VP Candidates on "Going Green"

The Vice Presidential debates are coming up, so I wanted to note the VP candidates’ stances on “going green.” This hot topic has taken a backseat to the economy, but it is still one of the most important issues.

Senator Joe Biden, D

When Barack Obama picked Biden as a running mate, he not only got someone with tons of foreign policy experience, but he also got someone who environmentalists can get behind. Here are some quick stats on Biden:

• According to Environmental America, he’s voted green 87% of the time. The League of Conservation Voters gives him an 83% score.
• Biden has been fighting global warming for over 20 years. In 1986, he brought the first global warming bill to the Senate.
• A quote from Biden: “We should not have to worry when grandfathers take their grandkids to a favorite fishing hole the streams are contaminated with dioxin; or when students turn on a faucet at school, they swallow arsenic; or that acid rain is showering us – especially when corporate responsibility could prevent it.”

You can read more about his environmental policies here.

Governor Sarah Palin, R

Palin has stated in the past that she doesn’t believe in Global Warming – or at least, she doesn’t believe that it is a man-made problem. Eek. Being from Alaska, it isn’t surprising that she’s more interested in oil royalties than protecting the environment. Here are some quick facts on Palin:

• Palin is a strong supported of offshore drilling, as well as drilling in protected areas of Alaska.
• She opposed the listing of polar bears as “threatened” and was part of the group who sued the federal government to take them off of the list.
• A quote from Palin: “The oil and gas resources within the state of Alaska and in the federal waters off our shores can contribute greatly to the natural gas supplies of this nation, as well as diversify the nation’s oil and gas supply areas.”

You can read more at Palin’s website here.

I think it is pretty clear how I’m voting, but I urge you to get all of the facts on ALL of the issues before making your decision. Remember, you don’t have to vote for the candidate running for your party if you believe the other candidate is better.

Pictures via Newscom.