How many of us know a Metro student, graduate, family member, or friend that wants a job but cannot find one?

Right now, America is in the middle of a major jobs crisis. 25 million people are now unemployed or underemployed. What’s more, there are more than four unemployed workers for every job opening. The bottom line is that we need to create new jobs right now.

The good news is that we can put more Americans to work right now building wind turbines and operating clean energy projects across Colorado and the country. The wind industry has created tens of thousands of jobs in recent years and we want it to keep creating more jobs.

A critical tax credit for wind energy is set to expire at the end of 2012 that would directly affect Coloradan jobs.

Because projects take a substantial amount of time to plan, finance and build, the impending expiration of the wind tax credit is already doing damage in Colorado and we need to act now.

Vestas Wind Systems, a world leader in wind energy systems, has announced it will cut up to 1,600 jobs nationally if the wind tax credit isn’t extended. [VSW currently employs 1,700 Coloradans.]

Delay in Congress to renew the wind tax credit is threatening Colorado jobs and keeping us from being a worldwide leader in clean energy. There are many in Congress who will rush to cut taxes for the 1%, but are refusing to act to keep the wind industry booming. That’s because the 1% are using their power to create deadlock in Congress and block sensible investments to put Americans back to work.

Senator Udall released a statement last week asking all members of Congress to act swiftly and support the wind tax credit to protect Colorado jobs. Now it is our turn as students, Coloradans and Americans to build a groundswell of public support and show our Representative in Congress, Representative DeGette, that she should vote with us to demand this country continue to invest in clean energy.

I urge students to join in this effort for job creation and clean energy by joining the Clean Energy Jobs Campaign. Colorado Fair Share Alliance is launching the Clean Energy Jobs Campaign and working on and off campus to involve students in this important issue because every American deserves a fair shot at a good job, a secure future, and a strong voice in our democracy.

-Chris Leos, Metro senior