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Commonwealth environmental policy will focus on up-front issues that are not theoretical in nature but can have more of an immediate impact and thus preserve environmental integrity for everyone. In large cities and urban areas polluted air and ozone will be dealt with by better planning of mass transportation, encouraging the cost effective introduction of alternative fuels (when they are ready). By finding incentives for conservation and utilizing better city planning, pollution and energy concerns can be dealt with. Industries will be held to local and regional accountability for clean air, water or land ordinances. All local communities should have adequate and more convenient recycling services, especially through privatization where possible which will best keep focus on the materials that are worth recycling. Where local governments provide collection services and have limited landfills, the charging for throwing away of recyclables and the championing of waste disposal that involves organic composting will be considered. We will advocate and encourage market and consumer demand for design of consumer products that conserve resources such as gas efficient cars, low-power electronics, well insulated houses, passive and active solar design in construction. Yet we are also realistic and realize that petroleum will still be a source of energy for some time and our petroleum policy will make way for ease of access by methods that lessen the risk of spills. No plans to bankrupt the coal industry but we seek or maintain reasonable regulation of strip mining. We are open to the considerations of clean coal technology. Nuclear power is an option though we will take measures to prevent Fukishima scenarios. We will encourage the consumption of, as well the competition towards more efficient and cleaner ways products and patrons transact commerce. We will also advocate and help spawn through the bully pulpit and our across-the-board tax elimination policies the research, development and markets that lead to new and better processes industries can use to profitably produce but preserve environmental integrity. Proper and necessary industries that function as best as possible in terms of environmental impact will be better able (due to the tax elimination windfall) to invest and experiment with profitable, ecosystem-friendly manufacturing techniques. Those that do not function as best as possible will be encouraged in similar fashion to improve. In appropriate cases there will be restrictions or fines or there will be helds accountable to their communities for any gross, negligent and avoidable environmental damage that is committed especially if there were alternative manufacturing methods that were easily accessible to that particular industry and that were cost effective. However, we will not unduly shut down or unduly infringe upon valid industries or make ridiculous regulations in the name of environmental extremism or in the name of unjustified, unproven environmental theories which will derail the economy and in the end will only work to harm the environmental movement. We oppose broad-based, federal level environmental regulations that overly broad-brush many different ecosystems, communities and businesses without regard to each area's particulars and balances. Environmental legislation should be enacted at the regional or local level and localities should best decide land conservation and management. We will not partake in the questionable, multi-national global warming treaties when instead local environmental concerns will give better impetus towards crafting air, land and water laws. Instead of obsessing over CO2, we wish to address the disposal of toxins, preservation of wetlands, proper zoning and flood plain management, endangered or invasive species, long-term storage and disposal of nuclear waste, plastic disposal and other such pressing concerns much more relevant than the false apocalypse over CO2 emissions. |