Over the past few decades, the political and public landscape has been changing. The gasoline shortages in the 1970s were echoed by the rising gas prices in the early 2000s. Natural gas and gasoline prices began to rise; as a consequence, global warming entered the mainstream of public awareness. With the entry of clean hydrogen-powered vehicles and the arrival of the Toyota Prius in the U.S. marketplace, the perception of automobiles, too, began to change. By 2006, hybrids—which had had a tough time competing against the success of gasoline-guzzling SUVs—began being offered by several manufacturers. “An Inconvenient Truth” flowed through American movie theaters, homes, and classrooms like wildfire in a parched desert. In the wake of the film, the public became more engaged with the subject of global warming, and their concern rippled out to include politicians, companies, entertainers, and media organizations. Global warming became real. The groundswell created a flurry of green company campaigns, green TV shows, green consumer products, green-certified buildings, and carbon footprint awareness.

Five years ago, having an intelligent “green” conversation would have been a foreign concept to most Americans. Now green is at the center of national security, environmental policies, and many domestic economic benefits.

With increased awareness comes a necessity for change; this change is beginning to be seen in the actions of the new companies that are being created and new challenges that are being addressed. Many companies are focusing on renewable energy technologies such as solar-cells (photovoltaic panels) and revitalized solar-thermal technologies. Though this is good news, it doesn’t come close to enabling us to make a shift from a coal-based energy policy to a green one. ECOLEAF™ will not only serve as a catalyst to spur innovation, it will sow the seeds needed to create clean eco-energy farms of the future.

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE:, U.S. President Barack Obama plans to invest $150 billion over the next ten years to build a clean energy future—10% of our electricity to be generated from renewable energy by 2012 and 25% by 2025. Pursuing these goals will stimulate the economy, create millions of green-collar jobs, reduce energy costs, reduce the national debt, and sharpen our nation’s competitive edge.