• Green Collar Jobs
• Environmental Education
• Neighborhood Beautification
• Park West: Linking Communities with Green Space
• Annual Environmental Summit

Green Jobs & Sustainability

The American Cites Foundation’s focus on urban sustainability strives to answer a critical talent and workforce development issue:  How can we facilitate economic development, increase opportunities for Philadelphia’s low-income and disadvantaged communities, and save the environment— all at the same time?

In Philadelphia, just like in many other cities in the US, there exists a demand for resource conservation, hazardous materials clean-up, sustainable urban landscaping, and vacant land reclamation. Increasing attention is being given to the need to live in ways that sustain rather than deplete our natural resources.  Consumers, businesses, and governments are responding by demanding products, services and business practices that promote environmental health. In consequence, formal environmental regulations, as well as informal social expectations are pushing many firms to seek professionals with competence in environmental management, clean and efficient energy, and natural resources conservation.  

At ACF, we strive to connect inner-city communities that face employment barriers to opportunities in conservation initiatives, urban greening, residential energy efficiency services, and pollution control. By doing so, we promote “green-collar jobs” and harness green business growth to fight both pollution and poverty. As defined by Professor Raquel Rivera Pinderhughes of San Francisco State University, green-collar jobs are “manual labor jobs related to improvements in environmental quality.”