we will no longer be talking about "jobs" versus "green jobs", but jobs that get the work done while preserving our environment.
"Louisiana has become the international leader in the oil and gas industry, sending people all over the world to train and educate others on the technology and best practices we have developed," said Senator Nick Gautreaux. He emphasized, however, that Louisiana can and should become the future leader of the clean energy industry, finding balance between the fossil fuel industrial leadership of the past and the new energy leadership of the future.
The evening concluded with poignant questions from the audience, ranging from the federal climate bill to what a green job is, how a green job is defined, what defines a green job.
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Contact: Jordan Macha, Conservation Organizer
504.861.4837 / jordan.macha@sierraclub.org