Voting for the environment

The way you vote is part of your lifestyle too. Living green therefore also means supporting candidates and policies that protect the environment.

Choose politicians who commit to strong environmental policies, and make sure they keep their word.

Follow environmental issues closely and listen to what each candidate says about them. When a referendum deals with the environment, find out the facts and vote for the option that is best for the planet.
If you think a candidate will defend and carry out good environmental policies, consider giving them your vote. Debates are often presented as a choice between a strong economy and a healthy environment. Wiser politicians know that green industries create jobs, and that the new green economy can make up for jobs lost in older sectors.

You should not look only at a candidate's environmental programme and ignore the rest. But their position on the environment deserves a lot of weight when you decide how to vote.

Once a pro-environment candidate you supported is elected, watch what they actually do. Are their promises being kept? Few politicians keep every promise, but they should keep at least some. If their actions, or lack of them, let you down, vote for someone else at the next election.

To get more involved, you can also volunteer for the campaigns of green candidates.