Sometimes, Stavins argues, environmental and economic issues may best be dealt with on different, but complementary paths:

As the government uses economic stimulus to expand economic activity, it can and should tilt the expansion in a green direction. But rather than a "broad-brush green painting of the stimulus," this may call for some careful, selective, and well thought-through "green tinting."

Addressing the worst economic recession in generations calls for the most effective economic stimulus package that can be devised, not a stimulus package that is diminished in effectiveness through excessive bells and whistles meant to address a myriad of other (legitimate) social concerns. And, likewise, getting serious about global climate change will require the enactment and implementation of meaningful, dedicated climate policies, most likely a comprehensive national CO2 cap-and-trade system. These are two serious but different policy problems, and they call for two serious, carefully-crafted policy responses.

As President Obama's new green jobs advisor, Van Jones will doubtless be wrestling with these issues as he seeks to give voice to seldom-heard communities in the national discussion on green economics. It's also important to understand how and why green jobs might not always be the ideal answer—and when activists encounter those challenges, to target their hard-won political energy toward designing the right solution for their communities and the planet.

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