Words by Rachel

"You can't green the economy from the White House down, you have to green it from the community level up," says Van Jones, President of Green for All, a national organization working to create an inclusive green economy that is strong enough to life people out of poverty.

Van Jones says that In order for us to have a green economy, we have to start from the grassroots level. Well, we already kknow that grass is green, so Green for All is working and succeeding at colouring American Green. Their movement for change is mobilizing the power of communities across the United States by educating, motivating and empowering citizens, local government and other movers and shakers to change the way we think about and act towards our environment and employment.

They're greening the economy from the community up, and they've just released a new tool to do just that - The Local Government Green Jobs Pledge.

This tool a.k.a. the Pledge calls on mayors and county executives from across the US to commit to building just, green solutions locally. In June, this movement catapoulted into action when 1139 mayors from across the US passed a resolution in support of the Pledge at the US Conference of Mayors meeting.

Could we apply this in Canada? Or, does anyone know about similar work being done here at home? Please email me or leave your comments.

For more information and for tips on getting your mayors to sign on, visit www.usgreenjobspledge.org.