Speaking of the environment…
Northeast Iowa has some of the most beautiful landscape in the country but, like so many places, it’s vulnerable to misuse and neglect. I believe we have a moral and civic duty to make every effort to use our local resources respectfully and wisely.
This is Farm Country and we take great pride in our agricultural heritage and success here. I believe that encouraging people to focus on local production and consumption is an important first step that benefits our community both ecologically and economically. Small farmers should be the heart of America’s agricultural character - they use the land more wisely and efficiently than a strictly-for-profit corporation, and the success of local farmers has an immediate impact in the community. We also need to encourage sustainability, biodiversity and low impact techniques that don’t spoil the land for short term gains.
Of course, one of our most pressing issues is limiting our dependence on fossil fuels and foreign fuel sources. Biofuels may be pointing us in the right direction, but we need to explore more efficient and ecologically sound alternatives. Again, we must avoid the urge to place our trust in techniques that offer only short term gains, at the risk of creating larger problems. I believe northeast Iowa is a great place for research and development of alternative power technologies - we have some of the best and brightest minds, right here in our neighborhoods.
Finally, we must demand that polluters and despoilers be held to the strictest measure of accountability. Every stream and every acre of land is a valuable and irreplaceable part of our community, every one of us deserves clean water and clean air. We cannot allow neglect or quick profit to rob us of the gift we have in this beautiful area.
There is simply no good reason that northeast Iowa can’t be a leader in forward thinking solutions for power and ecological responsibility. I’d love to hear your concerns about environmental issues in the area, so please feel free to contact me.
