Van Jones, Yale Law School graduate and veteran human rights / environmental activist.

The New York Times and Greenwire is reporting that author and activist Van Jones will be serve as a special advisor to the White House on green jobs, enterprse and innovation.

Jones, 40, will work within the Council on Environmental Quality, which coordinates President Obama’s climate, energy and other environmental policy initiatives with federal agencies.

“Van Jones has been a strong voice for green jobs, and we look forward to having him work with departments and agencies to advance the president’s agenda of creating 21st century jobs that improve energy efficiency and utilize renewable resources,” CEQ Chairwoman Nancy Sutley said in a written statement last night.

This is GREAT new for creating a more sustainable future.  Now that we have a president who respects science and understands the reality of climate change and the huge sustainability challenge we face, this is exactly the sort of appointment people in the sustainabilty/green movement have been hoping for.

I was fortunate to be able to hear Van Jones speak at the 2009 AASHE conference, and he was amazing.  He gave an impassioned talk on why seeminging simple things like insulating houses are so critical and could be revolutionary. With a solid grasp of the science and data on how much energy is wasted in the US, as well as the data on the jobs that would be created, his admonition to pick up a caulk gun and work was met with a standing ovation. He REALLY gets it, and having him advising the current White House is one of the most hopeful things I’ve heard in a long time. He’s well known for calling to “green the ghetto first” and the financial and energy savings from just working on energy savings could be huge. The potential for enourmous job creation is especially valuable given the current economic crisis in the US.

via TreeHugger. Jump to their posting for more information on Van Jones