Our dependence on foreign oil is a serious national security issue, a serious economic issue, and a serious environmental issue. It is also an enormous opportunity to fundamentally change and grow our economy.

I will work in Congress to enact a crash program of alternative energy development and commercialization, including wind, biomass, hydrogen, solar, and water power. These programs will help us become masters of own destiny and create hundreds of thousands of well-paying jobs, many right here at home.

At the same time, I will work to help Americans conserve energy, with further tax incentives for hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles and home conversions, subsidies to states and communities to convert their fleets for higher mileage, and higher efficiency standards for automakers, covering all classes of vehicle.

Our objective must be to reduce American petroleum use by 20 percent by the year 2020. The Apollo Alliance, a non-partisan group working for America’s energy independence, believes that such a program would create 3 million new American jobs.

Our campaign is working to do our own part: we have pledged to be carbon-neutral through a program run by TerraPass. If you would like to learn more about reducing your “carbon footprint,” visit them at www.terrapass.com.