The Silence is Deafening

A Few Environmental Issues That Won’t Go Away

Since the presidential campaign began -- what seems like years ago -- we’ve been subject to a barrage of ads, signs, debates, news coverage and noise, noise, noise!

But when it comes to a handful of environmental issues, the silence is deafening.

Sure, environmental issues seldom reach the top of the issues list in presidential contests. But they have at least been the topic of one debate question or one point in a candidate’s case to American voters.

Not this time.

And it’s understandable that environmental issues would get lower billing than the enormous challenge of pulling our country out of recession and getting Americans back to work and prosperity.

But as Germany and many other countries have capably demonstrated, embracing green energy and environmentally friendly policies can bring new jobs and economic promise. The old argument of jobs vs. the environment is a false choice and at least one of the candidates knows this.

So why the silence on the green?

As one who’s always leaned more toward the natural sciences than political sciences, I can only offer speculation. Both candidates at this point in the campaign are trying to appeal to an endangered species: undecided voters, especially in those “key battleground states” like New Hampshire. They don’t want to ruffle any feathers of those rare voters by possibly alienating them with some language about energy-efficient light bulbs or global warming.

They want to play it safe. Naturally.

So here’s a little volume on just a few of the silent issues.

1. Climate Change. This, of course, is the biggie, the one neither side mentions in the campaign. As president, Obama has tried but failed to pass limits on carbon emissions, an effort that’s been a non-starter with a Republican-led House whose GOP members continue to ignore -- and mock -- the growing mountain range of scientific evidence about human-caused global warming. And Romney has back-pedaled hisonce tepid support for curbing carbon emissions. No matter who wins, this issue will challenge the next president, not only in terms of global warming’s ever-growing impacts on civilization, but also what we’re going to do about it.

2. Saving Our Lands. This has never a big topic on the presidential campaign, for sure, but in practice, the notion of safeguarding America’s precious landscapes -- at the national and local level -- has always been dear to our hearts. National surveys have confirmed this many times: No matter the party affiliation, Americans believe that “conserving our country's natural resources ‐ our land, air and water ‐ is patriotic.” But House Republicans have proposed drastic funding cuts to programs like the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has funded such projects as additions to national parks and land-protection projects here in the Monadnock Region. The next president may have an opportunity to lead this argument back to the direction of Americans’ desires.

3. Energy Conservation. As president, Obama has pushed greater fuel economy standards for new vehicles. In his campaign, Obama has mentioned many times the need to broaden our energy mix toward wind, solar other clean energy sources. And while Romney gives quiet support toward a green energy mix, his rhetoric leans toward more domestic development of oil, coal and gas sources. But both candidates have said little about energy conservation -- the energy that we don’t use is energy that we don’t have to develop. The next president may have an opportunity to encourage more energy savings.

4. Clean Air & Clean Water. Signed into law by President Nixon, the Clean Air Act has not only spared the air of millions of tons of toxins, it has prevented an estimated 200,000 premature deaths and thousands more the harmful impacts of bronchitis and other diseases. Heavily funded by oil and coal companies, House Republicans have led an all-out effort to weaken the Clean Air Act in many ways, including measures that would curb carbon pollution. The Clean Water Act is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and facing a similar assault by House Republicans. This comes at a time when science is showing that, while many rivers have improved, estuaries from New Hampshire’s Great Bay to Long Island Sound are increasingly threatened by nitrogen pollution. President Obama or Romney will have to decide whether we continue cleaning our air and water or whether we leave it to the next leader.

5. Endangered Species. Also signed into law by President Nixon, the Endangered Species Act is now deeply flawed, often unworkable and outdated from gains in conservation science. But as troubled as the law is, it has helped bring back the bald eagle and other species. Many terms of Congress have kicked sorely needed changes to the law to an uncertain future, while dozens of species continue sliding toward extinction, even species once common as the little brown bat. Ignoring the act -- along with its troubled political fallouts -- won’t do anything to help species sliding down the biological drain. Political courage from the top could reverse this troubling trend.

No matter who wins on Nov. 6, the environment has long been a priority among New Hampshire-ites and Americans. When the victor emerges and a new Congress gets settled, feel free to remind them that a few issues that were silent during the campaign will soon deserve a little more noise.

Eric Aldrich writes from his home in Hancock.