The Top Science Questions Facing America: 2012 Edition
The suggestion portion of the process is now closed. We are now in phase two: taking your submissions under advisement and working with a panel of representatives from leading U.S. science organizations to consolidate ideas and craft the top science questions facing America in 2012.
What are the top science questions the candidates for president should answer? We’re not interested in quizzing candidates on the particulars of cell mitosis or the third digit of pi. We want to know their positions on the big science and engineering policy questions that affect all our lives. The questions we will consider most successful will probe the candidates on the broad, important issues of our day around science in an insightful and fair way.
-
What policies would you support to meet demand for water resources?
10. Water. Thirty-nine states expect some level of water shortage over the next decade, and scientific studies suggest that a majority of our water resources are at risk. What policies would you support to meet demand for water resources?
125 votes -
Gas from fracking promises energy independence & low CO2 (vs. coal). How will you protect ground water near these wells from contamination?
Coal produces more than half of the electrical power in US. Simply replacing coal with natural gas cuts power plant CO2 emissions in half and eliminates other pollutants (mercury, SO2, particulates, ash). Most to the world's known gas lies in formations under the US. Recovering this gas requires fracking. Fracking has reportedly contaminated some local water supplies. The petroleum industry denies responsibility. However, it keeps details of this process secret, so the public cannot determine the environmental risk, or to what extent, regulation of this technology is appropriate.
111 votes -
How do you plan to deal with the increasing scarcity of clean water - for irrigation, drinking, washing, waste, etc.?
Educate people about where their water comes from and how is it used. Work toward guaranteeing a safe supply of drinking water for all people. Enforce existing regulations about water usage; reevaluate current legislation regarding water usage in communities & craft updated legislation if necessary. Encourage drinking of tap water; set up a regular, consistent test for tap-water potability. Encourage rain water collection for garden use. Encourage grey water systems for residential & commercial spaces. Enforce proper treatment of effluent and proper containment of dangerous/unusable fluids (e.g., nuclear reactor cooling water) that could contaminate groundwater/water bodies. Encourage methods and technologies…
110 votes -
Value of Oil and WATER, it reflects water as granted, what will be future of securing sources
water gets value when it comes in the bottle. without bottle it ha no value. Why water is still not an issue for majority of policy maker, and people. Please give some importance to the country like nepal so that may be it is call of today.
17 votes -
If we build more nuclear plants, where will we get water for both cooling and drinking?
Nuclear power plants require lots of cooling water. Plans to build two in Georgia do not seem to account for the recent droughts. How can we justify building systems that require even more water when many parts of the country do not have enough to drink or farm?
1 vote -
1 vote
- Don't see your idea?
