| Green Party Committees:
Platform |
COMMENT: My suggested revisions in III. H1 and H13 are based on the statement written in III.J, The Ethical Treatment of Animals section. It is stated: "Our species does not have the right to exploit and inflict violence on other creatures simply because we have the desire and power to do so." This implies that we should not inflict violence on non-human animals just because some think they taste good.
III. Ecological Sustainability
H. Agriculture
1. We encourage legislation that assists new farmers and ranchers, that promotes widespread ownership to small and medium-sized farms and ranches, and that revitalizes and repopulates rural communities and promotes sustainable development and stewardship.
REASON: Ranching refers to the raising of livestock
9. World hunger can best be addressed by food
security—being self-sufficient for basic needs.
Overpopulation is largely a consequence—not
simply a cause—of poverty and environmental
destruction, and all remedial actions must address
living standards and food security through
sustainable production.
COMMENT: This could be deleted because much of it is said in 11.
10. Because of the tremendous amount of energy used
in agriculture, we support farm subsidies to
encourage the transition from dirty fuels to clean
renewable energy as one of the most effective
ways to move our country to a sustainable future.
11.We support legislation that provides energy and
fuel conservation through rotational grazing,
cover-crop rotations, nitrogen-fixing systems, and
fuel-free, clean renewable energy development on
the farm.
My suggestion to REVISE: (Since Factory farming is sometimes referred to as CAFOs, or confined animal feeding operations, the last sentence is redundant unless it is written with a comma in place of the "and".):
13. Animal farming must be practiced in ethically and environmentally sustainable ways. Rapidly phase out the use of confined animal feeding operations and factory farms. In the interests of the environment, health and non-violence, we encourage individuals to adopt a vegetarian or strict vegetarian (vegan) lifestyle. We acknowledge that it is not possible to practice animal farming in an ethical way since the end result is to send animals to slaughter. Accordingly, we support a ban on all animal farming. Until we eliminate all animal farming, we support rapidly phasing out confined animal feeding operations.
I. Biological Diversity
1. We The Green Party supports a strengthened and enforceable Endangered Species Act.
3. We encourage, and support public access to, seed banks and seed collections that emphasize traditional and heirloom seeds. We call for a ban on terminator seeds.
J. Ethical Treatment of Animals
4. Establish procedures to develop greater public scrutiny of all animal research while it still occurs. These should include the welfare of laboratory animals, and a halt to wasteful public funding of unnecessary research such as duplicative experiments.
5. End the abuse of animals, including farm animals, and while strengthening our enforcement of existing laws.
8. Subsidize spay and neuter clinics to combat the ever-worsening pet overpopulation problem that results in the killing of millions of animals every year. Where unwanted companion animals are being killed in shelters, we We advocate mandatory spay and neuter laws
in all animal shelters.
9. Ban the exploitation and use of animals in violent entertainment and sports, including but not limited to cock fighting, rodeos, horse and dog racing, American bullfighting, circuses, and zoos.
10. Work toward a society where animals are not killed for any purpose (other than euthanasia).
K. Forestry Practices
The governments of many countries are selling off their rain forest land to cattle growers for the production of cheap beef, most of which is exported to first-world countries such as the U.S. Unsuitable rain forest land is also given to subsistence farmers who ruin the soil in a few seasons. In the meantime, landowners hoard prime agricultural land for speculation. On both state and federal lands, trees are harvested and the raw logs are exported, causing jobs to be exported.
7. Use work projects, goats, and other sustainable methods to control undergrowth rather than spraying herbicides, especially near communities.
L. Ocean Protection
10). Ban sonar testing in the oceans.
|
_1x1.gif){kind=small}
_1x2.gif)
_1x3.gif){kind=small}
_1x5.gif){kind=small}
_1x6.gif)
_1x7.gif){kind=small}
_2x1.gif){kind=small}
_2x2.gif){kind=small}
_2x3.gif){kind=small}
_2x5.gif){kind=small}
_2x6b.gif){kind=small}
_2x7.gif){kind=small}
