California's energy-efficient policies have generated 1.5 million jobs since 1977, according to a study released this week - and those weren't even "green jobs".  The study, conducted by David Roland-Holst, an economist at the Center for Energy, Resources and Economic Sustainability at UC - Berkeley, found that when consumers are able to reduce the amount they spend on energy, they spend more on groceries, appliances, consumer goods, etc.  It's not rocket science but it's good to have the validation. 

An article in the New York Times reports on the study and its unique focus.  Typically, economists focus on the costs and benefits of dealing with the carbon dioxide sloughed off by the fossil-fuel economy or the cost of converting over to new energy industries.  The UC - Berkeley study adds in another dimension.  

In two months, California is set to enforce a new cap on greenhouse gas emissions already signed into law.  Professor Roland-Holst says that he wanted to support that forward-looking vision by examining the results of the previous energy-efficiency policies adopted three decades ago.  As a result of those policies, which include electrical rates 40% higher than the national average, California's per-capita demand for electricity is 40 percent lower than the national average.