Van Jones exemplifies the difference between the Green and environmental movements.  Jones promotes environmentally sustainable business practices in Oakland, and hopes to provide jobs for urban youth in the process.

We need to expand and transform our definition of environmentalism. . . . Rather than talking about environmental solutions as business opportunities for the rich or consumer choices for the affluent, we should be talking about them as job-creating, wealth-creating, health-enhancing opportunities for poor people.For example, one solution for global warming is renewable energy. Not only could it save polar bears in the Arctic Circle, it could create jobs for urban youths who are putting up solar panels. It could also offer wealth-building opportunities for middle-class, working-class people who could invest in those companies.

Oakland is building green enterprise zones to bring in eco-friendly business and industry.  At they same time they are working with community colleges, labor unions and prison re-entry organizations to create a green job corps where urban youths and workers will be taught to install solar panels, do orbanic gardening or retrofit buildins so they don’t leak energy.

Jones believes that;

The same kids that we are throwing in the garbage can of failed schools and prisons could be the kids who are putting up the solar panels, inventing the new clean-burning diesel fuel or selling organic produce. They are so creative and energetic, but nobody has given them a grand call or a high mission.

This is a message Greens should be bringing to all urban areas.