The incoming US Federal administration of 2009 will have an important
opportunity to launch a New Green Deal that promotes locally directed efforts to
solve many of our urgent problems. This is a time of economic and environmental
crisis, and we need to demonstrate authentic leadership in pursuit of a vibrant,
healthy society that is sustainable and equitable. A New Green Deal can address
domestic economic, social and ecological problems in a way that also has a
positive impact on foreign policy and relations.
The
New Green Deal focuses on developing basic requirements for moving towards
sustainability such as green collar jobs, regional ecological restoration, and
inclusion of under-
represented communities. Its mission is to enable comprehensive long-lasting
social,
economic and natural resource policies. The New Green Deal can become the
foundation for
healthy, productive domestic programs that reduce our nation's oil dependence
and provide
proactive responses to reduce global warming.
The
New Green Deal's founding principle is there needs to be regional improvements
to local
Conditions, carried out by local people, businesses, and communities. This means
the overall approach to accomplishing programs will vary according to the places
where applied:
New York City will have a different emphasis than Los Angeles, and Puget Sound
from
Chesapeake Bay. The New Green Deal should then be applied in five general
directions:
1)
Survey, inventory and evaluation of local/regional renewable and
non-renewable assets. These include but are not limited to food, water, energy
sources, building materials and methods, open space, and transportation
alternatives with an emphasis on a North American, inter-regional railway
system.
2)
Public participation in designating and implementing priorities for
projects and activities.
3)
"True cost" analysis to evaluate and select the most
sustainable alternatives.
4) Green Collar employment programs in the following areas:
a) Ecosystem restoration,
b) Remanufacturing that maximizes use of recyclable
and/or post-consumer materials,
c) Renewable energy production and use,
d) Regionally-based sustainable agriculture,
e) Converting all wastes into resources,
f) Water conservation and reuse,
g) Energy efficiency,
h) Green building, living roofs, and landscaping,
i) Ecology and conservation education,
j) And special Green Collar job training programs in
vulnerable communities.
5)
Create or transform governmental institutions and agencies with policies
that promote localization and embody principles of sustainability.
*This
is a genuine stimulus package on the scale of the 1930's New Deal for the
present day. The New Green Deal promotes positive programs to replace
catastrophic activities that underlie climate change, economic inequities, water
and food shortages, habitat destruction, and species extinction.
<<<<><><>>>>
Comittee For A New Green Deal
Email:
mail@planetdrum.org
Postal address: Committee for a New Green Deal,
P.O.
Box 31251, San Francisco, CA94131
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