Tallying Green Energy Jobs

How legitimate are the job creation claims made green energy advocates? President Obama has said repeatedly that his agenda will create 3 million jobs, although skeptics have been quick to point out that it is a number that is difficult to verify.

The San Jose Mercury News is out with a piece that cites data from the 2009 California Green Innovation Index. The report notes that, from 2005-2007, California added green jobs at a faster rate than "non-green jobs"-- 10% versus 1%. (It should be noted, however, that the 10% figure relates to a green workforce of 105,000 jobs, and the 1% figure relates to a "non-green" workforce of 18 million, so the actual numbers still demonstrate an enormous disparity.)

The key to determining green jobs is in the definition. According to the report, "Green jobs are defined as ones that provide products and services leveraging renewable energy resources, reducing pollution, conserving energy and natural resources, and repurposing waste. In 2007, about 9,000 California businesses had employees working in green jobs. "

For more highlights of the report:

California adding green jobs, leads nation in energy efficiency [San Jose Mercury News]