2008 Woodie Awards
HEAD TO HEAD
Democratic candidates on the environment
Robyn Hyden
Issue date: 11/7/07 Section: News/Features
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Dennis Kucinich advocates sustainable energy alternatives. His platform proposes a Works Green Administration which would combine a new WPA program to the Environmental Protection Agency and NASA with the goal of restoring America's infrastructure and providing sustainable energy at the same time. "No longer will the Environmental Protection Agency be known as Every Polluter's Ally," Kucinich claimed.
Nuclear power: Opposes it on the grounds that nuclear waste poses significant health risks to our population and our environment. Also, he worries that nuclear power plants make good targets for strategic attacks.
Water availability: Kucinich emphasizes that water should forever be in "the public domain," and that every country should provide all citizens with clean, potable water. He proposes a commitment to 10 "water marks" which would ensure global water availability.
John Edwards had a shaky environmental record during his first years in office but has since significantly improved his positions and endorsed several environmentally progressive policies during his election run in 2004. He particularly supports American leadership in combating global warming.
Carbon emissions: In March of this year, Edwards became the first presidential candidate to call for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions 80 percent by 2050. He has purchased carbon offsets to make his campaign "carbon neutral."
Oil drilling in the arctic: Edwards has repeatedly blocked measures to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Preserve.
Mercury contamination: He supports stricter mercury standards for power plants and endorses mercury cleanup initiatives.
Barack Obama has solid credentials when addressing environmental issues across the spectrum. Representing the heavily industrialized and special-interest controlled state of Illinois during his time in the Senate, he has unabashedly supported environmentally friendly measures.
Pollution: He blocked the Bush administration's roll-back of air quality standards in the "Clean Air Act" from having effect in Illinois. Obama has expressed personal concern about air quality standards, noting his daughter Malia suffers from chronic asthma and the number of African Americans in Illinois who suffer from chronic asthma is four times the national average.
Energy independence: Obama endorses biodiesel as the most practical alternative to fossil fuels. He proposes initiatives that would require 20 percent of America's power to come from renewable resources by the year 2020.
Nuclear power: Opposes it on the grounds that nuclear waste poses significant health risks to our population and our environment. Also, he worries that nuclear power plants make good targets for strategic attacks.
Water availability: Kucinich emphasizes that water should forever be in "the public domain," and that every country should provide all citizens with clean, potable water. He proposes a commitment to 10 "water marks" which would ensure global water availability.
John Edwards had a shaky environmental record during his first years in office but has since significantly improved his positions and endorsed several environmentally progressive policies during his election run in 2004. He particularly supports American leadership in combating global warming.
Carbon emissions: In March of this year, Edwards became the first presidential candidate to call for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions 80 percent by 2050. He has purchased carbon offsets to make his campaign "carbon neutral."
Oil drilling in the arctic: Edwards has repeatedly blocked measures to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Preserve.
Mercury contamination: He supports stricter mercury standards for power plants and endorses mercury cleanup initiatives.
Barack Obama has solid credentials when addressing environmental issues across the spectrum. Representing the heavily industrialized and special-interest controlled state of Illinois during his time in the Senate, he has unabashedly supported environmentally friendly measures.
Pollution: He blocked the Bush administration's roll-back of air quality standards in the "Clean Air Act" from having effect in Illinois. Obama has expressed personal concern about air quality standards, noting his daughter Malia suffers from chronic asthma and the number of African Americans in Illinois who suffer from chronic asthma is four times the national average.
Energy independence: Obama endorses biodiesel as the most practical alternative to fossil fuels. He proposes initiatives that would require 20 percent of America's power to come from renewable resources by the year 2020.
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