Booming Green Economy

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) commissioned the University of Massachusetts – Amherst to research just how many jobs could be created in the fight against global warming. It included six key areas: building retrofitting, transit, energy-efficient automobiles, wind energy, solar power and cellulosic biomass fuels. The study compiled a break-down of 12 states, including Minnesota and Wisconsin. To read the release on the Environment News Service, click here.

Some of the findings? Green jobs will employee almost 19,000 people in Minnesota and 20,000 in Wisconsin in the field of carpentry to assist with building retrofitting. They will get paid nearly $20 an hour. In transit, Minnesota will employ about 3,500 civil engineers, and Wisconsin will employ about 4,200. Civil engineers get paid roughly $30 an hour. Last, wind energy will require about 15,000 production supervisors in Minnesota and 21,000 in Wisconsin. They are paid about $23 an hour.

To see all of the findings, view the PDF of the report at http://www.umass.edu/economics/Green_Jobs_PERI.pdf.