Consider the Environmental Positions of Every Candidate on the Ballot

Many Americans are going to participate in this year's presidential election for the first time. Now is our chance to help decide which direction our country should take and whether our economy will rebound stronger and greener than ever.

Voting for the top of the ticket is obviously important on November 4th. But do you know where your state legislative candidates stand on environmental issues that directly affect where you live and work?

Statehouses across America are now starting to grapple with 20th century energy infrastructures. With energy policy a focus of the presidential election, it is important to remember that statewide elections can have a much larger effect on the energy challenges all of our communities face.

Fortunately, there are some nonpartisan resources out there to help voters decide for themselves which state candidates are the most serious about clean energy. For example, the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund has just launched an educational initiative called Vote Clean Energy NY. Their campaign helps voters learn more about clean energy in New York State. Voters can also find their local representatives and state legislative candidates.

Consider the New York town of Brookhaven on Long Island. Like many communities in America, its citizens are actively engaged in preserving their town's economic and environmental resources. Even though Brookhaven residents are working to improve their town's quality of life every day, the region still suffers from rising energy costs due to inaction in Albany.

Yet affordable, reliable and clean energy is possible for every community in our country. No matter where you live, make sure you let all of your local legislative candidates know your state cannot wait for the Federal government to solve the energy crisis. Please consider the environmental impact you can have on your own community when you enter the voting booth this November 4th.

Disclaimer: The sustainability consulting firm Liberalati LLC developed the website Vote Clean Energy NY.

Comments

[Reider]

You may ride a bicycle, eat local produce, forego your dishwasher, and wear copious layers in a cold house, but that don't change much in this big ol' world. Big change comes through big players, and until or government tells the media to tell the TVs to tell the people the right thing to do, were all gonna be screwed. Although we ought to keep working up from the roots, let us as well climb the tallest trees already in place and cast our stones from on high.

[madamekraushaar]

@abbott4321: are you saying the anti-green policies of the past are to blame for our current economic crisis? Because I'm totally willing to believe that.

[pilarm]

in presidential election years it's easy to just go with the flow...get behind your party's candidate, think about the "big picture" and ignore the finer points. taking time to consider your representative and state legislative candidates and their "greeness" is crucial

[abbott4321]

I totally agree. The environment is the most important issue facing us in the election, simply because ignoring it has caused a chain of disasters from the directly related, i.e. global warming, to more unrelated, i.e. more urban sprawl and the housing crisis / out of control current account balance hindering response to financial crisis due to imported oil.