Andrew L. Shapiro is founder and president of GreenOrder , a strategy and management consulting firm that specializes in energy and the environment and is a subsidiary of LRN . Brad Bate and Ted Grozier , consultants at GreenOrder , also contributed to this article . Andrew Shapiro says society should aim to transform all jobs into `` green jobs . '' NEW YORK ( CNN ) -- In a recent CNN commentary entitled `` Green jobs : hope or hype ? '' Samuel Sherraden argues that green job creation will be insufficient to bring America out of recession . But Sherraden narrowly defines green as a `` sector , '' and fails to see its potential as a strategy for the revitalization of the entire economy . When the public debate is focused around the precise number of green jobs created in , say , a solar panel factory , we miss the opportunity as a country to think more broadly about greening the economy -- and building a foundation for real growth and competitiveness . The aspiration to create `` green jobs '' should really be seen as shorthand for two public priorities -- immediate job creation and long-term transformation of the economy for sustainability and prosperity -- and both goals can be addressed simultaneously . However , in judging our progress , a simple tally of jobs in `` green sectors '' is only a partial indicator of the impact and thus can be misleading . A lot depends here on definitions . For example , Sherraden cites a 2008 report produced by Global Insight on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Mayors , which identifies a little more than 750,000 green jobs in the United States today . A report in the same year , from the American Solar Energy Society , counts more than 9 million green jobs in the United States . This is not to say that one report is better than the other , but to point out that much difference -- in this case , more than 8 million jobs -- depends on how you count . The critical point Sherraden misses is that it 's not just job creation in new green industries that matter , but also new jobs in traditional industries -- or the retooling of old jobs -- to make those industries greener . A great example is the real estate industry . Energy efficiency retrofits of buildings and homes have the potential to yield significant savings in energy costs while creating work for building engineers , electricians , contractors , manufacturers and people in a whole host of other industries that would not typically be considered `` green . '' By comparison , 10 or 15 years ago anyone who used a computer was considered to have a `` tech job , '' but now nearly everyone uses a computer ( and a cell phone and a PDA ) and yet we do n't call all jobs `` tech jobs . '' We talk about how technology has changed every industry and profession . Moreover , even investments in sectors we recognize as green can have other positive economic impacts . Investing in wind power , for example , creates jobs in wind turbine manufacturing plants as well as jobs in the industries that supply the plant with parts , jobs producing the materials that make up these parts , jobs producing the electricity used in the plant , and so on . There is solid evidence that investment in green economic activity will result in more jobs than many other comparable investments because a greater proportion of funds would go toward labor and would remain in the United States . The Center for American Progress and the Political Economy Research Institute examined the impact of comparable investments in the oil and gas industry , tax refunds to stimulate household spending , and six specific energy efficiency and renewable energy strategies . They concluded that $ 100 billion of investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency would create approximately 2 million jobs , compared to 1.7 million jobs from stimulating household spending and about half a million jobs from investment in oil and gas . By investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency as strategies for our economy , we will create jobs in the United States , not just green jobs . More importantly , we lay the groundwork for American economic competitiveness and moral leadership in a carbon-constrained world . If we fail to support environmental innovation through investment and public policy , the United States will find itself at a disadvantage relative to other nations . America is at a crossroads . If we see green as an engine of growth , there is an unprecedented opportunity to create jobs and revitalize the economy through smart , wide-ranging investments supported by changes in public policy . In the debate over green job creation , we must not lose sight of the larger objective -- the creation of an economy that is more sustainable , in terms of employment , competitiveness and impact on the natural world . What we need to be asking is : How can we make every industry a green industry and every job a green job ? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Andrew L. Shapiro .
Andrew Shapiro : Skeptics argue that only a small number of jobs are green . He says green industries and jobs can be the key to revitalizing economy . Shapiro : As economy goes green , jobs will be transformed . He says U.S. will lose competitive edge if it does n't invest in renewable energy .