In one week people will have the chance to vote for the next President of the United States.

This is a big decision, and whoever is picked ‘ Obama or McCain ‘ will have to do a lot of cleanup, not only for our economy, but also for the environment.

If you care about the environment then it’s important to know both candidates’ views on how they plan to tackle various controversial environmental issues.

This first post will cover Obama and Biden’s ‘New Energy for America’ Plan, which hopes to eliminate America’s reliance on foreign oil. The next post will focus on McCain and Palin’s plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen our economy.

The Perfect Plan?

Obama and Biden’s New Energy Plan has one major goal: to provide relief to families dealing with the current oil crisis, both financially and environmentally.

The candidates believe that this can be done in a 2-part process. And they also believe that the ultimate goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80% below 1990 levels by the year 2050 will be reached.

So how will this happen? Here are a few highlights of the plan:

Short-Term Solutions

• Oil companies will have to provide an energy rebate worth $500 for an individual and $1,000 for a married couple to help pay for rising prices.
• Enact legislature to bring down oil prices
• Release oil from our current Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) instead of relying on foreign oil.

Mid/Long-Term Solutions

• Auction off 100% of emission credits so polluters have to pay for the right to emit greenhouse gases.
• Make the U.S. a leader in climate change by creating a forum at the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)
• Invest $150 billion over 10 years in energy efficiency and biofuel production
• Put 1 million plug-in hybrid cars on the road by 2015
• Create 5 million new jobs related to clean energy investing

One of the most interesting aspects of the New Energy Plan is the ‘Green Vet Initiative.’ This will provide green job training and placement for many of the veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, allowing them to contribute to the energy economy of the future.

These are just a few points of the New Energy for America plan to be enacted by Obama and Biden.

You can see the entire plan at the Obama’s Official Website.

So, now that you know Obama’s stance on the environment, does that strengthen or lesson your opinion of him? Were you surprised at anything you read?

Be sure to take this into consideration when you vote next week.