Institutional Green Technology

Friedman in his article "Aren't We Clever?" makes an argument that the United States is loosing its opportunity to create green jobs or move toward green manufacturing because many politicians have been treating "'climate change' as a four letter word." Here Friedman means that our politicians still cannot get beyond the initial scientific debate and enact legislation that properly stimulates or implements green research and development. Thus Friedman argues the United States is falling behind Europe and China, in particular, in green core jobs. The problem that I see here is that we are not in a race with other nations for the most green jobs or manufacturing centers. We are in a race to keep the planet from changing so dramatically that it can no longer support human life. While an outcome of a race toward green manufacturing may be positive, this focus is clearly misguided.

Green jobs, manufacturing, and infrastructure are certainly a noble goals. However, sustainability cannot and will not be reached by a green war. Building stockpiles of recycling centers instead of nuclear weapons is helpful but will not go nearly far enough to create a sustainable environment and culture on our planet. Yes, our last many congresses have failed the people of the United States by enacting little or no helpful legislation to reduce our consumption and stimulate green industry. But, we must not loose site that every country on the planet has the same (or should have the same) goal - to end the destruction of our planet. The legislation enacted by China and European nations should not be something to compete against but something to work toward. A problem as large as our destruction of our planet needs all the help it can get. We must not have a race for green jobs or wage a green war. Instead we must strengthen our international regulatory organizations to impose harsh restrictions. And, they must also have the power to back up these restrictions. At the same time, we must have policies that stimulate the development of green technologies. It is this combination that I see as the only way to make any real progress toward sustainability.