Working hard for the green

When it comes to creating and maintaining “green” jobs, California appears to be outpacing other states, according to preliminary results of a new state Employment Development Department survey.

The study, which included 12.6 million employees who work in a variety of industries, found that more than a half-million Californians spend their time working in jobs that are either solely or partially based on producing green goods or services. The manufacturing sector appears to be the leading employer of green jobs, with more than 93,000 employees who have at least some responsibilities related to green services. Other industries leading the way include construction, technical services, waste management, agriculture and wholesale trade.

The 500,000 green jobs constitute 3.8 percent of all California jobs, according to the study. The state of Washington follows California with 3.3 percent, and Oregon and Michigan are close behind with 3 percent.

A detailed report with final results is expected to be released by the end of May.