We must make our communities sustainable and end policies that are destructive of the environment we depend on. Too many of our natural resources are being degraded; the soil, rivers and the Bay, our air.
Sustainable communities require the development of renewable energy sources, increased energy efficiency, sustainable and profitable farm policies, and a commitment to community planning that reflects these priorities. With green policies we can preserve our standard of living while maintaining environmental health. It is vital for future generations that we end the destruction of the environment.
The Maryland Green Party calls for:
Investment in and promotion of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies to benefit Maryland’s businesses and residents. These energy sources should include passive and active solar, biomass, biofuels, ocean, wind, cogeneration, and other technologies.
Creation of community-based power systems powered by local, renewable energy sources. The national grid electric grid is unacceptably inefficient. A local system would greatly reduce energy demand by doubling efficiency.
A commitment to Clean Air Act standards for all coal and oil power plants as proposed in the Healthy Air Act; support for new technologies that will dramatically reduce pollutants from power plants.
Community planning that employs smart building and green building technologies. Residential and commercial cluster development should preserve green space and enhance community identity and civic life, and provide affordable housing. These communities should include a local business infrastructure that provides human necessities within a walkable environment and should provide convenient and affordable public transportation to town centers and areas of employment. Affordable housing should be a priority.
Conversion of inner-city properties into affordable, sustainable, green neighborhoods. In 2003, 7.15 percent of the homes in Baltimore City were vacant--14,192 out of 198,497 residential properties. These properties should be the priority for development instead of farm land.
A commitment to the preservation of ecologically important land.
An overall expansion of public transit, including railroads, buses and subways, with decreased or eliminated fares. We must end subsidies for gasoline and highway development which mask their true environmental and social costs. Wasteful and ecologically damaging projects such as the Inter-County Connector should be abandoned.
Increased incentives for fuel efficient vehicles; a registration tax on vehicles that fall short of minimum fuel efficiency standards.
The end of pollution subsidies such as the Coal Mining Tax Credit and the sales tax exemption for pesticides; a moratorium on buying coal from companies that practice mountaintop removal.
Investment in Community Supported Agriculture which encourages family farming, organic farming and other conservative and regenerative agricultural methods. Urban farming should be cultivated. We support the development and dissemination of nutrition and food safety information.
Working to increase the sustainability of Maryland’s traditional independent shell fishing and fishing practices.
A commitment to restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay through cooperation with other regional governments. Pollution of the Bay can be minimized by green building techniques to decrease storm runoff, investment in sustainable water and sewage treatment technologies, and the enforcement of penalties for polluters.
Establishment of incentives for Maryland businesses and governments to move beyond recycling to a zero waste, “cradle to cradle” philosophy. We should convert unused industrial facilities into "scrap based manufacturing" facilities that would produce raw industrial materials from waste. Virtually all basic metals have doubled in price since 2000 as demand outstrips
supply. We must recycle, reuse and renew.
Replace toxic chemicals in products with non-toxic recyclable, compostable, or bio-degradable components.
Increase efforts to prevent unwanted births and to develop ways to discourage population growth.
Sustainable communities require the development of renewable energy sources, increased energy efficiency, sustainable and profitable farm policies, and a commitment to community planning that reflects these priorities. With green policies we can preserve our standard of living while maintaining environmental health. It is vital for future generations that we end the destruction of the environment.
The Maryland Green Party calls for:
Investment in and promotion of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies to benefit Maryland’s businesses and residents. These energy sources should include passive and active solar, biomass, biofuels, ocean, wind, cogeneration, and other technologies.
Creation of community-based power systems powered by local, renewable energy sources. The national grid electric grid is unacceptably inefficient. A local system would greatly reduce energy demand by doubling efficiency.
A commitment to Clean Air Act standards for all coal and oil power plants as proposed in the Healthy Air Act; support for new technologies that will dramatically reduce pollutants from power plants.
Community planning that employs smart building and green building technologies. Residential and commercial cluster development should preserve green space and enhance community identity and civic life, and provide affordable housing. These communities should include a local business infrastructure that provides human necessities within a walkable environment and should provide convenient and affordable public transportation to town centers and areas of employment. Affordable housing should be a priority.
Conversion of inner-city properties into affordable, sustainable, green neighborhoods. In 2003, 7.15 percent of the homes in Baltimore City were vacant--14,192 out of 198,497 residential properties. These properties should be the priority for development instead of farm land.
A commitment to the preservation of ecologically important land.
An overall expansion of public transit, including railroads, buses and subways, with decreased or eliminated fares. We must end subsidies for gasoline and highway development which mask their true environmental and social costs. Wasteful and ecologically damaging projects such as the Inter-County Connector should be abandoned.
Increased incentives for fuel efficient vehicles; a registration tax on vehicles that fall short of minimum fuel efficiency standards.
The end of pollution subsidies such as the Coal Mining Tax Credit and the sales tax exemption for pesticides; a moratorium on buying coal from companies that practice mountaintop removal.
Investment in Community Supported Agriculture which encourages family farming, organic farming and other conservative and regenerative agricultural methods. Urban farming should be cultivated. We support the development and dissemination of nutrition and food safety information.
Working to increase the sustainability of Maryland’s traditional independent shell fishing and fishing practices.
A commitment to restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay through cooperation with other regional governments. Pollution of the Bay can be minimized by green building techniques to decrease storm runoff, investment in sustainable water and sewage treatment technologies, and the enforcement of penalties for polluters.
Establishment of incentives for Maryland businesses and governments to move beyond recycling to a zero waste, “cradle to cradle” philosophy. We should convert unused industrial facilities into "scrap based manufacturing" facilities that would produce raw industrial materials from waste. Virtually all basic metals have doubled in price since 2000 as demand outstrips
supply. We must recycle, reuse and renew.
Replace toxic chemicals in products with non-toxic recyclable, compostable, or bio-degradable components.
Increase efforts to prevent unwanted births and to develop ways to discourage population growth.
2 comments:
I would suggest "forests and farmland"
Where does it say we will throw banksters and derivative traders in jail?
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