This is part two of a two-part series. Read part one here.

The first Earth Day was observed in 1970. Even then, early environmental activists understood the value of labor in their endeavors for a cleaner earth. Former United Autoworkers President Walter Reuther was an integral part to this important holiday.  

President Biden and Congressional Democrats continued this legacy by passing the most pro-labor pro-environmental laws in U.S. history. Federal investments are tied to high-road labor standards that create good-paying jobs for the American worker. Not only are these investments responsible for massive job growth but they are also spurring a manufacturing and industrial renaissance that will build our clean energy further here at home and significantly reducing emissions to give us the cleaner air and water we all deserve. 

The United States is in the unique position to reduced pollution here and around the world. Our government is the largest purchaser. That means we can set the standard for clean materials on the market. The Buy Clean policy—developed by the BlueGreen Alliance and our committed allies—motivates suppliers to reduce their climate pollution and helps us to stop rewarding manufacturers with the most polluting plants. These principles have been adopted by the federal government and several states across the country, solidifying the purchases of clean goods into fabric of American business. 

Not to mention we make some of the cleanest materials in the world—aluminum, steel, and cement are manufactured domestically with less pollution when compared to global competitors. We’ll need every bit of these materials and more to build our clean energy future as primary components in transmission, electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels, and much more. The more our country focuses on growing domestic manufacturing, the better the climate with fare.  

The more we prioritize U.S. industry, the cleaner the globe will be and there will be more good jobs to go around for the communities who need it most. The newest Biden administration funding announcements are tied to community benefits plans to benefit everyday workers and local economies. The people who’ve powered our country for generations and live at the fence line of polluting factories deserve the economic gains from a clean manufacturing renaissance.  

We’ve always believed you don’t have to choose between a clean climate and good jobs and that the hardworking people of this country deserve both. That’s never been truer than today thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress. Our organization will continue to advance this ideal with our committed allies and ensure every Earth Day to come is better than the last.