House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) had no kind words yesterday for Bureau of Labor Statistics Acting Commissioner Josh Galvin regarding the official definition of a "green job".
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics a green job is defined as any job that “provides goods or services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources.” This broad and nearly meaningless definition is the only reason Barack Obama has any ability to tout his green jobs agenda. The majority of what he claims to be new green jobs are actually just job jobs, for lack of a better term.
Here are some examples of what defines a green job as approved by Galvin:
10. Floor sweeper at a solar panel factory
The official definition allows for any position that will “reduce or
eliminate the creation of waste materials” to be considered a green job.
9. College professor teaching environmental studies
Any employee who is able to “provide education and training related
to green technologies and practices” has a green job, according to the
Department of Labor’s definition.
8. Salvation Army Employee
BLS says products and services that “collect, reuse, remanufacture,
recycle, or compost waste materials or wastewater” are considered green
jobs. As Issa points out, any type of business that sells used goods is a
green job, according to BLS.
7. An antique Dealer
Same rule applies here as in number six.
6. A clerk at a bicycle repair shop
Bicycle repair shops also reuse and recycle materials and is determined to be a green job.
5. Any school bus driver
Just as all forms of mass public transportation, school buses reduce
carbon emissions by reducing the number of cars on the road and
therefore reducing “greenhouse gas emissions through methods other than
renewable energy generation and energy efficiency.”
4. Any employee who puts gas in a school bus
This one is humorous but confirmed by Department of Labor officials to be a green job.
3. A full-time teenage employee at a used record shop
The recycled goods clause applies here, therefore it is dubbed a green job.
2. Train car manufacturers
Once again, employees whose job functions “reduce or eliminate the
creation of waste materials; collect, reuse, remanufacture, recycle, or
compost waste materials or wastewater” have themselves a green job.
1. And the number one most ridiculous job that the Labor Department considers “green” is… Oil lobbyist.
Galvin confirmed that an oil lobbyist is in fact a green job. It‘s
not entirely clear where in BLS’s definition the position falls under,
however, the job could possibly be considered to “increase public
awareness of environmental issues.”
64.5 miles to go.
Here is what happened one year ago on Day285.
