Yes we can… Again…. 

Back on a cool November night, my BFF and I sat on her couch as Brian Williams announced Mr. Barack Obama had been elected for a second term as President of the United States. Environmentalists were quick to bash the competition like the Sierra Club, mentioning “we” won over the corporate fossil fuel giants:

Despite the hundreds of millions of dollars the fossil fuel industry dumped into this election to elect Mitt Romney, we proved that corporations are, in fact, not people.

Obama’s next four years in office are crucial to the environment as my 850-word election eve post begged. Although he still has to get buy-in from Congress on sustainability initiatives, the momentum could bring some great changes.

Since today is Obama’s (public) inauguration, here are my 10 green goals for President Obama’s 2nd term:

1. Cut the subsidies to oil companies. In 2011, 3 of the largest US oil companies made a combined profit of over $80 billion dollars. How much is our fiscal cliff/crisis, again?
2. End fracking. Whether it’s Matt Damon influenced or not, we need to cut this crappy method.
3. Hold the plastics industry accountable for chemicals in their products. BPA has been taken out of baby and water bottles but still lines our canned food. America should be testing chemicals BEFORE putting them into our food & food containers.
4. Be transparent with food labeling. This California Prop 37 defeat for “non” transparency on GMOs is absurd.
5. Grant small farmers loans so more people can have access to local food. Philly has awesome CSA and Farmers Markets, but other locales should have the same options.
6. Protect wildlife and endangered land. We should be conserving our awesome land.
7. Recognize our overfishing problem, and regulate the fishing supply. Bluefin tuna is 96% gone and pretty much on the road to extinction. At this rate, we’ll probably be eating farmed fish only in the future.
8. Protect our oceans from pollution, oil spills and other dangers. It’s the ecosystem that we depend on.
9. Deter single-use products use like water bottles, plastic bags and straws to swap out for long-lasting (quality) ones. Concord, Massachusetts banned single-use water bottles – we can at least incentivize reuse, just like the good ol’ days.
10. Start a nationwide recycling program. I don’t understand how there are locales without recycling. Just Do It.

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher