Friedman quotes Van Jones, founder of the Oakland Green Jobs Corps, stating that green-collar jobs offer those who didn't attend university a way out of poverty. According to Jones, "You just have to put down the handgun, and pick up a caulking gun" and undergo some training.
佛里曼引述創立「奧克蘭綠色工作團」的學者瓊斯的意見說，綠領工作可以讓沒上過大學的人脫離貧窮，「只要你放下手槍，拿起填隙槍，」並且接受訓練。