Green job experts discuss career opportunities

In March, more than 100 students at the University of Houston attended a career panel organized by Environment Texas Research & Policy Center to learn about job opportunities in the green economy. Leading green business leaders spoke to students about opportunities for green jobs in many fields, including engineering, architecture, business, marketing, economics and politics.

The economic recovery package signed by President Obama in February includes $500 million for programs to train Americans for careers in the energy-efficiency and renewable energy industries, such as such as solar-panel installation and sheet-metal manufacturing for wind turbines. With a growing renewable energy industry in the state, we could see tens of thousands of these jobs in Texas alone.

Legislators, leaders speak at clean energy town hall

A town hall meeting in San Antonio about clean energy and climate change brought in 100 community members in March. Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, Environment Texas Director Luke Metzger, the chief of staff to Mayor Phil Hardberger and others spoke with the group for almost two hours about upcoming clean energy and global warming legislation. Gonzalez sits on a key committee that is expected to vote on an economy-wide cap on global warming pollution by Memorial Day.

Later, Metzger told the San Antonio Current that, while Gonzalez “stated his support for more action on clean energy” several times at the gathering, he was “disappointed [Gonzalez] failed to take the opportunity to clearly declare his support for a strong, science-based cap on global warming pollution.” 

Environment Texas is working with the Obama administration, scientists and leaders in Congress to take quick and bold action later this year to cap global warming pollution at the levels needed to stave off the worst effects of global warming.