By Jamaica Pond, in Boston, Dominic Luberto comes close to defining excess when it comes to lighting.   Having spent over $10,000 on lights, just this year, he will have over 250,000 lights up.  Estimated electric bill of $2000 per month (although, to be honest, this sounds like an embarassed understatement of actual costs).

"But, when you see the smiles on the kids ... every penny is worth it."

But, he's hoping to cut into those costs.  Now, he isn't planning to go energy efficient, with LED lights.

The Washington Post featured a local high school's green renovation in Titans of Ecology, which began

At the brand-new T.C. Williams High in Alexandria, a modern "green" school, students say the environmentally friendly design has led to a serious lifestyle change: They can't doze in class anymore because sunlight pours in from practically every angle.

Going green means more attentive students ... at least, fewer students napping.

This one of those benefits from Going Green, being more environmentally and energy sensitive (aware) when building, that many don't realize.  

Putting aside all the environmental benefits (real benefits), being Energy Smart, Environmentally Smart is, well, simply being smart.

The Senate is considering, amid all the energy legislation, instituting a nation-wide renewable power standard (RPS).  

Oh ... boring ... the snores have begun ...

No

Actually

CRITICAL to moving toward a prosperous and sustainable energy future.  

Take two minutes ... just 2 minutes ... to write your Senators to urge them to support a minimum of a 15 percent RPS by 2020 ...

Confused, follow over the fold to learn more about RPS and why they matter.

There are good examples out there, of places and areas which are moving on a path toward a better tomorrow, who are taking the steps to Energize America.

Arlington County, Virginia , in sight of the US Capitol and home of Arlington Cemetary and The Pentagon, is one of those communities.

Paul Ferguson, the County Board Chairman, announced his objectives with his inaugral speech, with the key section:

My special focus this year is on the environment.

Let's take a quick look at that focus and how it is going.

Global Warming skeptics often focus on the messenger, Al Gore, rather than listening to the message. We should hope -- although perhaps could expect -- that the same thing will not occur with the  Clinton Global Initiative's (CGI) Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program.

As per Energize America's Energy Smart Communities concept (but, to be honest, $billions ahead of EA2020), this initiative will make real progress in terms of reducing energy use while, at the same time, creating a greater capacity for energy efficiency in the private sector around the globe. Notably, the CGI claims that this program will double the annual investment in building energy efficiency globally.

As most who open this diary are already aware, my passion is clear ... helping my/your family, my/your community, my/your nation, my/our world find a path toward a prosperous and sustainable energy future. A path that will help us (US) navigate the dangerous seas of the Perfect Storm combination of Peak Oil and Global Warming.

What follows is part of the concepts that the next President should embrace ...