Bay Area mayors address climate change

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The Bay Area's 'big 3' mayors sign-off on a deal for climate change that will create clean tech jobs and help the local environment.

The Bay Area's 'big three' mayors have signed a groundbreaking deal that will create new jobs and clean up our local environment. It's called the Bay Area Climate Change Collaborative.

Silver Springs Networks is experiencing economic growth. It has about 200 employees and it plans to double that this year.

In this economic recession, Gordon Shephard has a secure job and confidence his work has meaning. Silver Spring Networks is a smart grid networking company helping to reduce energy use.

"You are reducing your carbon output, your reducing your pollution in the environment, that's what sold me on the job five years ago," said Shephard.

The mayors of San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco are also sold. On Friday, they inked a climate change collaborative with 10 specific goals and new federal money to make them a reality.

"There's a lot of federal funding from the stimulus package for clean technology. Cities will get grants for energy conservation, energy efficiencies. We can use those grants as part of this," said San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed.

Skyline College is helping to train those clean and green workers of the future with a $1.9 million federal grant. The next solar class starts Friday, is full and there's a waiting list.

"Since this is a systems change, we are going to have to train an entire workforce for clean tech in the energy sector," said Skyline College Technology Dean Mike Williamson.

For their part the mayors pledged to increase the green workforce with 20,000 new graduates by 2013.

"That's why where they are hiring this is a godsend this will provide an opportunity to help solve our economic crisis and environmental crisis at the same time," said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

The three-city climate change deal focuses on specific ways that the Bay Area can reduce their collective carbon and footprint, and the clear side benefit of the economic stimulus.

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