NEWS

Leaders from Green For All and Apollo Alliance to Speak at “Green Today, Jobs Tomorrow”

01/26/2009

 

Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor                                                                           www.michigan.gov/deleg

Stanley “Skip” Pruss, Director                                                                   Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Andrew Levin, Deputy Director

Nationally-Recognized Leaders from Green For All and Apollo Alliance to Speak at “Green Today, Jobs  Tomorrow"

Early Registration Fee Only $110 – Limited Space Available!

 

JANUARY 26, 2009 – Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth Director Stanley “Skip” Pruss announced today that the author of The Green Collar Economy as well as a co-director of Apollo Alliance, of Washington, D.C., have accepted invitations to speak at the “Green Today, Jobs Tomorrow” conference scheduled for May 11^th at the Lansing Center.

 

The two-day conference focuses on growth opportunities for companies and career opportunities for workers through Michigan’s Green Jobs Initiative.  It will bring together approximately 1,000 business, education and training, labor, environmental, community- and faith-based, and policy advocacy partners and stakeholders who are currently working on various facets of nurturing a green economy and talent base in Michigan. 

 

“We are so excited that Senator Stabenow, Green For All and the Apollo Alliance have signed on to be a part of this conference as all are recognized nationally as leaders in the green economy.  The emerging green economy holds great promise for Michigan’s workers, businesses and cities, and we are anxious to share in their expertise,” Pruss said.

 

The speakers are:

 

·         Van Jones, founder and president of Green For All and a senior fellow with the Center for American Progress. Jones is also the author of The Green Collar Economy (Harper One 2008). Among Van’s honors this year: the Elle Magazine Green Award 2008; selection as one of the George Lucas Foundation’s "Daring Dozen 2008;" Hunt Prime Mover Award 2008; Campaign for America’s Future "Paul Wellstone Award 2008;" Global Green USA "Community Environmental Leadership" Award 2008; designation as one of the nation’s “Plenty 20” in the October/November 2008 edition of Plenty Magazine; San Francisco Foundation Community Leadership Award 2008; and selection as a TIME Magazine 2008 Environmental Hero.

 

·         United States Senator Debbie Stabenow knows what matters to Michigan.  She is committed to cultivating Michigan’s emerging leadership in alternative energy, and has won victories for Michigan in the passage of her Green Collar Jobs Initiative and by making alternative energy a priority in the Food Energy and Conservation Act, commonly called the Farm Bill.  A nationally recognized leader, she is respected for her ability to build coalitions to get things done for Michigan and our nation.  Her recent appointment to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and membership on the Senate Finance, Agriculture and Budget Committees, has given her a powerful and unique role to play in shaping our nation’s health care, manufacturing and energy policies, so critical to our future.

 

·         Kate Gordon is the Co-Director of the Apollo Alliance, a national coalition of business, labor, environmental, and community leaders working to catalyze a clean energy revolution in America to reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, cut the carbon emissions that are destabilizing our climate, and expand opportunities for American businesses and workers. Gordon was one of Apollo’s first staffers, joining in 2004 as the Director of the Apollo  Strategy Center.  She then served as Apollo’s national Program Director before her promotion to Co-Director in mid-2008.  She is a primary or co-author of most of Apollo’s major reports, including The New Apollo Program, Green-Collar Jobs in America’s Cities, Greener Pathways, and the New Energy series.  Kate has a JD and Masters in City Planning from the University of California, Berkeley.

 

Additional national and area leaders and experts in renewable energy will be added to the lineup.

 

If you are interested in attending the conference, please register as soon as possible since space is limited and the reduced early registration fee of $110 is only offered through March 15. After this date the fee increases to $135 for registrations submitted March 16-May 4. A limited number of student registrations are available for only $35 with proof of college enrollment. Registration on the day of the event, if still available, will be $185. The registration form is available online at www.michigan.gov/greenjobsconference.

 

To sign up for email updates and view an updated list of partners participating in the conference, please visit www.michigan.gov/greenjobsconference. Hotel accommodations are available at the Radisson Downtown Lansing http://www.radisson.com/lansingmi or by calling (517) 482-0188. Use group code: CSWF59 for the special conference rate.

 

The Green Today, Jobs Tomorrow conference committee is currently seeking corporate sponsors to participate in the conference. For more information, please contact the DELEG Media Office at 517-373-9280.