Breakthrough

Increasing numbers of bloggers and grassroots activists are calling on Congress and the White House to direct a portion of the economic stimulus package (which could be as large as $150 billion) to clean energy.

Take action today by clicking here to sign the Breakthrough Institute petition, and Breakthrough colleagues Energy Action, 1Sky, Center for American Progress, Ella Baker Center, and the Center for State Innovation are also circulating a letter.

Last week we made the argument about how to make investments in clean energy and efficiency part of the stimulus package being negotiated by Democrats and the White House:

If done right, clean energy investments will do more than "stimulate" – they'll grow the economy in the short and long-term. How could it be done? There are at least three ways:

First, significant tax credits could be given to electric vehicles, hybrids, and other highly efficient cars. . . Second, some of the stimulus should be used to effectively lend home and business owners the money to finance the installation of solar systems and energy efficiency measures that result in lower energy costs and, as importantly, create good installation, insulation, and electrician jobs that will stimulate the economy. . . Third, some of the stimulus should be used to invest in the infrastructure needed to build the clean energy economy.

Today, Harvard's Dr. Paul Epstein wrote this great letter in today's New York Times, the economist Dean Baker blogged for clean stimulus, and a group of organizations including Breakthrough Institute, the Sierra Club, Energy Action, Ella Baker, EcoAmerica, 1Sky, Step it Up and many others are calling on Pelosi and Reid to use some of the stimulus to support clean energy.