Clean energy: It makes great business sense

Not only does the U.S. stand to lose our position as a world business and technology leader by continuing to focus on fossil fuels, but job growth in the energy sector also will be slowed. Jobs in solar and wind are outpacing those for their fossil fuel counterparts. Forbes recently reported a census showing “the [solar] industry added 73,615 jobs in 2016 – more jobs than oil, natural gas and coal combined.”

Without our investment in clean-energy technologies, the U.S. stands to fall behind competitors who are investing heavily in these technologies, including China. Focusing capital and ingenuity on these sources not only demonstrates leadership but makes good sense for future jobs and business opportunities.

As a member of the Tacoma Citizens’ Climate Lobby, I am proud we support a revenue-neutral carbon tax with 100 percent of net revenue returned directly to households aimed at advancing national investment in clean-energy solutions, and decreasing dependence on fossil fuels.

This story was originally published February 26, 2017 at 6:34 PM with the headline "Clean energy: It makes great business sense."