Green Jobs Training Can Help to Turn an Economy Right-Side-Up
Can something good stem from something bad? Actually, it happens quite frequently in life. While rain can drown out our picnicking, camping, and sporting events, we learned in elementary school that it serves a vital role in Mother Nature’s water cycle.
How bad have the most recent recessions been?
During the two latest recessions in the United States have occurred from 1990-1991, and from 2008-2009(?). During the recession in the early 1990s, the USA lost about 1.6 million jobs. However, that figure is miniscule when compared with the 2008-2009 recession, during which the economy has shed 6 million jobs (including jobs requiring green jobs training) since the beginning of 2001.
Thus, as with any other recession, the loss of jobs during the two most recent recessions has been one of the most devastating characteristics. During the recession of 1990-1991, unemployment was highest during the first part of the recession. However, it continued increasing for a year after the economy had begun to grow again. In fact, after the 1990-1991 recession, unemployment rates never dropped lower than their pre-recession levels–until five years AFTER the recession ended!
Meanwhile, the current recession has had a different trend than the 1990-1991 recession. Although most job losses occurred during the first part of the latter recession, over half of the 6 million jobs lost from the start of 2008 until the present, occurred ission, over half of the 6 million jobs lost from the start of 2008 until the present, occurred iin the first half of 2009 alone! Those job losses have happened in a variety of financial sectors, including some workers with green jobs training Because the current recession has not ended yet, the total number of jobs lost due to the recession, could ultimately be astronomical.
Can anything good result from the current skyrocketing unemployment? The housing boom that began in the middle 1990s created numerous jobs and ultimately helped to end the recession of the early 1990s. Could that scenario repeat itself during the current recession? Many financial experts doubt that a housing boom or Internet boom will end the United States’ escalating unemployment.
Nevertheless, the good news for those with green jobs training is that the current recession in the USA could actually have a silver lining. How is that possible? Just as the housing boom in the mid-1990s compensated for the jobs lost during the 1990-1991 recession, so a “Green Revolution” could ultimately have a similar effect during the current economic downturn.
Consider the fact that companies “going green” have exploded into a trillion-dollar business. Companies’ investment in reversing global warming and making the United States energy—independent can create new ideas, new solutions, and new jobs. It is actually feasible that the number of new green jobs could eventually outnumber the number of jobs lost during the 2008-2009 recession.
