Energy Jobs: Blue is the New Green, Gas Lobby Says
There’s a brand-new buzzword in the ever-evolving debate over America’s energy policy: Blue jobs. Those are jobs associated with the oil and natural gas industries, named for the azure hue of the burning gas flame, and part of the gas industry’s latest push to keep old energy relevant in Washington.
The Natural Gas Supply Association is trying to make sure policy makers keep it in mind as they craft a slew of new energy and environmental policies, including programs to create so-called green jobs, or employment in environmentally-friendly areas like renewable energy and energy efficiency. The gas lobby wants Congress to “make more natural gas available.”
The natural gas lobby says blue jobs total 5.8 million nationwide. Of course, that includes both the direct employment in the oil and natural gas industries—1.8 million—and another 4 million indirect jobs the lobby says depend on natural-gas related activities. Some of those jobs are really, really indirect:
“One-third of America’s natural gas is used by American manufacturers to create everything from trash bags and pantyhose to antifreeze and detergent. Those manufacturing jobs are all natural gas related,” NGSA president R. Skip Horvath said.
“We fully support the creation of more green jobs, but we’ll be wearing our ‘Blue Jobs’ buttons when we meet with political leaders in Washington this year. We want them to better understand how vital our industry is.”
It’s all part of wider push to mesh energy policy and job creation in the middle of the slowdown. The idea of “green-collar” jobs enthralls President-elect Barack Obama, his transition advisers, Labor Secretary designate Hilda Solis, and even Secretary of State nominee Hillary Clinton.
But the jury is still out on the true job-creation potential of the green sector. A new study out by the conservative Institute for Energy Research parses four of the most widely-quoted green jobs studies. It concluded that they all suffer from the same, over-optimistic flaws. Namely, green jobs programs won’t create the millions of jobs proponents claim, the jobs won’t be sustainable in the long run, and since some green jobs will attract existing workers, rather than drawing just from the ranks of the unemployed, won’t mean that many net new jobs.
Whether it’s green jobs or blue jobs, the overall state of the economy matters, too (just ask states that can no longer afford to subsidize solar power). With natural gas prices at a two-year low and potentially headed lower, even blue jobs could be at risk. More on that later.
Nice anti-oil and gas spin. If you are so against fossil fuel energy, then why don’t you stop using it?
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Hope this helps.
How about not approving any more new coal plants until the so called “clean coal power plant” proves itself and start replacing the current coal plants with natural gas. At the same time build new passive solar power and renewable plants. Do not build any plants that burn chemicals in the atmosphere and/or create a residue disposal problem.
Have you ever taken an economics class?
Better yet have you ever taken a History class, specifically one that has covered American History?
Have you ever taken any time at all to actually read anything remotely related to the growth industries during economic turn downs?
Hey, try this one, have you ever read the Wall Street Journal?
I thought the Wall Street Journal had a standard of accuracy
Blue is the wrong word. Blue is completely co-opted by the left. Blue Job to me means government job. IE: A job that does nothing for the economy. IMO, the gas people need to rethink this asap. How about just calling them REAL JOBS!!!
Environmental Capital provides daily news and analysis of the business of the environment. It tracks how growing green concern, particularly over climate change, is roiling established industries and spurring new ones – and how that shift is affecting investors, consumers and the planet. The Journal's Keith Johnson, who spent the past decade reporting from Europe, increasingly on energy issues, is the lead writer. The Journal’s Jeffrey Ball, who has covered the auto and oil industries and now covers the business of the environment, is the blog’s editor and a contributor. Environmental Capital also includes contributions from others at the Journal, WSJ.com, and Dow Jones Newswires. Write us at 
