The One Block Off The Grid (1BOG) team is proud to count themselves among the 2 million+ Americans who hold green jobs, jobs that contribute to preserving or restoring environmental quality. 1BOG has a proven community business model that the company’s harnessing to further bolster their social impact and rapidly grow the green collar job community. Today 1BOG and installer partner groSolar announced a pilot partnership with Solar Richmond, an East Bay nonprofit that provides green job training to low income Bay Area residents.
By opting into the program, 1BOG Bay Area solar community members can now support local green collar training. For a small tax-deductible donation that will be matched by 1BOG and groSolar, a Solar Richmond graduate will participate on the 1BOG solar install and develop essential job skills that will help them land a full time green job. In a slow economy, building up a green workforce now is imperative to support a booming green economy in the future, and what better way to do it than through 1BOG’s proven community-based approach?
In a rough economy the US has huge potential to take the global lead on developing the green industry. A recent NYTimes Op-Ed by Bob Herbert (mimicking Tom Friedman’s mantra) tells us: “You want new industry in the United States, with astonishing technological advances, new mass production techniques and jobs, jobs, jobs? Try energy.”
Clean energy is still top of mind for Americans as seen by 1BOG’s growth this past year, as well as 1BOG partner SunRun’s recent round of funding. (Congrats SunRun!)
The United States Green Building Council recently conducted a study that found there are over 2 million green jobs in the US today and predicts that this number will grow to over 7 million in the next four years. Green jobs of all kinds are essential to stimulating job growth in the midst of the current recession when so many other industries are suffering. The Obama administration has made the promotion of green industries and jobs a part of their stimulus package. President Obama’s “Cash for Caulkers” program is an example of combining the goals of improving the environment and creating jobs. While this program is new, the hope is that we will see an increase in the adoption of environmentally friendly practices and support for green businesses and jobs over the next few months.
1BOG will continue to do its part by increasing the demand for solar panels and now contributing to developing solar jobs for underemployed communities. This partnership exemplifies the Virgance goal of combining activism and capitalism — addressing social issues through environmental training. We are looking forward to the 1BOG community making this pilot partnership with Solar Richmond a successful one that will directly contribute to green job growth in the US.
Bay Area residents: If you’ve been considering adding solar to your home, now’s the time to do it on the cheap and feel good about yourself at the same time. 1BOG (and Bay Area partner groSolar) have just increased group discounts through January to only $5.53 per watt to support this pilot Green Jobs training program.
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