IVI-IPO questionnaire: Environment

Environment

72. Will you vote for the Clean Power Ordinance?

Possible answer:

I support using the power of government--including the purchasing power of government--to move solar energy forward. I am very concerned about global warming stressing human society and the planet we live on.

73. Will you vote to privatize Chicago's water delivery system?

Possible answer:

Privatizing water delivery is evil. To me it is beyond acceptable political discourse to even consider privatizing water.

Michigan borders the three largest fresh water reservoirs in the world. And they are cutting-off water to Detroit's poor people.

Privatizing water will lead to many more situations like Detroit. Absolutely not.

74. Will you vote to ban Styrofoam food containers in Chicago public schools?

75. Will you vote to ban Styrofoam food containers in Chicago restaurants and food delivery services?

 Possible answer:

I am for using the power of government to improve the environment. Asking about a specific product being banned in Chicago Public Schools seems like an awfully narrow question.

If styrofoam is toxic or a carcinogen, it seems like it's an issue for the federal government, since it has the technical expertise to evaluate these claims.

76. Will you vote to adopt the water quality standards recommended by the Pollution Control Board?

Possible answer:

I want Chicago to be a liveable city with levels of pollution low enough that they do not adversely affect health and they do not diminish the quality of life of people who live and work in Chicago.

The Illinois Pollution Control Board is a political body. While a political body may be useful in achieving the goals of reducing pollution, it may be harmful to these goals too.

I would prioritize the findings of scientific research and the aesthetic preferences of my constituents over the judgment of the Illinois Pollution Control Board.

77. What should the City do to encourage and implement alternative forms of energy?

Possible answer:

My understanding is that Germany and other European countries have made strides in shifting to solar energy. My understanding is that China now produces affordable solar panels.

Chicago doesn't need to re-invent the wheel. Chicago should emulate what is working in other places in the world.

My understanding is that wind power has great promise in the region (Midwest & Great Plains). Maybe Chicago should invest in wind farms.

78. What other environmental initiatives, if any, do you propose?

Possible answer:

My top environmental priority for Chicago is climate change. (Caveat: I will defend the water we drink no matter what. If fracking came to the Chicago region, this would cause me to make it my top priority.)

Climate change is a challenge on multiple fronts.

One, we need to build the consensus to reduce greenhouse gas emissions so we can stabilize temperatures before the ice caps melt, radically shifting many things about the planet.

Two, climate change is happening which will put new demands on Chicago's infrastructure. While the trend in data is not simple, generally Chicago has been getting more precipitation than in the past.

I would like MWRD to evaluate whether it makes sense to gradually acquire properties on land that has historically been part of the flood plains in the region.

If Chicago is going to get hit with storms that are the remnants of hurricanes from the Gulf of Mexico, we may need more capacity than the Tunnel And Reservoir Project (TARP) provides.