Environment "Protecting the environment is about more than making sure that the beach and the mountains look pretty when we visit. It's about taking care of the water we drink and the air we breathe everyday."

Protecting the Environment, Our Health and Our Future

• Massachusetts has the highest incidence of childhood asthma in the country, caused in part by pollution from cars. For years, the State Legislature has focused on money on highway projects that encourage sprawl, eating up farmland and forests, and increasing the pollution of commuters. All the while, critical projects to improve mass transportation - projects that would get people out of their car and onto the T - have been neglected.



• Children are especially vulnerable to toxic substances. We need to make sure that the cleaning products, building materials, and foods we rely on everyday are safe for our families. [ http://www.healthytomorrow.org/campaign.html]



• The Bush Administration has worked closely with energy companies to write its environmental policies. That means that strong action at the state level is more important than ever. Massachusetts needs to implement a strong Climate Change Action Plan that will increase energy efficiency, invest in renewable energy, and decrease the impact of transportation.



• As a hiker, runner, and bicyclist, I deeply value our parks and trails. Extending the Minuteman Bike Path across Somerville to East Cambridge and North Station, and creating a path along the railroad tracks from Cardinal Medeiros to the BU Bridge, would create an excellent network for people to bike, walk, and run to get to work or to have fun with their families. The project has sat on the shelf for too long.



• Somerville and East Cambridge have far too few parks. We need to look for opportunities to reclaim old land and vacant buildings for neighborhood parks, and plant trees where feasible to beautify our community.