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United States

In the context of the politics of the United States, the term refers to alliances between organized labor and environmentalists, and sometimes specifically to cooperation between American Greens and blue-collar labor activists. The core issue of this alliance is opposition to globalization and to free trade, and it was significant in the candidacy of Ralph Nader in the 2000 Presidential election, as Nader was endorsed by some labor organizations (the overwhelming majority of labor unions and environmental organizations are loyal to the Democratic Party and endorsed Al Gore).

It also continues to be used more generally to refer to any efforts at coalition-building between environmenalists and labor, as with the famous "teamsters and turtles" politics of the WTO Meeting of 1999 and the continuing anti-globalization movement. Journalist Sue Ellen White coined the term "turtles and teamsters" in a December 2, 1999 article, "Turtles and Teamsters United Against Patents on Life," written on the scene from the newly formed Independent Media Center ([|Indymedia]).

The BlueGreen Alliance (BGA)[1] is a national, strategic partnership of environmental groups and labor organizations working together to promote clean energy jobs in a green economy. Launched in 2006 by the United Steelworkers and the Sierra Club, BGA has since grown to include the Communications Workers of America (CWA), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), National Wildlife Federation (NWF), Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA), Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), United Auto Workers (UAW), and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). The Blue Green Alliance unites 14 million members and supporters in pursuit of good jobs, a clean environment and a green economy. Other relevant organizations include the Alliance for the Sustainable Jobs and the Environment and the Apollo Alliance, a subsidiary of the Blue Green Alliance that promotes green jobs based on alternative energy.

The first use of Blue-Green Alliance as a political affiliation in a US election was during the 2005 City Council Primaries in Minneapolis, MN. Tom Moore ran in the primaries, earning 2.65% of the vote.[2][3]