Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.) hosted a conference call on the upcoming National Clean Energy Summit which will be held at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Mid-August. Reid said one only needs to look at a corner gas station to know that the energy crisis is serious. The summit on clean energy can lead to developments that are good for the economy, good for the environment, and good for jobs.

Dan Weiss, Senior Fellow and Director of Climate Strategy at the Center for American Progress, said the summit’s goal is to develop a consensus on energy policies for the next President that participants can bring to their respective party conventions next month.

Former President Bill Clinton said the government needs to take a leading role in making a commitment to a national clean energy policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Clinton said he is particularly excited about the summit bringing together the leaders and the American community to solve the climate crisis. Reid said the American people are overwhelmingly supportive of renewable energy, and that he is aware that a “drill, drill, drill” policy will not make gas prices any lower. (23:33)

 

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Jack Huttner, Vice President of Biorefinery Business Development at Genencor, describes how the unused cobs and stalks of corn can be used to produce biofuels, which would increase the output of each acre of corn and help tame food prices. (0:36)

 

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Dan Lashof, climate center director at the Natural Resources Defense Coucil spoke today on a new report about job opportunitites for a green economy. Ther report shows that an investment in green jobs will reduce pollution, dependence on oil, reduced energy bills and more green jobs with skills millions of American workers already have. (0:57)

 

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The Center for American Progress and the Natural Resources Defense Council met today to discuss a new report called “Job Opportunities for the Green Economy.” The report, that was released today, shows that a great number of workers in electricity, construction, steel and many others will still be involved in green activities.

“Green jobs will not just be in one niche of the economy, these are not niche jobs, these are mainstream jobs,” said Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club. (more…)