“We’re not waiting for permission or for someone to save the day-we have to take action now.”
-Gavin Newsom
San Francisco Mayor and California Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor Gavin Newsom is a man who stands up for what he believes in. His willingness to take bold political risks and his unwavering personal integrity have led him to constantly be ahead of the curve on many important social and economic issues, from marriage equality and universal health care to homelessness and education. But the environment is truly the sole issue where Mayor Newsom’s unrelenting desire to create revolutionary reform by staying true to his personal convictions is most apparent.
Mayor Newsom’s political record proves that he is a fierce and passionate advocate for the environment. In 2006, while most of this country’s leaders were engaged in a contentious debate over whether or not climate change is real, Mayor Newsom had already authored the Urban Environmental Accords, closed a fossil-fuel burning power plant, created the country’s largest alternative fuel fleet of buses and cars and passed numerous laws to help San Francisco’s residents and businesses be more environmentally conscious. From solar panels and mandatory composting and recycling to authoring the strongest municipal green building standards in the United States for new construction and major renovations, Mayor Newsom has turned San Francisco into one of the greenest cities in the world and has established himself as one of the greenest mayors in the country.
When it comes to the environment, Mayor Newsom makes an effort to practice at home what he preaches in public. He owned a Saturn EV1 electric car in the 1990’s, recently purchased a Tesla Roadster and his official mayoral SUV is a hybrid. His winery, CADE, located in Napa, recently received Gold LEED certification, making it the first winery in the state to achieve this status. Though Mayor Newsom openly admits that “it’s not enough that [he has] an electric car”, it is clear that he, like many Californians, is dedicated to living a greener and more sustainable life.
As California’s Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, Mayor Newsom wants to raise California’s environmental consciousness. He wants to get our floundering economy back on track by growing California’s clean energy economy. He wants to end California’s addiction to fossil fuels by transitioning to clean energy sources. He plans to combat climate change and pollution by supporting AB 32 and prioritizing research and education toward green energy and environmental innovation. And he plans to conserve California’s vast natural resources by opposing the expansion of offshore drilling, promoting sustainability and protecting California’s land, coast and waterways. Mayor Newsom recognizes the symbiotic relationship between California’s economy, educational system and the environment and as lieutenant governor, he will work hard to restore the strength and ensure the longevity of each of these areas.
Mayor Newsom’s personal and political commitment to the environment has not only earned him the respect of his colleagues and constituents in San Francisco. As a candidate for lieutenant governor, he has been endorsed by some of the most revered environmental leaders and organizations in the country. California State Senator and co-author of AB 32 Fran Pavley, has said that Mayor Newsom is a “bold, innovative leader who has proven that job creation and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive” and that Mayor Newsom is “exactly what Sacramento needs for California to continue to be a beacon of environmental leadership around the world.” Mayor Newsom has also been enthusiastically endorsed by two of this country’s leading environmental organizations, The Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters.
Robert F. Kennedy once said that, “the future does not belong to those who are content with today, apathetic toward common problems and their fellow man alike, timid and fearful in the face of bold projects and new ideas. Rather, it will belong to those who can blend passion, reason and courage in a personal commitment to the great enterprises and ideals of American society.” Mayor Gavin Newsom’s penchant to take bold, seemingly impossible dreams and turn them into reality has garnered him international attention and solidified his reputation as one of this country’s great environmental leaders. He has proven time and time again that he possesses a deep personal passion for environmental issues, the reason and ingenuity that is necessary to get things accomplished in a volatile political arena and above all, the immense courage required to take on the environmental challenges facing the state of California today.