A report by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that the clean-energy economy is good not only to the environment, but also to the paychecks of many Americans.

Pew found that green jobs grew at a national rate of 9.1 percent between 1998 and 2007, while traditional jobs grew by 3.7 percent. By 2007, there were more than 770,000 clean-energy jobs in the United States - including engineers, plumbers, administrative assistants, construction workers and teachers, with annual incomes ranging from $21,000 to $111,000.

In what Pew contends is the most detailed study conducted of the green economy, it said Pennsylvania had nearly 39,000 jobs in that sector in 2007. New Jersey had more than 25,000.

Pew said venture capital investment in clean technology reached a total of about $12.6 billion by the end of 2008.

   - Diane Mastrull