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Mahoning Valley struggles to create clean jobs
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Bernie Petro, director of engineering at Northern States Metals Co., Youngstown, shows how the flex racks his company makes can accommodate many types of solar panels. The company, which originally produced aluminum extrusions, has adapted to create green jobs in the Mahoning Valley.
The Vindicator ( Youngstown)
John Cheeks of Niles prepares a load of solar flex rack frames for shipping at Northern States Metals Co., located on the Youngstown’s West Side.
By Karl Henkel
YOUNGSTOWN
The Mahoning Valley may be regaining jobs unlike any other region in the nation.
But when it comes to green jobs, it’s still behind the curve.
The Brookings Institution, which three weeks ago reported surprisingly strong economic growth in the Valley following the trough of the recession, today released a report detailing the region’s struggles in creating clean — or “green” — jobs.
The region ranks 90th among the top 100 metropolitan areas in the number of clean-economy jobs. A total of 1.3 percent, or 2,977 of the Valley’s jobs, are clean.
The top 100 metro areas represent 75 percent of the nation’s total population, according to Brookings.
Ohio’s economy is made up of 2 percent, or 105,306 clean jobs, sixth-best among the 50 states and District of Columbia.
Ohio scored high, but in relation to the rest of the world, the U.S. still lacks substantial green-job growth.
The nationwide clean-economy sector employs 2.7 million. It’s something Brookings officials said has been a result of poor spending.
“When it comes to ... financing, where a lot of the risk takes place, we see that large banks are really sitting on the sidelines,” said Jonathan Rothwell, a senior research analyst for Brookings. “They’re deciding that these technologies aren’t proven enough.”
The technologies Rothwell spoke of are wind turbines — installed in Lordstown and at Western Reserve schools — and solar energy (a company like Northern States Metals in Youngstown), which are in the minority when it comes to green-job prowess.
The technology has caught on in countries like China, but that hasn’t been the case in the U.S.
“All of these things require the public’s support,” Rothwell said. “And the public right now is probably a little bit skeptical and a little bit bitter because of the lingering effects of the recession.”
The news isn’t completely gloomy, however.
The Valley’s clean-job sector has grown by 785 jobs since 2003, a 4.5-percent increase, which places it 49th among metros.
The annual wage ($34,923) is roughly $3,000 more than the average wage of all jobs in the region.
According to the report, the Valley’s largest green-job industries are waste management and treatment (1,224 jobs), public mass transit (557), recycling and reuse (442), professional environmental services (215) and energy-saving building materials (185).
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and building control systems (46 jobs, up from 10), air and water purification systems (18, up from 8) and organic food and farming (58, up from 34) were industries with the largest percentage increase from 2003 to 2010.
Another report, from the Union of Concerned Scientists, says that if Ohio is able to produce 30 percent of its energy supply by 2030, it will create 14,000 clean jobs by 2030 and pump $2.5 billion in new capital investment into the economy.
“Ohio has a tremendous opportunity by taking advantage of its natural resources to generate a lot of economic development in the states,” said Steve Frenkel, director of the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Midwest office.
Ohio’s current target goal is 12.5 percent by 2025.
“There’s a lot of money being left on the table,” Frenkel added. “The benefits [more money and jobs] far outweigh the costs. We’re not in the position to let those economic opportunities pass us by.”
Comments
You need 14,000 people to generate 30 percent of Ohio's energy if its "green" energy? Isn't that extremely wasteful in human resources? Sounds like the mother of all make work projects.
“All of these things require the public’s support,” Rothwell said. “And the public right now is probably a little bit skeptical and a little bit bitter because of the lingering effects of the recession.” That quote is the reason why financiers are reluctant to invest in green technology. It is a money losing proposition. Does the oil and gas industry NEED public support? Does the coal industry? No. Because those are economically viable sources of energy.
Bottom line is: don't fault local banks and investors because they are making prudent decisions about where they are spending their money. They know a fraud when they see one.
The same folks who own the oil and gas probably own large portins of green as well. It won't matter what kind of energy you get it will be over priced.The oil boys buy from the mid east and jack the prices up on speculation so oil already gets plenty of "help"
This is the nature of the beast when you deal with wealthy monopolies.
As for 14 000 jobs I wouldn't be so concerned about that it is a drop in the bucket compared to what has left the country and even if realized will not stop the collapse.
Speaking of collapse -the big banks and the corporations are thick as thieves so there won't be a fair shake for the citizen. History has shown us plenty of lessons about the banking industry the latest being 2008.
JUST create jobs I don't care if they are clean or dirty, just create jobs,
Could the valley's union mentality be keeping the jobs away? Think about that the next time you wonder why we have no good paying with benefit jobs here.
The banks are reluctant to get involved when these new tech. have bad track records. One of the turbines has fallen to the ground at Western Reserve and the others are shut down. Lets just create jobs and stop with all this green
movement!
You cant get a city full of Dirtbags to do anything clean. Not that they would even apply! They are too busy knocking over check cashing places and pharmacies. No one wants to work around here. they all wanna live in rundown areas of town, deal drugs, do drugs and collect welfare.
@ytownsteelman
very well said thank - you
USNBOY.......... I can tell that you are very educated by your very well thought out and very articulate comment. *that's sarcasm in case you are unaware*. You do realize how utterly ridiculous it is for you to take a WHOLE city and place EVERYONE in the SAME category??? It makes absolutely NO SENSE!!!!!!!!! Sure there is the type of people that you describe in Youngstown, but there are also hard working citizens that actually are productive members of society! You are spewing nothing but hate, which means in some capacity of your life clearly you are lacking, because positive, productive people don't have the time or the energy to spew meaningless hate!!!!
Survey says, for every one "Green"-Job created, the USA loses three "Non-Green" jobs, when this all pans out it will go the same way of the metric conversion system.
What a bunch of backwards thinking hillbillies.
As long as the flood gates are open to free trade, who will be manufacturing green jobs here when it is cheaper labor in China.
TERRI -USA "As long as the flood gates are open to free trade, who will be manufacturing green jobs here when it is cheaper labor in China."
Good Lord someone gets it finally. Thank you for giving me hope that someone out there has a brain .Comments like yours are at a premium around here.