What's in a name? defining “green jobs” in a green chemistry framework

Green chemistry is about much more than what happens in a chemistry lab. It is a framework that questions the use of hazardous processes, substances and products; develops less toxic and non-toxic options; promotes the use of those alternatives; and encourages feedback about improvements. One of six proposals in California's Green Chemistry Initiative (GCI) calls for “Green chemistry workforce education and training, research and development and technology transfer”. Its focus was on the formal education system, from public schools to technical colleges and universities. When the Californians for a Healthy and Green Economy (CHANGE) coalition started talking about how to promote green chemistry workforce development, our first challenge was the often-limited understanding of a “green job”. Most approaches focus on the energy sector and chemistry labs, and do not integrate green chemistry activities and training into everyday work. CHANGE began to explore a broader definition of green jobs with a roundtable discussion (Molecules to movement: Building the new green economy from the ground up). The coalition later set up a work group that developed questions for a wide variety of stakeholders (e.g., labor, businesses, educational institutions, workforce development organizations). Group members had discussions individually and at several gatherings about the opportunities for a broader, inclusive approach to “green workforce development”. We will present the results and recommendations, with attention to the needs of workers outside the energy sector and how we can make all jobs “green”-- good for the environment, and the people doing them.