Obama: The Green Issues

I live in Pennsylvania, so our Democratic primary is coming up tomorrow. This is the first time since I’ve been able to vote that PA mattered for the primaries, so I’m pretty excited.

I know that the vast majority of you have probably voted already in your party’s primaries (or, you’re Republican and your nominee has bee selected already). However, if you are still examining the issues to determine who you’ll vote for in your state’s primary, perhaps their stances on green issues will make a different to you. I can’t stress enough that this should not be the ONLY issue that matters to you – but it should matter.

Below is Barack Obama’s environmental stance. You can read Hillary Clinton’s here (coming soon). For the record, I am voting for Obama, but I think it is important to know what both candidates have to say.

Barack Obama on the Environment

“Well, I don’t believe that climate change is just an issue that’s convenient to bring up during a campaign. I believe it’s one of the greatest moral challenges of our generation. That’s why I’ve fought successfully in the Senate to increase our investment in renewable fuels. That’s why I reached across the aisle to come up with a plan to raise our fuel standards… And I didn’t just give a speech about it in front of some environmental audience in California. I went to Detroit, I stood in front of a group of automakers, and I told them that when I am president, there will be no more excuses — we will help them retool their factories, but they will have to make cars that use less oil.”

Obama’s plans:

• Reduce carbon emissions 80% by 2050 by auctioning off pollution credits to ALL companies (not just coal and oil companies) and using that proceeds to develop cleaner energy technology
• Invest $150 Billion in clean energy over the next 10 years
• Develop incentives for forest owners, farmers, and ranchers who plant trees, restore grasslands, and use clean farming practices
• Invest in job training to help employees learn about clean practices
• Require 25% renewable electricity in the United States by 2025
• Support next generation biofuels by investing in cellulosic ethanol, expanding biofuel refineries, establishing a national low carbon fuel standards, and increasing renewable fuel standards.
• Double fuel economy standards in the next 18 years
• Set national building efficiency goals, making all new builds producing zero emissions by 2030
• Giving grants to early adaptors of building efficiency initiatives
• Create a global forum on green energy to include all G-8 members plus Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and South Africa

Read more about Obama’s energy plans at his website.