Eco-friendly Candidates to Consider

Elections are complicated. But what if you boiled it down to the candidates who had the best environmental policies? That narrows the field quite a bit.

In general, Democrats have offered far better environmental protections and plans to phase out of fossil fuel-generated energy and transition to renewable sources. Regulations protect the environment and those who occupy it (humans and nature). With a close relationship to the oil industry, Republicans do not favor regulations, even at the expense of their own health.

So if your goal is to "go green" and get those into office who offer policies to protect the environment, the choice is clear. Vote left for State and Local Elections.

This also applies to the Presidential Election. The reasons for this are as follows:

Climate Policy

Joe: Plans to rejoin the Paris Agreement, reinstate emissions rules, and invest $2 trillion to confront the “grave threat”

Donald: Left Paris Agreement, rolled back Obama-era emissions rules, and doesn’t factor climate change into policy decisions

Winner: Joe

Comprehensive Climate Plan

Joe: Climate plan outlines strategies to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2035 and net-zero emissions by 2050

Donald: Has not announced a plan to tackle climate change

Winner: Joe

Creating market incentives for renewables

Joe: Supports rapid new innovations and using the renewable energy market as a major job creatorUndid Obama-era rules that encouraged the growth of renewable energy

Donald: Undid Obama-era rules that encouraged the growth of renewable energy

Winner: Joe

Renewable Energy--Cars

Joe: Wants strict fuel-efficiency standards in an attempt to make purchases of all new cars and light trucks electric

Donald: Rescinded higher fuel-economy standards for cars and trucks

Winner: Joe

Renewable Energy--Nuclear

Joe: Supports developing small-scale nuclear reactors

Donald: Wants to ramp up nuclear energy and uranium production

Winner: Joe

Pollution

Joe: Wants to strengthen pollution laws to reduce the disproportionate impact on low-income communities of color

Donald: Weakened and rolled back several regulations aimed at protecting water

Winner: Joe

Plastic

Joe: Mentions plastic as a threat to safe water in his climate plan. Supports phasing out single-use plastics

Donald: Launched a program that focuses on recycling to reduce plastic waste. Has dismissed single-use plastic bans

Winner: Joe

Conservation

Joe: Supports goal of conserving 30 percent of America’s land and water by 2030 as a way to slow extinctions

Donald: Many animals lost endangered species protections under Trump Administration

Winner: Joe

Protected Lands

Joe: Promised to restore protections to several areas opened up by the Trump Administration

Donald: Dramatically shrank some national monuments on land and at sea, but added 1.3 million acres of wilderness areas

Winner: Joe

Result:

Joe Biden beats Donald Trump in every category above, making the choice clear. A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for the Environment.

Greenpeace also scored Joe Biden the Winner in terms of Environmental Policy (Joe scored 75.5/100, Donald scored 0/100).

According to National Geographic, "Biden’s climate plan promises to “protect biodiversity, slow extinction rates, and leverage natural climate solutions,” noting that the Obama Administration protected 550 million acres in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. The plan talks about repurposing AmeriCorps for sustainability; in a Democratic presidential debate earlier this year, Biden touted a “civilian climate corps” that could be used to reduce vulnerability to wildfires and floods. Before joining the presidential ticket, his Senate voting record shows he supported expanding and protecting public lands and was willing to appropriate funds to do so."

"[Biden] Would seek to increase reforestation projects on federal lands and establish national parks and national monuments “that reflect America’s natural heritage.” He would aim to slow extinction rates by conserving 30 percent of America’s land and water by 2030. His climate plan proposes to permanently protect ANWR and says he would ban new oil and gas permits on public land and water. In a policy document outlining his commitment to Native American tribes, Biden says he will undo Trump’s rollback on Bears Ears. The Democratic Party platform promises to reinstate protections for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument."

Donald has received endorsements from the following activist organizations: