Forgive me for not having posted in a while. I can't seem to turn my attention away from CNN. This election year has been nothing short of just fascinating to watch and as a poli sci major in college, this is right up my alley.
Although our country is divided up into red and blue, I'm really concerned with whose green. I wrote an extensive article at my column at Bellaonline (the environment section) on the candidates and where they stand on environmental issues. Obviously we are down to the top three contenders, Hilary and Obama for the Democrats and John for the Republicans. So I will give you a brief synopsis of the three, but to learn about all the previous candidates please read my full article at Bellaonline here. That's important because the nominee may choose one of them as a running mate and it's important to know where they stand as well.
The Democrats:
Barack Obama - Senator Obama introduced an energy and climate plan in 2007. He calls for improving energy efficiency in the U.S. by 50 percent by 2030, and all new buildings in the US to be carbon neutral by 2030. He supports a phase-out of incandescent light bulbs by 2014. He proposes investing $150 billion over 10 years in research and development for biofuels, renewable energy, and other clean technologies. He supports raising fuel-economy standards for automobiles to 40 mpg and light trucks to 32 mpg by 2020. He was a co-sponsor of the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act, and he calls for cutting U.S. carbon dioxide emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. He hopes to accomplish this through a cap-and-trade system that would auction off 100 percent of emissions permits, making polluters pay for the CO2 they emit.
Hillary Clinton- Senator Clinton’s campaign has been carbon neutral! She supports a goal of the U.S. getting 25 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. She supports raising fuel-economy standards to 40 mpg by 2020 and 55 mpg by 2030. She wants the US to cut its consumption of foreign oil by two-thirds of projected levels by 2030. She also proposes a cap and trade system similar to Senator Obama’s; to reduce U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 and would auction off 100 percent of the emission permits as well as other measures. Senator Clinton has been a huge advocate for energy independence throughout her campaign.
The Republicans:
John McCain - Senator McCain has been a leader on cutting greenhouse gas emissions and is probably the greenest Republican candidate of the group! He too supports a cap and trade system for cutting greenhouse gas emissions and opposes the carbon tax. He’s against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He supports the use of nuclear power as an alternative energy source and a way to reduce carbon emissions and he wants to find a way to use our coal resources without emitting more greenhouse gases. Global warming would be a top issue for his presidency. He spoke out against the current administrations lack of action on the climate change issue!
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