Many of us realize that if we are to make any progress in reducing our carbon footprint and energy use, it has to start at a personal level just like Ed Begely and Bill Nye did. It's really up to you and me to do something and certainly not the government or the politicians. The government is quite capable of getting it's own house in order. In fact, the Administration might take some cues from the three carbon calculators to determine their agency's carbon footprint and energy consumption and also two distinct paths to take to control them.

Natural gas from Alaska's North Slope may finally find its way through Alaska and Alberta Canada via a 1,700-2,000 mile long natural gas pipeline by the year 2020. if required, a 1,500-mile long pipeline from Alberta to Chicago would also be built. Like anything else of this magnitude there are pluses and minuses. I'd love to see that natural gas power our cars and fleet vehicles in the lower 48 and be used to produce electricity. However, I would hate to see some of it used to make a barrel of oil from Alberta's tar sands.

Right now, there are two competing proposals to build a pipeline to Alberta with costs ranging between $32 billion and $42 billion. The proposed pipelines would be the first to tie into natural gas fields on Alaska's North Slope. As you might expect, both U.S. and Canadian oil and natural gas giants are involved in these projects since the pipeline will run through Alaska, Canada and then the northern part of the U.S.:

Recently I received a letter from President Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee requesting funds to rebuild and renew America. One of the goals of these bold plans is to transform America's economy to run on clean and renewable energy. The idea got me thinking on how green can we really go with respect to electricity production and how we would get there without much fanfare.

I really believe that our current approaches on green power are a waste of time. The reality is that we "talk the talk" but can't really "walk the talk." We waste a lot of money and time talking about building large wind and solar energy projects in the middle of no where only to find out that many people don't want them or the power lines to get the power where it's needed. Of course, the politicians are not on the front line nor is the government building renewable energy. It's the private sector and that is something to always remember.

I'm sorry President Obama, but until we stop talking and start doing something, I will hold on to my money. Here's my take on where we are and how we could be a lot greener.

We are always on the look out for products that will reduce pollution and our carbon footprint. It's seldom that we find a company that is attacking the problem with drywall, windows and soundproofing materials that are important components of every remodeling and new construction project. Serious Materials is such a company and it's CEO Kevin Surace was named Inc. Magazine's 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year.

Serious Materials provides three kinds of products- windows and glass, drywall and soundproofing materials. When you buy these products from the compnay you can be assured that they were manufactured in an environmentally conscientious manner and that they will save you money, energy and reduce your environmental footprint. If buying American is important (we think it is), you can also feel good that this is an American company that is creating green jobs here in the U.S. Serious materials manufacturers it's products in Sunnyvale, California; Newark, California; Boulder, Colorado; and Vandergrift, Pennsylvania.