New site argues less carbon = more jobs

After years of Bush administration officials warning that a cap on carbon would be bad for business, the “conventional wisdom” has done an about-face. In fact, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has just launched a new Website and online map identifying more than 1,200 companies across the US likely to add jobs and expand business once a carbon cap is put in place.

LessCarbonMoreJobs.org features an interactive map profiling businesses in Rust Belt towns, coal-country communities and manufacturing centres across 12 states: Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia. All are “poised to benefit from demand for clean energy technologies created by a cap on carbon,” according to the EDF.

The organisation announced its new site during the first meeting of Vice President Joe Biden’s task force on middle class jobs, held last week in Philadelphia.

“A cap creates customers for US manufacturers, and new customers mean new jobs,” said Fred Krupp, president of EDF. “If there was ever a time we needed new customers at home and abroad, that time is now.”

Among the businesses featured on the new site is Dowding Industries, a Michigan firm that is now employing laid-off autoworkers to help build components for wind turbines.

“This business is growing exponentially,” said Jeff Metts, the company’s owner and president. “I don’t come here as the owner of a company that last year employed 250 people, I come here excited about being the owner of a company that will create hundreds of jobs for our community and the possibility of thousands of jobs for our state in this new energy market.  We;ve tapped into a workforce eager to apply their skills from previous jobs to our new ventures, and the result has been incredible.  We’re ready to do much more.”