Like most people, I try to do everything I can to lower my utility bills. Every day I turn off lights, monitor my thermostat, and unplug as many energy-eating appliances as I can. My house is a little warmer in summer and chillier in winter than I’d like, but the payoff in lower utility bills is more than worth the trade-off. Over the past ten years, through conscious effort and home improvements, I managed to reduce my utility bills some 40%. It took a lot of effort and determination, but I did it.

Now, when I shop, I buy items rated as energy efficient. It’s not difficult—most stores sell light bulbs, appliances and home improvement items specifically designed to reduce energy consumption, many of which quality for tax rebates. It’s a win-win situation for everyone because we win, and so does the environment.

Green For All is an organization dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through a clean energy economy.  It works in collaboration with businesses, government, labor, and grassroots communities to create and implement programs that increase quality jobs and opportunities in green industry – all while holding the most vulnerable people at the center of our agenda.

This organization believes that a clean-energy economy will move America past some of its most pressing challenges.  In addition, the subsequent creation of millions of quality jobs in clean energy will help pull America out of the current recession, strengthen our middle class, and better protect us from future economic turmoil.

Clean Energy Jobs in Portland

Green For All operates effectively at a number of different levels to build a clean-energy economy that closes the gaps in income, opportunity, security and health across the country.  Its work covers a broad spectrum, takes many forms, and flows from three primary tasks: to innovate policy, develop capacity, and build a movement.

This organization helps develop and strengthen the capacity of -- and partnerships among -- business, government, labor, non-profits and grassroots communities. These groups, sectors and partnerships leverage public and private investment to sustain a clean-energy economy and create millions of quality green jobs.

Recently, Green For All partnered with the City of Portland on a clean-energy project. On September 30, 2009, the Portland City Council passed a resolution endorsing a groundbreaking Community Workforce Agreement  that will lead to the creation of thousands of good jobs in the clean-energy economy for low-income workers. The unprecedented Agreement calls for creating contracting, subcontracting, training and employment policies that will ensure high-quality work, safe conditions for workers, and strategies for establishing career pathways for low-income and other historically underserved populations. These standards and community benefits, which were created through a partnership of public, private, nonprofit, community, and labor organizations, apply to a home energy retrofit project called Clean Energy Works Portland.

Clean Energy Works Portland is a pilot program that will help up to five hundred qualified Portland homes finance and install energy efficiency upgrades like new insulation or the installation of a high efficiency furnace or water heater. After the pilot phase, Clean Energy Works Portland will scale-up to retrofit an estimated 100,000 homes, with the potential to create as many as 10,000 local jobs over the next 10 years. Green For All will utilize its national expertise to support and guide the effort to bring the pilot project to scale.

This project leverages federal recovery dollars to reduce carbon emissions, lower utility bills, and create jobs. It is one of the nation's leading models for how to use Recovery Act funds not just to stimulate short-term economic activity, but to lay the foundation for long-term economic, environmental and community health.

Green For All is yet another example of what can and does happen when individuals, communities, businesses and the government “Team Up for Success.”

A native of Louisiana, Carla Ledbetter now lives in Alexandria, LA, where she works as the Director of Web Content for Cenla Advantage Partnership, a nonprofit organization, funded in part by The Rapides Foundation, dedicated to building prosperity in Central Louisiana. The author of three published suspense novels, she is currently working on her latest book, and can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Blogspot and LinkedIn.

This article is the copywritten property of the writer and Communities @ WashingtonTimes.com. Written permission must be obtained before reprint in online or print media.

REPRINTING TWTC CONTENT WITHOUT PERMISSION AND/OR PAYMENT IS THEFT AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW.