UPDATED: (1:48 PM) - Today's live chat is winding down now, and Majora is signing off:
thanks so much for showing such incredible interest in all this. I feel so much better knowing that you all are so ready to move on green jobs for what they will bring to our lives! until the next time! --majora
Thanks to Majora Carter for stopping by, and for staying late to answer extra questions. And thanks to all of you who participated today -- let us know if you'd like to see more of these types of live chats in the future.
You can read the questions and answers below . . .
(12:45 PM) Our live online Earth Day chat with green jobs advocate Majora Carter is about to begin.
(12:56 PM) The questions are already starting to flood in. Majora will be answering as many as possible for the next 30 minutes or so, and we'll be re-posting the answers here in the main body of the blog.
From Michael from Huntington Beach, CA: What do you say to people who feel that the economy should come before the environment?Majora Carter: It's not possible to choose one or the other. Our economy depends on a healthy environment, not the other way around.We are already spending too much of our environmental riches to support our antiquated pollution-based economy.The money we save from positive environmental practices helps any economy.
From: Jacqueline O'Boomer: Majora - Welcome to our blog and thanks for sharing Earth Day with us. I'm curious - would you have an Earth Day "message" for us, as current or future green activists? Majora Carter: You don't have to move out of your neighborhood to live in a better one. There should be no sacrifice zones - poor communities that pay everyday with their lives to make a pollution based economy possible. When we Green The Ghetto, we address CO2 point sources, help people live better & Healthier lives, and create new jobs that lead to a cleaner more efficient relationship with the environment.
From: Jacqueline O'Boomer: Majora - Welcome to our blog and thanks for sharing Earth Day with us. I'm curious - would you have an Earth Day "message" for us, as current or future green activists?
Majora Carter: You don't have to move out of your neighborhood to live in a better one. There should be no sacrifice zones - poor communities that pay everyday with their lives to make a pollution based economy possible. When we Green The Ghetto, we address CO2 point sources, help people live better & Healthier lives, and create new jobs that lead to a cleaner more efficient relationship with the environment.
From Seth from New York, NY: What's holding us back from creating green jobs? When are they going to appear? Majora Carter: Well, they don't just "appear" - my life would be easier if they did! :) As a country, we have to create better conditions for these jobs to flourish. Now, we have an economy that subsidizes oil, coal, unhealthy food and land use practices at the expense of where green jobs should be thriving. This is the time to be vigilant about the term "shovel ready." just because it's ready doesn't mean it's smart. for instance - there are luxury condo, stadium and shopping mall projects that have serious lobbying efforts on their side. Should we pay for these things with our taxes?? Make sure local green jobs with multiple impacts are created with new money from DC. Like wide scale urban forestry projects, energy efficiency programs, that can help prepare cities for climate changes that are coming. Make those dollars live in your area productively by getting those jobs to people who need the work. speak up and you will be heard! we need your help!
From Virginia from New York, NY: Hi Majora - You've been on a long road from the Film Department at Brooklyn College! We're so proud and behind you all the way...Green jobs making sure there back up exists for the electric grid? Majora Carter: so good to hear from you!! happy you asked about a national grid. we need a national electrical grid that allows energy to be distributed as freely as information flows on the internet. it is always sunny or windy or there are tides somewhere in the country; but not always where the demand is. A nat'l grid will enable renewable energy systems to grow rapidly - reducing our dependence on dirty fossil fuels that pollute and send dollars elsewhere, create green jobs and support new business development. How about building the transmission lines right next to the interstate highway system? People could see the progress, and hopefully be charging their electric cars from those lines before Pres. Obama's second term.
From Virginia from New York, NY: Hi Majora - You've been on a long road from the Film Department at Brooklyn College! We're so proud and behind you all the way...Green jobs making sure there back up exists for the electric grid? Majora Carter: so good to hear from you!!
happy you asked about a national grid. we need a national electrical grid that allows energy to be distributed as freely as information flows on the internet. it is always sunny or windy or there are tides somewhere in the country; but not always where the demand is. A nat'l grid will enable renewable energy systems to grow rapidly - reducing our dependence on dirty fossil fuels that pollute and send dollars elsewhere, create green jobs and support new business development. How about building the transmission lines right next to the interstate highway system? People could see the progress, and hopefully be charging their electric cars from those lines before Pres. Obama's second term.
From Fredericka: I have heard about the Green The Ghetto and other initiatives to bring the "green" initiave to poor communities. I haven't, however, actually seen any such initiatives in my city or surrounding areas. How do I start this movement in my city? Majora Carter: Openly caring about the needs of others is the first thing you will need to do. We got to this sad point in our society because we forgot that everybody matters, regardless of their economic status or race. when we act like the least among us is still a treasured and valuable being, then you will find the right thing to do in your situation and city. Stay strong and happy.
From Fredericka: I have heard about the Green The Ghetto and other initiatives to bring the "green" initiave to poor communities. I haven't, however, actually seen any such initiatives in my city or surrounding areas. How do I start this movement in my city?
Majora Carter: Openly caring about the needs of others is the first thing you will need to do. We got to this sad point in our society because we forgot that everybody matters, regardless of their economic status or race. when we act like the least among us is still a treasured and valuable being, then you will find the right thing to do in your situation and city. Stay strong and happy.
From Kathryn from Miami, FL: There is a lot of talk about organic farming and nobody seems to speak out enough about how much this is needed to really turn global warming around. It's all the chemicals that are being dumped into the earth and waters that are helping to heat up the soil all over the planet. When will the chemical companies and petro-chemical industry be stopped from controlling EVERYTHING in America and even abroad? Will you do something about this before it's too late to turn it around? Majora Carter: petroleum based fertilizers/pesticides etc have mutiple negative impacts throughout the economy in terms of health, environmental services and jobs. we do need an effective national food / farm policy that values people over production. we know now that locally produced food is healthier bec it has multiple position impacts, usually smaller family farms, w/ better worker conditions and more sustainable land use practices. they get very little subsidies to support something that is healthy to produce and consume. let's support that. yummy!
Majora Carter: sorry i couldn't answer more questions. thanks so much for showing such incredible interest in all this. I feel so much better knowing that you all are so ready to move on green jobs for what they will bring to our lives! until the next time! --majora
Majora Carter: sorry i couldn't answer more questions.
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