Teresa Sue Bratton - On the Environment

Teresa Sue Bratton, MD, says its time for bright, green ideas in Washington

"If you want to know about the health of a population, look at the air they breathe, the water they drink and the places where they live."

-- Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, 500 BC

Dr. Bratton believes that safeguarding our environment and curbing global warming is vital for our future. She has a plan to reduce the impact of climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, improving air and water quality, and making our food supply and housing stock safer.

Our elected leaders in Congress must provide leadership on protecting our water and air. This will ultimately protect the health and well-being of our children and future generations.

Dr. Bratton supports:

• Immediate steps to reduce global warming and transition away from dependence on fossil fuels.

Dr. Bratton knows that the United States will only face greater danger in decades to come if we continue to rely on nonrenewable fuels produced overseas, particularly in the volatile Middle East, and fail to get a handle on our greenhouse gas emissions, which are known to contribute to potentially catastrophic climate changes.  To move America into the 21st century, Dr. Bratton will work to:

• Increase emphasis on 'outside the box' research to develop viable low-carbon alternative fuel sources, such as solar, wind and biofuel, and make them affordable for average citizens and businesses.
• Institute a tax on carbon emissions and tax credits for working families to offset its impact on tight budgets.
• Aggressively develop renewable, non-polluting sources of electricity, such as wind and solar, so that at least 50% of our electricity comes from these sources in 10 years.
• Ramp up investment in green transportation options, including alternatively-fueled cars and trucks, revitalized freight and passenger rail and transit systems, and incentives to promote greater fuel economy in existing fleets.
• Provide tax incentives to farmers to develop less energy-intensive production methods and sell more produce closer to the farm.

• Clean water, clean air, a healthy, safe food supply, and safe housing

As a Pediatric Allergist, Dr. Bratton has seen firsthand that health issues arise when the safety of our water, homes and food is at risk. To protect human health, food quality, and sound ecosystems, Dr. Bratton advocates:

• Mandatory country-of-origin labeling for all food products sold in the United States.
• Increased inspection of imported food.
• Comprehensive monitoring and testing of all agricultural inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, animal feed, etc) and outputs (discharges into the air and water, solid wastes) for contaminants and working with farmers to cut the use of inputs and the production of outputs that are harmful ecologically and to human health.
• Stronger farm animal welfare standards: healthy and happy animals produce better meat, dairy and eggs, so efforts should be made to reduce animal suffering and eliminate inhumane practices.
• Tax breaks and incentives for America's small farmers to help them stay in business.
• Tough and consistent enforcement of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and other environmental laws and increased fines for violators.
• Federal assistance to states and cities to provide more affordable housing options and enforce housing safety codes for a healthier indoor environment, particularly in low-income housing.

"We hold this land in trust for our children. I support legislation that protects our air quality, our water quality and the integrity of our food. Evidence-based studies and science should set the standards for protection, not politics.

"We are the stewards of the land and should be good stewards. This means protecting our plants and animals and managing the land so that we can live in harmony on the earth.

"In choosing our energy sources, we must keep in mind short and long-term impacts on our environment. The United States of America is a leader in environmental issues and we have an obligation to increase standards that protect the earth and to decrease our impact."

- Dr. Teresa Sue Bratton