Ted Howard, Professor at the University of Maryland and Co-founder of the Evergreen Cooperatives explains the initiative's blueprint for creating green jobs in low-income neighborhoods in Cleveland, Ohio. The Evergreen cooperatives are an attempt to create green jobs that have good wages, health benefits and wealth-building opportunities as they are partly owned by the employees themselves. One of the three branches is the Ohio Solar Cooperative offering installations of solar panels and weatherization of homes.

Watch the interview here.

This interview has been conducted in preparation of the Midwestern Green Jobs Project 2010. In cooperation with the Blue Green Alliance, this project discusses current and future policy measures for the transition to a low-carbon economy and the creation of green jobs. From July 12-16, 2010 the Midwestern Green Jobs Tour will lead to Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan and Ohio. By sharing experiences from European states, such as North-Rhine-Westphalia, the former German industry stronghold, the dialogue will provide state legislators, union -, environment-, faith-, business- and other local leaders with best policy examples allowing to strengthen economic and political strategies for creating permanent jobs in the low-carbon economy. After the tour a report with policy recommendations will be commissioned and presented at a briefing in Washington, DC.

For more information contact Mr. Till Kötter at till@boell.org