Too Dictatorial?

This article tries to define what is a Green Collar Job. Monks in the Middle Ages tried to define how many Angels could sit on the head of a Pin. Jobs are Jobs, and We should be talking about how many industrial Jobs are created by a Green initiative, how many Research Jobs, or how many Transportation Jobs. An Economist should never get involved in deciding color combinations; leave such interesting work to the Politicians. The approach to Conservation also should be altered, at least by Economists. I would like to know how many Jobs will be created by a national law demanding all Utility Users be paid for any Power added to the Grid; how many Jobs would be created in changing over Utility meters, how many Jobs would be created in development of Solar panels, how many Jobs would be created in digging underground flow systems (don’t ask me–too technical). We need a national Conservation policy, and Economists need to concentrate on the possibilities of such a policy.

I am thinking of advocating a national law demanding all Casement Window Manufacturers must offer only a Solar panel construction like a Storm Window which would operate when Shutters are opened; equally combined with regulations stipulating that all Casement windows must be equipped with Power Grid access by a common Plug-In arrangement. I, if I were a Legislator, would need to know the Cost of the new Utility meters, the Cost of the new Window combinations, the Cost of the Plug-Ins, the increased total Cost of Window Casements, and the added Cost for New Housing Construction. Dependent on the total Cost of the Changeover, one could determine if the construction and Sale of old-style Windows should be banned, and whether the law should insist on mandatory Conversion as old Windows were replaced.

Jobs can be estimated from such a mandated Scenario, rather than it is now, when all Conservation efforts are demanded to be Voluntary; with all the higher Costs of Voluntary efforts–lacking Sales and full flow of Cottage industry diseconomies of scale. This is the major detriment to a Green policy, Construction policy will not alter without compulsion, and Transfer Costs will remain too high without mass participation. Compulsive regulation can have a phased Timeframe, but lack of regulation will bring delays which are unacceptable. I say this from a position which doubts the real dangers of CO2 emissions, but knows that the Consumption of Oil must be slowed to retain long-term Resources. lgl