Feb 27, 2009 10:30 pm US/Eastern
Philadelphia Hosts Green Jobs Summit
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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Vice President Joe Biden toured the University of Pennsylvania with Mayor Nutter on February 27.
CBS
Jobs certainly are tough to come by in this economy, but government leaders are hoping to save millions of them by going green. Chief among them is Vice President Joe Biden. He wrapped up a green jobs summit in Philadelphia.
Friday was the first of a monthly series of town hall meetings being held across the country on behalf of the Obama administration and its Middle Class Task Force. The focus was on green jobs -- where to find them, and how they can help struggling and worried middle-class families.
Vice President Joe Biden started his visit to the University of Pennsylvania campus with a look at what the university is doing about energy efficiency.
Afterward Biden, along with several cabinet members, listened as a panel of experts explained how creating more green jobs can stimulate the economy, while also saving the country's middle class.
"Investing in green jobs means two critical things for the middle-class families," said the vice president. "One, more jobs to keep up with the 21st century needs, and lower energy costs, and I'd add a third -- a much cleaner environment."
The president's stimulus bill includes investing $20 billion in a green economy and programs that could possibly create thousands of jobs, such as installing solar panels and wind turbines.
"Green jobs will pay 10 to 20 percent more than other jobs of a similar nature," the vice president said.
Another aspect of growing a green economy is promoting energy efficiency and weatherization.
Right now, there are 400,000 row homes in Philadelphia that can be weatherized.
Weatherization saves the average homeowner $350 a year in utility costs.
"Let's green the ghetto first," said Van Jones of the non-profit organization Green For All. "Let's go to those communities where they have the least ability to pay for that retrofit and make sure they get that help, make sure they get that support."
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has created the Office of Sustainability, which is solely in place to boost the city's growing green economy. It is a model that many big cities in the country are following. It's also one of the reasons the Obama administration chose to have this meeting in Philadelphia.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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