In search of the first green president

This page tuned in to the Second Presidential Debate last night, which, like everything else these days, focused on the economy to the relegation of other issues, including environmental issues. However, while John McCain and Barack Obama did make a few points about America's energy security, it became quite apparent how far back the environment has been relegated in this campaign.

Senator Obama can be credited for stating the value of creating 'green' jobs. Senator McCain can be credited for being a Republican who doesn't regard global warming as an urban legend. However, hearing both candidates touting clean coal technology and nuclear energy as environmentally-friendly sources of energy is disturbing. So-called 'clean coal' technology produces a product with 12% more CO2 emissions that gasoline and requires tremendous amounts of water to process, If a second Great Depression is in fact imminent, why does America need another Dust Bowl to go along with it? As for nuclear power, it's extremely expensive, creates tremendous amounts of lethal waste, and no nuclear power plant is ever going to be 100% safe - just ask the people who are still dealing with aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

Obama did make a vague remark about reducing America's dependence on foreign oil as a means to bolster national security, but for a candidate who believes in a 'national call to service', he seems very reluctant to suggest how Americans can reduce that dependence, i.e. abandoning the archaic equation of automobile ownership with personal freedom. How about putting down the car keys and walking, cycling, or using public transit? How about some sensible urban planning which encourages those low-impact transportation methods? How about viewing high gas prices as an opportunity to drive an economic and cultural shift in the population, rather than a crisis? How about treating driving like the it's the new smoking - has Obama quit either?