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Huge Nationwide Rallies Call for 'Green Jobs Now!'

"We can't drill and burn our way out of this economic crisis. We can -- and must -- invest and invent our way out," said Van Jones, founder and president of Green For All. "600,000 jobs have been lost this year alone. We need to free ourselves from our dependence on foreign oil, and instead invest in jobs in sustainable industries -- wind and solar, among others. Only then will we be able to fight poverty and pollution at the same time."

With over 650 events and well over 100,000 participants in all 50 states, the events represented one of the largest and most diverse days of citizen action focused on economic issues and global warming in American history.

"With over 650 communities, spanning every state in this country, rising up to say they are ready for bold solutions to the economic, energy and climate crises, it's time for our leaders to step up to the plate and tackle these challenges head on," said Gillian Caldwell campaign director of 1Sky.

"America is ready for the green jobs that a commitment to 100% clean electricity within 10 years will bring -- jobs that can't be outsourced, jobs that reassert America's commitment to opportunity, innovation, and environmental protection for all," said Alliance for Climate Protection CEO Cathy Zoi. "This is what it means to Repower America."

Rally participants from across the country were urged to sign the Green Jobs Now (www.greenjobsnow.org) petition to send the message to political leaders. The petition states:

I'm ready for green jobs now. I urge our elected officials to invest in creating millions of green jobs and a Clean Energy Corps. We can't drill and burn our way out of the current crisis. We can invest and invent our way out. We can create new pathways out of poverty and curb global warming at the same time. We will do this by retooling our factories, rebuilding our communities, and repowering America with 100% clean and renewable electricity. It's time to build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.

About Green For All

Green For All is a national organization dedicated to building an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty. By advocating for local, state and federal commitments to job creation, job training, and entrepreneurial opportunities in the emerging green economy -- especially for people from disadvantaged communities -- Green For All fights both poverty and pollution at the same time. For more information, please visit www.greenforall.org. Green For All is working with other organizations to advocate for the formation of a Clean Energy Corps (CEC). The CEC would serve as a combined service, training, and job creation effort to combat global warming, grow local and regional economies and demonstrate the equity and employment promise of the clean energy economy.

About 1Sky

1Sky is a highly collaborative new national campaign inthe United States catalyzing a society-wide movement in support of bold federal action to tackle global warming. The 1Sky policy platform represents the scientific bottom line -- the solutions we must implement immediately to avert catastrophic climate change and transition to a green economy. The 1Sky strategy combines more than 100 allied organizations and tens of thousands of individuals nationwide in a campaign driven by powerful field and organizing, voter education, and Internet and communications strategies to communicate a highly visible public demand for Congress and the President to implement the 1Sky platform as quickly as possible. To find out more about 1Sky and the 1Sky Solutions, visit www.1sky.org.

About the "We" Campaign

Unprecedented in scale for a public policy issue, the Alliance for Climate Protection's "We" Campaign draws from the best practices of successful commercial, social marketing and political campaigns. The We Campaign combines advertising, online organizing and partnerships with a diverse and growing group of grassroots organizations, to educate the American public on the urgent need to solve the climate crisis and activate them to demand real solutions from elected officials.

SOURCE Green Jobs Now