Up and Coming Businessess: The Many Shades of Green

The Next 10, an independent organization that "educates, engages and empowers Californians to improve the state’s future", recently reported the growth of green jobs over the last 14 years. In a wide number of areas, green employment, with an annual increase of 2.4% annually has far outpaced rates in other industries. Some of the highlights of the report..

• Between 1995-2008, green businesses increased 45 percent, green jobs grew 36 percent while total jobs in the state grew only 13 percent.
• Even in rural areas with a smaller economic base, green jobs are growing faster than the overall economy.
• Between 2007-2008, green jobs grew 5 percent while total jobs dropped one percent.
• Manufacturing represents 21 percent of all green jobs, and grew 19 percent, while manufacturing represents only 11 percent of all jobs in California (January 2008.)
• Half of all manufacturing jobs are split between Energy Efficiency and Energy Generation.
• Services accounted for 45 percent of all California green jobs, the largest portion in Environmental Consulting.
• With nearly 43,000 jobs in 2008, Air & Environment is the largest of California's green segments. While this segment's jobs remained steady, hovering around 35,000 from 1995-2005, since 2005 the number of green jobs in this segment has increased 24 percent.
• From 1995-2008, Energy Generation employment expanded 61 percent by nearly 10,000 jobs. Solar makes up the largest portion, and strongest growth (63 percent).
• Employment in Energy Efficiency increased 63 percent from 1995-2008.
• Employment in Green Transportation has increased 152 percent since 1995. Green Transportation Jobs are primarily in Motor Vehicles & Equipment and Alternative Fuels, with the latter growing faster at 201 percent, and representing 48 percent of all jobs in this segment.
• Green Logistics is an emerging field, only in the Bay Area at present, with employment growing by 1144 percent since 1995.

Although the research found that some regions fared better than others, each region found a place for itself for different green jobs. Sacramento, however, was the clear leader, with 87% improvement since 1995, with San Diego and the SF Bay Area coming in second and third, respectively, with 57% and 51% growth in green jobs in that time frame.