The Challenge of Turning Blue Collars Green

The new documentary The Greening of Southie follows construction workers in Boston as they adapt to the new rules and regulations of green development (sometimes unwittingly).

1 minute read

May 27, 2009, 9:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur


"At a construction site in South Boston a couple years back, a foreman was explaining some rules for the job to an increasingly flustered tile-worker. They'll have to use some new non-toxic adhesive. All the waste must be recycled. And the real kicker-there's no smoking in the building. 'You don't understand,' said the foreman, 'this is a green building.'

'That's right,' the tile-worker quips. 'I don't understand.'

The encounter, related in the opening scene of the documentary The Greening of Southie, is far from unique. For all the talk of "green jobs" these days, it's relatively common on construction sites (and in manufacturing plants, for that matter) for workers themselves to be the last to know that their collars have changed color from blue to green.

Filmmakers Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis see this as a problem. 'The extent to which these guys were left out of the conversation about green building was surprising,' Cheney told me. 'It seems like a tremendous missed opportunity if we stop at simply calling these 'green jobs' and don't help the workers understand why this might be a good idea, why it's important.'"

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 in GOOD Magazine

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up of white panel at top of school bus with "100% electric" black text.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation

California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

6 hours ago - California Air Resources Board

Aerial view of Freeway Park cap park over I-5 interstate freeway in Seattle, Washington at night.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

7 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

"No Thru Traffic - Open Streets Restaurants" sign in New York City during Covid-19 pandemic.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street

How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.

April 30 - Next City