August 2008
EarthTalk TM
(Continued from Page 8)
Dear EarthTalk: What are the major
environmental issues that our next
president, be it Obama or McCain, will
have to confront?
-- Melinda Barnes,
via e-mail
Global warming is unquestionably
the most pressing environmental issue
facing whoever ends up in the White
House in January 2009.
Not only does climate change im-
pact—and in most cases exacerbate—
other environmental problems, it
has even wider implications for the
economy and society at large.
Luckily for all of us, both Barack
Obama and John McCain are commit-
ted to tackling climate change, although
their proposed approaches differ in
signifi cant ways.
The non-profi t League of Conserva-
tion Voters (LCV), America’s leading
voice for environmental advocacy
within electoral politics, would prefer to
see Obama elected president given his
environmental track record and plans
for the future.
While both candidates favor institut-
ing a mandatory “cap-and-trade” pro-
gram (whereby the federal government
allows polluters to trade for the right
to emit a reduced overall amount of
greenhouse gases), Obama is for more
strident cuts.
He would like to see the U.S. reduce
its greenhouse gas emissions by some
80 percent by 2050, while McCain sup-
ports only cutting back by 65 percent.
Both candidates have authored legisla-
tion in the Senate designed to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions, although no
such bills have come close to passing.
Even though McCain is by far the
most forward-thinking of the original
FEATURES
The Southwest Portland Post • 9
Republican presidential contenders on
global warming and the need to take
action, LCV still gives him poor marks,
only a 24 rating (out of 100) lifetime and
zero for 2007.
LCV says that McCain missed all 15
critical environmental votes last year
and that he “repeatedly clings to out-
dated policies and fl ip-fl ops on core
environmental issues.” By comparison,
Obama earned a score of 100 in 2007 and
has a lifetime LCV rating of 87.
One area where environmentalists
take issue with McCain is his support
for expanding the role of nuclear power
in cutting fossil fuel use. Obama would
rather bolster alternative energy sources
like wind and solar power that do not
have the nasty side effect of radioactive
waste in need of storage and disposal.
(McCain also supports the development
of new renewables, but not to the extent
that Obama is willing to commit).
Some of the other hot button environ-
mental issues sure to occupy the next
president’s time include: how to best
protect the nation’s water resources and
wetlands; whether to allow more drill-
ing for oil and natural gas both offshore
and within Alaska’s Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge.
Also, whether to reinstate the Road-
less Area Conservation Rule, a Clinton-
era law (subsequently overturned by
the Bush administration) calling for
protection of some 58 million acres of
public land from logging; how to meet
U.S. commitments on existing envi-
ronmental laws in international trade
agreements; and whether to bring back
the so-called “polluter pays” part of the
government’s “Superfund” toxic waste
clean-up program.
While Obama is clearly the greener
candidate on most of these issues, the
fact that McCain even takes them seri-
ously—and is committed to any green-
house gas reductions whatsoever—is a
Global warming
is the biggest is-
sue facing our next
president. Both
Barack Obama
and John McCain
are committed to
tackling climate
change, although
their proposed ap-
proaches differ in
significant ways.
(Photo courtesy
Getty Images)
plus for environmental advocates exas-
perated by eight years of green naysay-
ing by the Bush administration.
CONTACTS: Obama ’08, www.baracko-
bama.com; McCain for President, www.
johnmccain.com; League of Conservation
Voters, www.lcv.org.
Gabriel Skatepark
(Continued from page 2)
ing of the new skatepark at Gabriel
Park. Actually it was a rather low-key
event.
July 11 was one of those hot sum-
mer days that we dream about in the
middle of January. About 50 people
attended the opening ceremony,
huddling around Mayor Tom Potter,
Parks Commissioner Dan Saltzman,
and Stephanie Mohler from Airspeed
Skateparks that designed and built
the 10,000 square foot concrete modi-
fi ed snake-run.
There is no doubt in my mind that
skateboarding in general is becoming
a more accepted form of recreation.
GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUES-
TION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The
Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box
5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at:
www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/,
or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read
past columns at: www.emagazine.com/
earthtalk/archives.php.
This is the second fastest growing
sport in the United States behind
snowboarding. And local skaters have
waited a long time for this one.
So it was sort of surprising that
the turnout was so low. The young
and old skaters that showed up were
quickly rewarded, skating almost as
soon as Commissioner Saltzman cut
the ribbon.
The new skatepark is located near
the tennis courts along Southwest 45 th
Avenue. Gabriel Park is the fourth of
19 planned skateparks in Portland,
following respectively Pier Park,
Glenhaven and Holly Farm. Now,
about those BMX bikes…OK, that’s
another story.
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