Vote for the Environment Tomorrow. (Or freaking anything.)
I know you’re sick of ads and presidential candidates accusing each other of lying, voting against your cause, and wearing the wrong type of underpants. But the environment’s ongoing climate change needs your vote tomorrow.
The way we consume products has changed drastically in the past 60-70 years from a nation that has (unknowingly) conserved and valued resources to a disposable society. In some ways, we’ve advanced in amazing ways, yet in other ways, we’re struggling.
I know that convenience is awesome. But why are Americans spending money to purchase tap water from Fiji, France, and “Deer Park” when we’re one of the fortunate nations with an unlimited supply of clean water straight from their tap? Think about how corporations buy their way into the government through lobbyists, convincing us we’re doing the right thing?
So, what does that have to do with tomorrow’s presidential election? And where do the candidates stand?
Tomorrow is the day you can voice your opinion by simply pushing a button (or pulling a lever) in the privacy of your own booth. You can say you care about our future and where our energy comes from. You have all the power to either propel our nation forward, or set us back.
Although “climate change” was downplayed in the debates, previous statements tell us which candidate cares about the environment.
- Mitt Romney on oil and gas permits on public lands: “I’ll double them.”
- Mitt Romney: “By the way, I like coal.”
- President Obama:Â “The oil industry gets $4 billion a year in corporate welfare. Why wouldn’t we want to eliminate that?”
- President Obama:Â “We’ve got to look at the energy sources of the future, like wind and solar.”
As far as what ends up on our plates, Romney has a love affair for corporate farming (and healthy eating-disaster) giant Monsanto. Monsanto & Romney/Bain were tied back to 1973 with PCB, DDT & Agent Orange – while aware of the dangers of these pesticides (and covering them up). Yet Mitt & Ann dine on healthy, organic food at home regardless of publicly supporting GMOs.VP candidate Paul Ryan mentioned the $90 billion of “green pork” during the VP debate – but that green “pork” was actually given to homeowners for greener homes, constructed high-speed rail lines and installed equipment for greener energy.In sum, I’m voting for a President (and public officials) that don’t just care about making a quick buck today but will make choices to ensure the next generations have clean air, water and oceans. I want a president that will make companies disclose when they use chemicals in food or substitute a GMO crop for an organic one. I want to be able to enjoy sushi without worrying about how much damn plastic that marine life has absorbed while eating due to our senseless pollution. Most importantly, I want a president that will put money into ‘clean’ energy alternatives instead of investing billions of dollars in oil company that feed our addiction for gas, plastics and climate change. That’s the future to help our economy – not investing in the
I’m voting for the environment tomorrow. I’ll push that lever for Barack Obama. But I still know that regardless of who wins, it’s an uphill battle to fight for a healthy, clean lifestyle. He’ll just make the path a lot easier.
One final note: For those who think Mitt Romney will save our economy overnight, it’s not going to be an easy recovery. But would you rather have a quick band-aid for the “economy” to destroy public lands and continue to pollute our environment, or would you prefer to look to the long-term solutions for our children and grandchildren? After all, it’s not the environment we’re trying to preserve. It’s our overall well-being.
Photos: Solar Feeds & Sierra Club