Earlier this year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed the number of those employed by the green industry in 2010. Green Goods and Services (GGS) jobs were defined as benefitting the environment or conserving natural resources. This provides a basis that future growth or decline can be measured against. Some of the numbers were as follows:
- 3.1 million GGS jobs, 2.4% of all U.S. employment
- 2.1% of the private industry.
- Most of the private industry jobs are in manufacturing, construction, transportation, and waste services
- 3.6% of utilities
- 11.9% of construction
- 3.3% of all Washington employment
- 3% of all Washington private industry
The results were achieved through the Green Goods and Services survey in the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages Program.
For the complete news release: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Green Goods and Services News Release, March 22, 2012
The BLS figure corresponded closely with a similar report released by the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution. The latter released the following conclusions:
- 2.7 million jobs in the clean economy
- 26% of all clean jobs are in manufacturing
- Average wages of clean jobs are 13% higher than average U.S. wages
- 64% of clean jobs are in the 100 largest U.S. metro areas
For more information on the report: The Brookings Institution, July 13, 2011 and The New York Times, March 22, 2012