While the Green New Deal seeks to greatly reduce US greenhouse gas emissions, it also seeks to provide millions of quality jobs. The new jobs are more likely to materialize if the GND acknowledges a wider range of relevant actions and policies than outlined in their original text for H. Res. 109. Here is a brief roundup of the GND’s first pass on policies and jobs, followed by my longer list of policies and behavior changes that would help reduce emissions in the USA while creating new jobs. Some existing jobs would of course disappear while new ones are gained. One thing to keep in mind is that a lower carbon lifestyle requires less money to sustain (fewer trips, smaller homes, less stuff, etc.) and this could have some bearing on the definition of “good, high-wage” jobs. My expanded list has some overlap with the GND in some areas.

Green New Deal:

Policy                                                           Jobs 

Renewable Power (expanding,                 Manufacturing, installation, marketing

 upgrading, deploying)

“Smart power” grids (energy efficient)      Engineering, manufacturing, construction, management

Upgrading all existing buildings                Manufacturing, construction and marketing

New building construction                         Construction, etc.

Supporting family farms                             Agriculture, farmers markets and retail, goods transport

Sustainable farming and land                    Agriculture, extension services, ecologists

  practices (soil carbon enhancement)

Zero emissions vehicles infrastructure     Manufacturing and deployment

  and manufacturing

Public transportation expansion                Manufact. construct. drivers, engineers, stationmasters

High-speed rail                                            Manufact. construct. drivers, eng., stationmasters  

Land preservation and afforestation          Ecologists, foresters, tree planters, fire managers

Restoring ecosystems                                 Biologists, ecologists, foresters, tree planters

The Five-Ton Project Cultural Transformation:

Policy                                                           Jobs  

Increase the cost of flying                          Domestic tourism and the domestic leisure sector

Reduce Subsidies on large houses           Large house conversion, demolition, small house                                                                                   construction

Increase incentives for multi-units             Property managers, building engineers and custodial,                                                                            rental agents, landscapers

Improve function of existing buildings       Building and operations managers (improve                                                                                           occupancy flow to reduce new commercial constr)

Increase the cost of cattle production       Habitat restoration: Biologists, ecologists, foresters,                                                                                fire managers

Improve meat alternatives                          Food research, culinary arts - vegetarian

Reduce the prevalence of planned            Repairs and auxiliary devices

  obsolescence in electronics

Reduce the scale of the fashion ind.          Seamstress, re-design, re-sale

Improve bike infrastructure                         Bike repairs; local transportation planning

Reduce parking subsidies                          Public transportation, small-scale retail 

Carbon footprint education                        New teaching and carbon coaching 

Nuclear Energy                                           Nuclear engineering, construction and maintenance