Who’s Who in Green: Barack Obama

Barack Obama may not be an environmental activist, a green businessman or the inventor of any  important eco-technology.  But, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t contributed greatly to the cause. Obama, in his time as a United States Senator, has proven with his voting record that he’s passionate about the environment – and he has long called for a clean, green energy revolution.

The Illinois senator’s record shows that he has been solidly behind replacing fossil fuels with cleaner renewable energy.  Sen. Obama has actively sought to reduce our dependence on oil, voting for legislation that supports technology like solar and wind power. He has voted to remove oil- and gas-exploration subsidies, and to make oil-producing cartels illegal. He backs windfall profits on petroleum companies.

Sen. Obama has also voted to provide incentives for companies that lowered dependence on oil, improved conservation and reduced pollution.  In 2005, he voted in favor of a failed amendment that sought to improve automobile efficiency, which would have helped reduce air pollution as well as energy consumption, and in 2006 he sponsored legislation raising the standard fuel economy four percent per year until 2018.  You can read Senator Obama’s full list of environmental accomplishments and contributions at Grist.org.

Perhaps nothing shows the depth of Sen. Obama’s understanding of our climate crisis as well as the speech he made on April 3rd, 2006 in Chicago, entitled ‘The Coming Storm: Energy Independence and the Safety of Our Planet’. Sen. Obama relates stories about ice melting in tiny villages in Alaska, explains how global warming is threatening the earth and expresses frustration that the Bush administration has continued to cling to oil and has not acted in any meaningful way. He also offers a ray of hope: the promise of alternative energy.

“The issue of climate change is one that we ignore at our own peril. There may still be disputes about exactly how much we’re contributing to the warming of the earth’s atmosphere and how much is naturally occurring, but what we can be scientifically certain of is that our continued use of fossil fuels is pushing us to a point of no return. And unless we free ourselves from a dependence on these fossil fuels and chart a new course on energy in this country, we are condemning future generations to global catastrophe.”

As President, Barack Obama will fight global warming proactively and without the corrupt ties that have bound our previous leaders to the oil industry. Obama’s plan for energy and the environment stresses the importance of invigorating the economy with green jobs, capping emissions, investing in renewables, and phasing out oil as an energy source. Obama has also called for all new buildings in America to be carbon neutral by 2030, and for 25% of U.S. electricity to come from renewable sources by 2025.  Read Obama’s full New Energy for America plan at the Barack Obama website.

Barack Obama’s Green Score: 60,489 (and we’re sure it’s going to go through the roof in the next 8 years!)

Related Posts:

McCain and Obama Spar on Energy, Environment During 2nd Presidential Debate
Obama Victorious! Let the Green Collar Economy Begin
Obama Cites Global Warming, Renewable Energy as Top Priorities
How Do We Get There: Gore’s 100% in 10 years
Obama: Republicans Take Pride in Being Ignorant