A Green Restorative Business Model

Where Have All The Jobs Gone?

Secretaries, Accounting Staff, File Clerks, All Gone! First, the secretary went out with the word processors, then the green shaded clerks exited when inexpensive accounting systems like Quicken and PeachTree came along.  Excel spreadsheets and complex data base driven ERP's that automate almost every aspect of a company's operation from manufacturing, to customer service are thinning the ranks of the historically employed educated class of America.  From the Sales Force to Middle Management the jobs are going - AND THEY ARE NOT COMING BACK!

And With the Jobs Go Taxes - Many municipalities are struggling with the realities of our NEW, post meltdown economy. The City of Detroit is the newest, most obvious casualty but many others are not far behind.  Reduced expectations, and dwindling revenues from a shrinking tax base are the bane of city governments everywhere.  Today, over 100 million Americans are on the very brink of poverty.    Inner cities are replete with "for sale," and "foreclosures" signs appearing in once prosperous working class neighborhoods. AND ... it's not over yet. This is NOT a result of outsourcing, nor is it the crashed economy either.  It is not a result of a lack of education as new college grads cannot find jobs today!  It is a major trend that is not only increasing it is accelerating as well.  Decent paying jobs in all sectors of the economy are being replaced by increasingly capable tools built not out of steel and metal but from the minds of innovative software designers.   These are not the ubiquitous industrial robots we see in the car commercials.  No indeed, these automated highly productive software programs that decimate the staff of many companies

New Thinking for New Jobs

The need for new thinking and new priorities are manifest if economic and social justice are ever to emerge in America.  As I'm certain you will agree, at present, there is a serious lack of such thinking.   If we are ever going to build a true just democratic system we MUST have a strong middle class.  Without ownership, without revenue from capital assets, without independence (true independence is financial independence) soon, there will be no middle class.   50 years ago Dr. Mortimer Adler, Philosopher and Economist said, "A man who is dependent for his sustenance on the good will of another man cannot be a good citizen."  True independence of thought and action require dependency be limited, that a man may make a decision not out of fear but from conscience.

The Green Ivy City Alliance

New Green Jobs for DC Citizens

 For years we've been saying, "There ARE NO Jobs!"  In DC there are few decent, well paying jobs.  First, you need a Masters Degree.   If you don't have one, then there are no jobs that can provide you with a decent living and support your family.

We started this Blog because we were pissed off that developers and construction company Carpet Baggers were coming into our city, taking our tax dollars, and not hiring DC workers.  We were frustrated by the inadequate jobs training programs offered by most agencies and contractors.   If you are going to train people, you need to train them for specific jobs that EXIST.

When we started, The National Capitol Jobs Coalition, we had two objectives:   Pass an improved, "First Source," legislation (Done) and second to find, or create NEW Green Jobs for DC.  In pursuit of that goal we sought to acquire the Crummel School that now sits at the center of a controversy between Ivy City and Mayor Gray.

What is The Green Ivy City Alliance

The Green Ivy City Alliance! is a joint venture relationship with ProFish, Inc of Ivy City.  Greg Casten, President of ProFish has just purchased an adjacent building (a warehouse) and intends to expand  his present operation to include both freezer space and a smokehouse for fish and game.  Our end of the partnership will entail the establishment of an aquaponic urban farm to the site.   The Douglas Jammal Organization has purchased the old Hecht Building site and has already secured Mom's Organic Markets as a tenant. 

 Eocnomic Development for Ivy City

To me the path is clear!  Jammal and Mom's will be in the Hecht Building.  The Hecht Building is adjacent to the planned development on Okie Street  That is less than one block from there.  Clearly both commercial businesses will support and expand the "destination venue," and attract customers for each other.  The combined site will then serve as an "attractor,' for new allied businesses in both food and retail.  This will be in support of the condos surely to be part of the overall Jammal plan.   The combined structures will be a destination venue!  In anticipation of the developing venue and in support of developing Ivy City we intend to launch a branding effort tied to an overall program to attract new businesses and entrepreneurs to Ivy City.   The intended name of the program will be :   The Green Ivy City Alliance ... and The Brand:  "Green Ivy City"  This is a nascent idea and concept but it is meritorious and we believe it can and should happen in Ivy City.  We have been in communication with the Mayor's office and a meeting is scheduled with Council Member McDuffie on the issue as he is the effected Councilman, Ward Five!

First Source - Ivy City Jobs!

It is our intention to hire from Ivy City first, Ivy City, Veterans, Single Parents in that order.  We will be  publish our plans in this blog over the  next few weeks and months as we move this project forward!