ENVIRONMENT

 

KEY POINTS

Our environment and the resources of land, water and air are the absolute and literal foundation of all of life. It is critical that we prioritize and care for the environment and protect our resources in order to ensure their health and thus the health of the people and all of life today and into the future.

 

Learning from and utilizing indigenous wisdom to guide our philosophies, perspectives, relationship and practices in relation to the land are integral to our success and ability to ensure integrity and health of all life. Continued education and awareness regarding respect for our environment and the absolute necessity to build healthy relationships and lifestyle practices with the land are at the core of our success as stewards of the land.

 

Vermonters are dedicated stewards of the land and resources- we have shown this repeatedly and continuously through the generations. Vermonters in the past and today understand the absolute significance of the environment and resources and continue to work with, understand and learn best practices that respect and honor this mutual relationship between humans and our environments.

 

Identifying toxins, chemicals and poisons that wreak havoc and damage our environment and resources is necessary so that these can be eliminated, and alternatives can be found. Working with Vermonters to determine solutions in order to promote clean environments will be essential in understanding what works and what direction to move forward in. Vermonters continue to innovate ideas and approaches to living lightly on the earth and this process must be acknowledged and encouraged.

 

The philosophy of stewardship and education in this realm in my opinion is what will allow for long term relationships in which the land, environments and all of life can thrive.

 

People should have access to the land and resources and should be able to sustainably manage these for Vermonters and future generations. Vermonters are invested in their land and their children and are working every day to pass on a healthy planet and a better way.

 

GOALS

-Clean up our waters and lakes- there are high levels of dangerous compounds in our water systems that harm the health of the environment and the people

 

-Continue to identify environmental contaminants that damage the environment and resources and work to seek alternatives.

 

-Work with industry and farmers to offer guidance and aid their process to sustainable practices

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-Focus on the reduce aspect of the reduce, reuse, recycle equation. Not enough emphasis is placed on this pillar. Looking into a recycling plant in Vermont- if this is feasible and makes sense after a comprehensive analysis is performed. So much of our recycling is thrown in the landfill, is there a solution to be found in VT?

 

-Repeal the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA)- This is destructive legislation that

will not offer real impacts for our environment -Legislation in California has already

determined this. This is not a realistic or meaningful approach to protecting our environment and resources. For further information on this please see the menu buttons for the Clean Heat Standard and Repeal GWSA