Chattanooga Pulse

Just about every time I watch the news, the stories share a common theme: jobs. The Recession, the Recovery Act, President Obama’s performance, the environment—all of these issues are measured in part by how many jobs are filled or created.

“Green-collar jobs” has become a nationally recognized moniker. “Green collar” is a term coined to describe jobs promoting emerging green technology and sustainability. These careers encourage businesses to incorporate environmental principles instead of working against them.

According to the Pew Research Group, the green job sector is “poised for explosive growth.”  The country appears to be solidly committed to a future in which sustainability is a commodity, woven into the fabric of our economy.

Communities across the nation are vying for these new jobs. So far, the West Coast is attracting the most green-collar business. With progressive policies, environmentally minded communities, and motivated citizens, states like California and Oregon are adding millions of green jobs to their beleaguered economies.

Compared to the West and Northeast regions of our country, the Southeast is a little behind the times when it comes to growing a green economy. Green jobs are not a new phenomenon. But when most people hear the term, images of traditional “green” jobs come to mind. Positions in the public parks system or in implementing energy-efficient building retrofits, next-generation transportation, and renewable energy are all examples of traditional green jobs.

Emerging green-collar jobs are new positions created in response to a growing demand for sustainable services. One such service is “sustainability consulting.” Recently, a firm called WAP Sustainability was founded in Chattanooga. WAP focuses on helping businesses outside of the traditional green business bubble incorporate green principles into everyday business operations. I recently interviewed WAP partner Brad McAllister about his new, green business.

“There is no reason why every job can’t be green,” says McAllister. “Everything can be made more efficient and more sustainable.”

William Paddock and McAllister founded WAP Sustainability in 2008. The idea was to combine business principles with solid environmental science. The two formed the concept for the business while at the Institute for Sustainable Practice, a part of Lipscome University devoted to furthering sustainability in Tennessee.

WAP’s aim is to act as a resource for businesses and local governments, advising and creating sustainability programs, taking the intimidation factor out of going green. The two owners have worked with the Mars Corporation, the National Marine Fishery Service, and the Cities of Chattanooga and Cookeville.

McAllister spoke of a rewarding aspect of his job: impacting individuals. When a company with thousands of employees adopts a sustainability program, that new way of operating rarely ends at 5 p.m. Employees become more conscious, influencing demand for green products and policy, and they are apt to share this new way of thinking with their friends and family.  Sustainability program adoption among employers can work as a powerful tool in transitioning communities to a greener future, improving conditions for everyone.

“The fact is that we are running out of resources. We are nearing the peak of our carrying capacity of the current way we do business,” McAllister told me. “It’s time to make strategic, intelligent business decisions so we can keep up our current quality of life.”

Specific to the Southeast, McAllister described the potential impact of dirty fuels on our air and on climate change, and the issues regarding their disposal. Though not as frequently discussed, land-use issues and urban sprawl pose a threat to the level of relative convenience we enjoy here in Chattanooga. The arrival of VW and its distributors brings great economic promise—but the growth they will bring must be managed sustainably. Atlanta is an undesirable role model, with its sprawling eight lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic and disconnected, far-flung suburbs.

Water is another concern that we in Chattanooga can often overlook. Atlanta has very publicly suffered from mismanaging its water supply. It is no secret that we in Tennessee have polluted waterways—but we rarely address the resource’s availability.
“We tend to be blind to water issues in Chattanooga because we have the beautiful Tennessee River in our back yards, but this abundance has little to do with overall quality,” said McAllister of the area’s water issues.

We face many environmental issues here in Chattanooga, but protecting our natural resources does not have to hinder growth. The more businesses and government agencies that adopt green operations, the more attractive our city will be to cutting-edge companies.  Chattanooga has a history of overcoming environmental challenges, but in order to stay competitive, we must work harder than we ever have before.

Elizabeth Crenshaw is LEED accredited and works for EPB in Strategic Planning, but her views are her own. Originally from South Carolina, Elizabeth moved to Chattanooga after graduating from Warren Wilson College in 2007.