Virginia's Environment Is Worth Protecting

This planet is our home. The human race depends on our planet's diverse ecosystem, air and other resources for survival. The more damage we do to our planet, the more we threaten our own long-term survival.

Lately, the issue of protecting the environment has focused almost exclusively on fighting climate change. This has proven to be counter-productive, because it has stalled basic, common-sense / practical steps that we can be taking to improve the world around us.

When we think about how to use our natural resources, we have to think ahead 100 years, not just two, five, or ten years. The principles that should guide us will accomplish protection for our environment while stimulating the growth of our economy.

The Reform Party of Virginia’s Environmental Protection Agenda Includes:

1. • Conservation makes basic economic sense. Pollution equals waste. Preventing pollution before it happens is cheaper than cleaning it up afterwards.

1. • Polluted waterways and soil take time to be cleaned, and several years or longer for those positive changes to work through the surrounding environment. We advocate investing in additional state clean-ups through public-private and community partnerships.

1. • We want to pass legislation that supports sustainable economic development.

1. • Virginia has many industries. Some industries are less friendly to the environment than others. However, the Reform Party of Virginia believes that we cannot ask our fellow citizens to move away from high-paying jobs in industries that may not be as friendly to the environment without guaranteeing they will earn just as much or more in another occupation. Protecting the environment is important, but the people of Virginia must come first. No legislation - local, state or federal - should ignore our citizens.

1. • Overregulation can create more problems. Whereas sometimes, incentives are not compelling enough to generate positive environmental change. The Reform Party of Virginia believes we need to identify the best approaches to achieve our clean environment goals.

1. • Virginia is one of the most technologically sophisticated states in the country. We should be at the forefront of emerging national and global markets for environmental technology.