It Might Just Be Easy Being Green

I read with interest recent reports about a symposium at about “green-collar” jobs.  What is a “green-collar” job?  My definition would be someone who works in a non-traditional manner to produce a product or service in a sustainable manner.  What does that mean?  Someone who does their job … and I tend to think in terms of the building trades for this example … in a manner that doesn’t have an unduly negative impact on the environment and can therefore be done over a long period of time with no ill effects.

Before you groan … and start using terms like tree-hugger and throw Al Gore into it … let’s explore this a bit.  If there are two ways to do something, and one conserves resources … which is better?  I would say that using fewer resources makes economic sense.  If you start to doing things just for the sake of doing them … you lose me.  I just heard about a solar-powered submarine … I don’t think I am a buyer. 

So, when it comes to the building trades, there are alternatives, we just need to get them out there.  We need them taught broadly to people who generally acquire knowledge through apprenticeship and experience.  Not easy.  NCC is setting the standard for this … their Building Efficiency and Sustainable Technology program helps prepare students for an accreditation in using technologies that make sense, that make houses more efficient in the long run.  Things like foam filling walls cost a little more, initially, but the saving generated due to attenuated heat loss over time more than make up for it.  Smart, huh?

You can take this as far as you like.  My next door neighbor has a compost pile and a set of solar panels that have been heating all his water for a number of years.  Friends on Range Road built a new house that meets the LEED standards for new construction.  Get more information on that here.  It makes economic sense and it makes sense for families and neighborhoods.

Ok, I must admit, I have a vested interest in NCC’s success.  I recently wrote and applied for a grant for them to the U.S. Economic Development Agency, through my role at the Southwestern Regional Planning Agency.  This grant is exciting.  The first of its kind in lower Fairfield County filed under the “One Coast, One Future” Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy that was initiated by then Congressman Chris Shays and which was signed late last year by then Governor Rell.

So far, no money. But I think we stand as good a chance as anyone.  When it comes to this sort of grant, Connecticut has been lagging far behind. I believe we recently came in behind American Samoa, so, that is pretty far down the list. 

The grant is for the development of a holistic Career Center focused on Green Construction procedures and retraining the affected workforce here in West Norwalk and across the region in building sustainable projects … both commercial and residential.  This is everything from a few day long Insulation Certificate Program to a 2 year degree in Green Construction skills.  That is the sort of thing I think we need to get behind … responsible and it has the added benefit of adding to the skill set of a group of workers who might not be as employable as they once were. 

By adding to the pool of skilled workers, we can also attract outside businesses to the area.  As we build upon the initial scope and establish a core of trained workers that are versed in Sustainable Technologies and general practices we can make Norwalk and the southwestern part of Connecticut a developmental Silicon Valley, if you will.  Not a bad thing.  This builds upon itself, and is supported by both Mayor Moccia and Representative Larry Cafero locally.  I believe and support their vision of creating and marketing a new and improved Norwalk to the business community at large and bringing these sorts of jobs home.

David McCarthy is a Norwalk Zoning Commissioner as well as one of Norwalk’s representatives to the Southwestern Regional Planning Association.  These views are his own, however.