Water is essential to all forms of life. The Green Party calls for an international declaration that water belongs to the Earth and all of its species. They believe that the U.S. Government must lead the way in declaring water a fundamental human right and prevent efforts to privatize, export, and sell for profit a substance that is essential to all life. See the Green Party’s water conservation proposition below or learn more at the Green Party website.
To conserve water, the Green Party proposes to:
- Mandate water efficient appliances and fixtures be used in all new construction, and promote retrofitting of older buildings.
- Promote native landscaping and other drought resistant/ climate-appropriate plants, in order to reduce the need for irrigation.
- Promote drip irrigation systems where irrigation is necessary.
- Eliminate storm water pollution of our water resources through education of our citizens, enforcement of our laws, and holistic watershed management. Promote storm water technologies that detain, treat, filtrate, and use storm waters near where it is collected.
- Promote the appropriate reuse of the “gray” and “black” waters we produce. Use separation techniques, such as dual piping systems where pure water is used for drinking and washing, and reclaimed water is used for lawn watering and similar purposes.
- Mandate pre-treatment of industrial wastes to eliminate the presence of metals, solvents, and other toxins in sewer water. This would reduce the cost of municipal treatment and encourage wastewater reuse.
- Promote passive and natural systems, such as wetlands, for water and wastewater treatment where appropriate.
- Eliminate water subsidies for corporate agribusiness. Higher water prices give agribusiness incentives to conserve.
- Assist community organizations to monitor the use of local resources, and to oversee the enforcement of water quality regulations.
- Preserve and restore the nation’s natural water features (streams, rivers, lakes, bays, wetlands and groundwater aquifers) that are vital to achieving sustainable use of water resources.