Candidate Forum on the Environment

More than 125 area residents attended the first ever "Candidate Forum on the Environment" to hear the environmental viewpoints of 18 area office seekers. The Forum, held October 6 in St. Louis, provided an opportunity for candidates to present their positions on environmental issues and respond to questions from the audience.

Candidates were asked to share what they considered the biggest environmental challenge facing Missouri today. In follow-up questions, they also expressed concerns about Missouri's leadership on global warming; the need for energy efficiency programs and clean, safe, renewable energy; growing Missouri's green energy economy through investment in research and its manufacturing sector; the public health impacts of excessive pollution; poor air quality in urban areas; the need to protect the safety of food and water supplies; and education to meet the environmental and economic challenges.

The Forum, held at Central Reform Congregation in St. Louis, was moderated by Jean Ponzi, community environmental educator and host of FM-88 KDHX "Earthworms" environmental talk show. You can view video of the forum here.

Candidates who appeared: (Click on candidate name for their position papers on environmental issues)
U.S. Congress:
District 2 - Bill Haas (D)
District 3 - Russ Carnahan (D)

State Treasurer - Clint Zweifel (D)

State Senate:
District 15 - Jim Trout (D)

State House:
District 59 - Jeannette Mott Oxford (D)
District 63 - Tishaura Jones (D)
District 71 – Don Calloway (D)
District 73 - Steve Brown (D)
District 78 - Margo McNeil (D)
District 85 – Vicki Englund (D)
District 82 - Jill Schupp (D)
District 83 – Jake Zimmerman (D)
District 87 - Mark Zoole (D)
District 91 - Randy Jotte (R) & Jeanne Kirkton (D)
District 94 - Deb Lavender (D)
District 95 - Alice Geary (D)
District 97 - Jan Polizzi (D)

Presented by:
Jewish Environmental Initiative (a committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council)
Missouri Coalition for the Environment
Missouri Votes Conservation Education Fund
Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice

Additional Co-sponsors:
Central Reform Congregation
Ethical Society of St. Louis
First United Methodist Church of Webster Groves
KDHX Community Media
St. Louis Audubon Society