Who Gains from the Green Economy?

By Preeti Mangala Shekar and Tram Nguyen

Last year, the Oakland-based Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, with a miniscule staff and budget, worked relentlessly to pass the Green Jobs Act in Congress—a bill that if authorized will direct $125 million to green the nation’s workforce and train 35,000 people each year for “green-collar jobs.” That summer, Ella Baker Center and the Oakland Alliance also secured $250,000 from the city to build the Oakland Green Jobs Corp, a training program that promises to explicitly serve what is probably the most underutilized resource of Oakland: young working-class men and women of color.

In these efforts lay a hopeful vision—that the crises-ridden worlds of economics and environmentalism would converge to address the other huge crisis—racism in the United States. It is what some of its advocates call a potential paradigm shift that, necessitated by the earth’s climate crisis, can point the way out of “gray capitalism” and into a green, more equitable economy. The engine of this model is driven by the young and proactive leadership of people of color who intend to build a different solution for communities of color.
Van Jones, president of the newly formed Green for All campaign, talks about how earlier waves of economic flourishes didn’t much impact Black communities. “When the dotcom boom went bust, you didn’t see no Black man lose his shirt,” he points out, only half joking. “Black people were the least invested in it.”

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Gonzales Proposes Plan to Bring Fresher Foods into Local Schools: Plan will allow schools to purchase more food from local farmers

LANSING – State Representative Lee Gonzales (D-Flint Township) today introduced House Bill 5967, a bill that would make it easier for school districts to purchase food from local farmers for school lunch programs, bringing more fresh fruits and vegetables into our cafeterias and boosting the local economy.
"It's important to give our schools the ability to bring the freshest and healthiest food possible into our school cafeterias," Gonzales said. "When our children fuel up on healthy foods they are able to focus on their school work and prepare themselves for the good-paying jobs of the 21st century. This plan will help our schools provide the best possible food for our students at lunchtime."
Gonzales' plan would streamline the bidding process for school food administrators by increasing schools' small purchase threshold (SPT) for food procurement to $100,000, up from $19,650. The SPT is the dollar value above which competitive, formal bids must be obtained for purchases. Purchases below the SPT may be obtained through a simple informal bidding process in which schools may accept bids or quotes in writing or by phone, typically from at least three vendors.
Michigan's current SPT has proven to be a barrier for school food authorities who want to increase fresh and local food because it makes the bidding process more onerous, which often prevents schools from purchasing food from local farmers.
Purchasing locally grown food from local farmers for school meal programs – known as "farm to school" – has other benefits. It can provide schoolchildren with greater access to fresh fruits and vegetables, hands-on educational opportunities about local agriculture and food systems, expanded market opportunities for Michigan farmers and economic development opportunities.
"By implementing the higher threshold in Michigan, children will have greater access to fresh and locally grown food," Gonzales said. "This not only helps them develop healthier lifestyles and a taste for nutritious foods, but will help to expand market opportunities for Michigan farmers and keep more dollars in our state."
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