Green New Careers: The Sunrise Movement challenges people to imagine their role in a brighter future

The Sunrise Movement, a youth-led organization set on stopping the climate crisis while creating millions of fair-paying and sustainable jobs in the process, recently launched a Green New Careers website. The site invites users to imagine not only a better future that tackles the climate crisis head on, but what role they would play in it.

Paris Moran, Digital Director of Sunrise Movement shared, “We launched Green New Careers to show another future is possible – one that’s not extractive and includes fulfilling, good paying jobs that will revitalize our communities and combat climate change. Sunrise is excited and proud to launch Green New Careers to meet young people where they are and bring them into the political process in ways that our lawmakers often fail to – by being accessible and engaging for the next generation. This is how we build public support for good jobs combating the climate crisis, this is how we build the movement for a Civilian Climate Corps, this is how we will kick-off the Decade of the Green New Deal.”

The site offers information as well as a quiz in which users are able to discover which Green New Career type is best suited to them, whether that be careworker, observer, naturalist, communicator, organizer, builder, grower or analyst. Each type has its own page in which users can learn more about the valuable work they could perform toward a more sustainable and equitable future should politicians take bold climate action. 

“This year, we emerged from an apocalyptic global pandemic only to face the brunt of the climate crisis in the form of deadly heat waves, droughts and destructive storms. The climate crisis is here and the good news is we have the chance to pass one piece of the solution –  a bold Civilian Climate Corps,” said Varshini Prakash, Executive Director of Sunrise Movement. “The climate priorities in the reconciliation package must match the scale and urgency of the climate crisis, and Green New Careers is just one way we’re bringing people into the fight, especially for young people growing up and feeling the despair that comes with seeing your world burn with no solution in sight. We’re hoping that through this we can bring hope and vision for a livable future as we push our politicians to deliver for us.”

All the power and technology to halt the climate crisis already exists. A future in which both the planet and its people flourish is entirely possible. Through its Green New Careers, Sunrise invites us to see that better future. The next step is getting our politicians to see it, too.