Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has introduced legislation that would greatly aid in the expansion of rooftop solar-energy production in the United States. There is sufficient roof space in the United States to meet 20 percent of our electricity needs simply by installing solar panels.

Senator Sander's "10 Million Solar Roofs and 10 Million Gallons of Solar Water Heating Act of 2010" would help fund the installation of solar panels on 10 million homes and businesses across the country as well as the installation of 200,000 solar water heaters. This would produce about 30,000 new megawatts of energy, the equivalent of about 30 nuclear power plants.

Unlike industrial-scale solar projects, which when poorly sited can have unacceptable negative impacts on wildlife and wild places and often require new long-distance transmission lines, rooftop solar by definition only occurs in already developed areas. It is the greenest of green energy.

Please take a minute to contact your senators and encourage them to support the rapid expansion of rooftop solar energy.

Click here to find out more and take action.

Source: Center for Biological Diversity