Press Release: Announcing “Green Collar Jobs: Making a Living, Forging a Better World”

FOR PLANNING PURPOSES: September 16
CONTACTS:
Ian Stevenson (202) 680-3299

Fritzi Bodenheimer (929) 276-4232

350Brooklyn and Brooklyn Public Library Announce
“Green Collar Jobs: Making a Living, Forging a Better World” September 16 

Series Engages Brooklynites in Accessible Solutions to the Climate Crisis

350Brooklyn and Brooklyn Public Library continue their three-part summer 2020 online series, Climate Wednesdays: Solutions for a Cooler Brooklyn, with “Green Collar Jobs: Making a Living, Forging a Better World” on September 16. The Climate Wednesdays series explores the challenges of the global climate crisis with online discussions featuring activists and experts discussing urban ecology, transportation, and job creation dimensions of climate change. The Climate Wednesdays series first began in Fall 2019.

350Brooklyn is a local affiliate of the international grassroots climate group 350.org, which works to end the use of fossil fuels and supports a just transition to a sustainable world. The Climate Wednesdays series is part of 350Brooklyn’s mission to deepen public understanding of climate change and to engage more Brooklynites in the effort to confront the global climate crisis head-on.

Climate Wednesdays events take place from 7-8:30 pm. on Zoom.  Register here (at least one hour before the event).

Event Details

September 16: Green Collar Jobs: Making a Living, Forging a Better World 

With over a million New Yorkers out of work and a steadily warming climate, our communities need green jobs now more than ever. And as the fossil fuel industry loses ground, we’ll need more and more people with the skills to build our green future. A “green recovery” can create the jobs people need while revitalizing our neighborhoods, transforming our energy infrastructure and healing our ecosystems. Where are the climate-friendly jobs now, where will they be in the coming years, and how can New York create more of them in a way that promotes social and environmental justice?

Moderator 

Elizabeth “Betta” Broad (she/her) is the Director of New Yorkers for Clean Power (NYCP) and has been an organizer for social justice, peace and sustainability for nearly two decades. She organized the major Earth Day festivals in NYC for five years before joining the campaign to ban fracking. While working for Catskill Mountainkeeper she created the RenewableNY program that subsequently received a $1.8 million award from NYSERDA to expand Solarize campaigns across 15 counties. She is one of the co-founders of the New York Energy Democracy Alliance and serves on the board of directors of Citizens for Local Power. A resident of Kingston, she was appointed to the Kingston Climate Smart Commission, Kingston Conservation Advisory Council and the Ulster Climate Smart Committee.

Panelists

Ross Gould (he/him) is the Energy Sector Program Manager for Workforce Development Institute (WDI), a non-profit that works to grow and keep good jobs in New York State. Ross is a lawyer and has worked in private, public and not for profit sectors focusing on energy, environment and workforce development. In his role as program manager he assesses the effects of energy policy, sector trends, and energy technologies on the workforce, and he tracks areas of opportunity for new employment. Ross travels throughout New York to obtain ground level intelligence about New York’s energy workforce, the hiring demands of employers, and training programs.

Max Levitzke (he/him) leads the Green Workforce training program at Solar One, a non-profit organization fostering urban sustainability and resilience through innovative education, training, and technical assistance. He has had a passion for renewable energy since he was teenager and has done various work and research related to climate change, electric vehicles and the shift away from fossil fuels. Previously, Max worked in program management and operations at a renewable energy education start-up. He’s found great fulfillment in turning his excitement for renewables into a career that continues pushing for the growth of the clean energy industry through education, as well as providing those in need with sustainable job opportunities. Max has a degree in Environmental Science and Business from the University of Missouri.

Aram Marcelle (he/him) is the Alumni Training and Advancement Manager at Green City Force (GCF), which trains young leaders from low-income housing communities to power a green and inclusive economy through service. He has nearly a decade of experience in green workforce development. Previously, Aram was a Team Leader  of various service projects across NYC related to energy efficiency, urban agriculture/horticulture, and zero waste. Before joining GCF, Aram worked as a Program Manager for Envirolution’s community energy efficiency consultant program, the Win-Win Campaign. Aram holds an M.S degree in Urban Sustainability from City College, and a B.A in Corporate Communications with a minor in Black studies from Baruch College. He is a USGBC certified instructor for GPRO Fundamentals and Operation and Maintenance, a BPI certified Building  Analyst, Envelope Professional, and Multifamily Building Operator.

Climate Wednesdays will be on hiatus until the spring of 2021. Stay tuned for an upcoming newsletter about the launch of Climate Check: Stories and Solutions, a new podcast from 350Brooklyn.