Cool Cities leaders participate in Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference in Washington, DC

Diana Christopulos chats with environmental justice advocates from Minnesota during lunch break at the Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference

Roanoke Valley Cool Cities Coalition was one of dozens of environmental, labor and business groups to convene the second annual Good Jobs Green Jobs conference February 4-6 in Washington, DC.  Diana Christopulos and Mark McClain attended the conference, which was attended by an overflow crowd of 2,500 people from all over the US.  High profile keynote speakers included three US Senators, a Congressman, two governors, presidents and executive directors of national environmental organizations and labor unions. The principal sponsor of the event was the Blue Green Alliance, a partnership between the environmental and labor movements that was started by the Sierra Club and United Steel Workers.

The purpose of the conference was to educate and advocate for green collar jobs – jobs in the green energy revolution, recycling, sustainable manufacturing, and many other fields where good jobs and good environmental policy converge.