We actually need conservatives to be better conservatives and we need liberals to be better and stronger liberals. Van Jones More Quotes by Van Jones More Quotes From Van Jones We should stop calling ourselves environmentalists - and just call ourselves patriots. Van Jones patriotshouldcalling Back in 2007, I met this white guy [director Peter Byck] with a lot of hair and a video camera, at a conference that I happened to be attending for the launch of an organization called Blacks in Green. I had never heard of him and Peter had never heard of me. We just started talking; he liked what I had to say, so he asked me if I'd be willing to be in this documentary he was doing about carbon pollution. I said, "Sure!" It was kind of a no-brainer. Van Jones whitehairtalking I saw in the Nineties that we were increasing police power with get tough policies and 3 strikes laws, but without additional oversights. Van Jones sawspolicelaw I had this radical idea that the police should obey the law. My view was that any human system without adequate checks and balances will tend towards corruption and abuse. That's why you have meat inspectors. Not because you hate butchers, but because of an understanding of human nature. Van Jones hateviewslaw Though the rampant racial injustices throughout the criminal justice system were offensive to me and to millions of other people, I've never drawn a tight circle around the black community to define the limits of my moral concern. But that narrative tends to get imposed on you, if you're an African-American activist. Van Jones circlesjusticepeople In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we did create Color of Change, an organization which focused on African-Americans in particular, because we felt that there was a big gap there in terms of online advocacy which had left the black community particularly vulnerable. Van Jones communitycolororganization There are 80,000 jobs in the wind energy industry right now. And you can quadruple that number, if you have the right policy in place to promote clean energy. Van Jones numberswindjobs The prospects of green economic opportunity is going to be determined to a great extent by politicians arriving at some sort of bi-partisan resolution. Van Jones arrivinggreenopportunity I used to be called the "Green Jack Kemp" because of my promotion of entrepreneurial and work-based solutions for poor people. Van Jones promotiongreenpeople I'm not calling for redistributing wealth; I'm calling for reinvigorating our stuck energy sector, so some new entrepreneurs can create some new wealth. Van Jones entrepreneurenergycalling Right now, when you go and hit the light switch in your house, you're participating in a state-protected monopoly. You're being forced to accept dirty power from a single producer. Van Jones lighthousedirty People in red states and blue states can agree that we are a nation blessed with extraordinary natural wealth and beauty, which we would be foolish to waste; therefore conservation and efficiency are values we all can share. Van Jones blessedbluepeople People in red states and blue states can agree that clean air is better than dirty air; therefore we should use clean energy where we can. Van Jones airbluedirty Clean energy independence should be an area of common ground. Van Jones independenceenergycommon To green our country, regular people will have to put on hard hats and work boots, roll up their sleeves - and get to work. Van Jones bootscountrypeople In other words: we can fight pollution and poverty at the same time, with the same method. We can beat global warming and the global recession at the same time, with the same method. We can do this by putting people to work re-powering America with clean energy. Van Jones fightingamericapeople Too often we think about the green economy as an elite market niche, one in which affluent people spend more money to consume greener and cleaner products. Van Jones greenpeoplethinking A green jobs bill would include both job creation and job training. Van Jones traininggreenjobs We need to aim high - in the area of 20-25 percent - to create the urgent demand for new technologies, manufacturing plants and green jobs. Van Jones technologyjobsneeds We are talking about capital-intensive enterprises, so market certainty is the key. Investors and entrepreneurs have to know that there will be a guaranteed U.S. renewable energy market in which they can compete. Otherwise, they will create the next generation of green companies and green jobs in Asia, not here. Van Jones keystalkingjobs
