According to American Energy: The Renewable Path to Energy Security, produced last year by the Worldwatch Institute and the Center for American Progress, fossil fuels currently meet 85 percent of U.S. energy needs. As the effects of global warming begin to take hold, oil prices continue to soar, and relations in the Middle East decline, we are running out of reasons not to aggressively develop renewable energy sources.

Like the Founding Fathers, today's renewable energy pioneers value innovation and industry. And their efforts are yielding impressive results—both in the U.S. and around the world. Between 2000 and 2006, worldwide production of biofuels from crops more than doubled, global wind energy generation increased fourfold, and global production of solar electricity from photovoltaic cells rose by a factor of six. In two of these industries—ethanol and wind power—America is now the world leader, adding capacity faster than any other country for the first time in more than a decade.

As our capacity for renewable energy expands, widespread implementation is not far behind. The American Energy Vision states that an energy future based on abundant and clean renewable resources is not only urgently needed, but achievable. The time is ripe for a strong national commitment to enacting new policies at the federal, state, and local levels that will allow the United States to become a world leader in building a 21st century energy system. Meeting that challenge will require concerted action by governments, businesses, and citizens across the nation.

To learn more about what you can do to bring about an energy-secure America, download the PDF of American Energy or purchase a print copy for just $9.95.