Earlier this week, the Navajo Nation signed into law promising green-jobs legislation that could serve as the first step in a broader transition for the Navajo Nation and other low-income communities in the Southwest.   The bill, passed by the Navajo Nation Council in July, creates the Navajo Green Economy Commission that will coordinate a long-term green transition plan for the Navajo Nation and a Green Economy Fund that will support green-business development in the community. These enterprises range from weaver’s cooperatives to small-scale clean energy projects. While a green economy is not a new concept to Navajos, it does stand in stark contrast to our recent past and present.

Passing this legislation is an important first step in a broader transition for the Navajo Nation toward self-reliance and sustainability. With a new administration and federal incentives to help tribal nations and low-income communities transition to a clean-energy economy, we have an opportunity to create a financially and environmentally sustainable way of life.

That process can be accelerated if the state and federal government step up. We need the capital and support to launch new projects and develop the infrastructure that has been sorely lacking on the Navajo Nation.     Read the full post at Arizona Central.

Additional Resource:

Financial Incentives for Tribal Nations’ Green Building From The EPA – A small directory of green building incentive programs for tribal nations.

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Author: Tracey de Morsella (323 Articles)

Tracey de Morsella started her career working as an editor for US Technology Magazine. She used that experience to launch Delaware Valley Network, a publication for professionals in the Greater Philadelphia area. Years later, she used the contacts and resources she acquired to work in executive search specializing in technical and diversity recruitment. She has conducted recruitment training seminars for Wachovia Bank, the Department of Interior and the US Postal Service. During this time, she also created a diversity portal called The Multicultural Advantage and published the Diversity Recruitment Advertising Toolkit, a directory of recruiting resources for human resources professionals. Her career and recruitment articles have appeared in numerous publications and web portals including Woman Engineer Magazine, Monster.com, About.com Job Search Channel, Workplace Diversity Magazine, Society for Human Resource Management web site, NSBE Engineering Magazine, HR.com, and Human Resource Consultants Association Newsletter. Her work with technology professionals drew her to pursuing training and work in web development, which led to a stint at Merrill Lynch as an Intranet Manager. In March, she decided to combine her technical and career management expertise with her passion for the environment, and with her husband, launched The Green Economy Post, a blog providing green career information and covering the impact of the environment, sustainable building, cleantech and renewable energy on the US economy. Her sustainability articles have appeared on Industrial Maintenance & Plant Operation, Chem.Info,FastCompany and CleanTechies.