IN the midst of President <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/us/politics/20text-obama.html">Barack Obama's inaugural address</a> some very promising statements on energy.

First, he recognized both the environmental and national security disaster of our present policy--something for both the Right and the Left:



<blockquote>Each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.</blockquote>



And second, the clean solution:


<blockquote>We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. </blockquote>



Not since Jimmy Carter put solar panels on the White House and wore sweaters instead of overheating the building have we had a U.S. President with this consciousness.

Not Reagan, who promptly took the solar system OFF the roof. Not George H.W. Bush. Not even Clinton. And even though <a href="http://principledprofit.com/good-business-blog/the-secret-life-of-gwb-closet-environmentalist/2007/03/28/">George W. Bush's Crawford ranch is one of the Greenest houses in the country</a>, his presidency has been a disaster for the environment, and an eight-year lost opportunity to address climate change while it's still possible.

Yippee!