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New Report Shows Green Infrastructure Could Generate 167,000 Jobs In PA
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American Rivers and Green For All have released a new report outlining the economic benefits of green water infrastructure demonstrating 167,000 jobs could be generated in Pennsylvania by installing green infrastructure.
The report, Water Works, shows how meeting the needs for investment in water infrastructure, infrastructure that mimics natural solutions, in our communities can foster economic activity, create jobs and improve water quality.
The report estimates that as many as 167,000 jobs could be created just by meeting the existing demand for water infrastructure projects in Pennsylvania alone. Nationwide, millions of jobs could be created.
The decline in America’s water infrastructure has led to a host of associated economic, health and environmental costs. The report claims that new investments in infrastructure must ensure the highest return possible and provide a multitude of benefits to our communities.
While there still is a need for some traditional infrastructure, strategic investment will increasingly utilize green techniques to reduce costs and provide associated environmental benefits.
The report focuses on the need to invest in a more sustainable stormwater management system.
It explores the numbers and types of jobs created by smart investments in stormwater management, including combined sewer overflow (CSO) correction and pipe repair and replacement. The report also focuses on investments in green infrastructure—infrastructure that mimics natural solutions—to clean our waters and strengthen our communities.
Managing stormwater and ensuring adequate wastewater treatment are essential to our nation’s environmental and health goals. Additionally, making these investments strategically will catalyze economic growth, develop local industries, and create jobs for workers who have borne the brunt of the Great Recession.
The report offers three criteria to ensure a sustainable water future: investments must (1) create accessible and quality jobs; (2) maximize environmental gain; and (3) use financing that is stable, fair, and scalable.
Green infrastructure (GI) works to restore, preserve, or mimic natural hydrological systems. It utilizes the ability of natural systems to soak up water and filter out pollutants.
Green infrastructure techniques include using permeable pavements to let the ground absorb more stormwater, using trees and green roofs to store water or convert it to vapor, and capturing rainwater in cisterns and barrels for later use, urban tree planing, rain gardens, bioswales, constructed wetlands and greenways or green alleys.
A copy of the report is available online.
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10/10/2011 |
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