Local companies are booming as green efforts take hold

[Blue_Tires]

The color of the 21st century is undeniably green. It seems every business, government, marketing strategy and product line includes an eco-friendly component, from new cars to building codes to cat litter.

As Virginia and the rest of the nation today celebrate the 39th anniversary of Earth Day, an economic wave is rolling across the commonwealth awash in the same hue - green-collar jobs.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has made green jobs a priority, as has President Barack Obama, as a way of encouraging new businesses and technologies that both help the environment and spur employment.

John Esson, who runs the Green Careers Center in Hampton and launched one of the first Web sites in the country dedicated to green jobs on Earth Day in 1995, described recent interest in the field as "phenomenal."

"The last 15 months have just been unreal," Esson said. He traced the boom to an unspoken acceptance amid industries that sustainability and clean energy will undoubtedly shape the future.

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/04/local-companies-are-booming-green-efforts-take-hold

of course, the 'i hate fancy booklearnin science' brigade is in full force in the comments section....

[depakid]

1. "the 'i hate fancy booklearnin science' brigade is in full force in the comments section..."

The cut off nose to spite face crowd wouldn't recognize a win/win economic opportunity if jumped up and bit them in the ass.

Fortunately, the more they moan- the less credibility they have. And if there's one thing they're quite skilled at- it's looking stupid.