NWF Welcomes Obama's Green Economic Recovery Plan; Education Key Area For Investment

In detailing his economic recovery package, President-elect Barack Obama mentioned education as a key area for sustainable investment.

“To give our children the chance to live out their dreams…we will equip tens of thousands of schools, community colleges, and public universities with 21st century classrooms, labs, and libraries,” Obama said.

Investments in education generate 23.1 jobs per $1 million in spending, nearly five times more jobs created than oil and natural gas sector spending, according to Robert Pollin, UMass Amherst Department of Economics and Political Economy Research Institute.

“The fate of our economy and environment hinge on how quickly we move to repower America with clean energy solutions,” said Larry Schweiger, President & CEO, National Wildlife Federation. “Economic stimulus investments in education and training are among the most effective for short-term job creation and sustained, across-the-board economic growth.”

NWF recently held a telephone press conference with a panel of experts, including UMass Amherst’s Robert Pollin, to discuss the numerous shovel-ready investments available right now. See details on green education investments for short-term job creation and sustained, across-the-board economic growth on the fact-sheet “Green Education, Green Jobs, Green Schools”. To obtain an audio file or transcript of the teleconference, contact Aileo Weinmann at 202-797-6801.

“J.F.K. took us to the moon. Let B.H.O. take America back to school,” economist and NWF Conservation Achievement Award winner Thomas Friedman wrote in the New York Times this week, in an op-ed that emphasized to Barack H. Obama the bang-for-your-buck potential offered by green education investments.