1. How does America's oil dependence threaten our national security?
2. Can America reduce our oil dependence?
3. How can we reduce air and water pollution from power plants and expand the use of cleaner energy sources?
4. Can America reverse global warming?
5. Is it possible to protect our last remaining wildlands from destructive energy development and still have enough energy supply?
6. How does a clean energy policy benefit American farmers?

1. How does America's oil dependence threaten our national security?

The United States imports almost 60 percent of our oil, making us dangerously dependent on a precarious energy source to keep our economy moving. Most of the oil we import comes from undemocratic regions of the world, and oil riches in the Middle East have been linked to funding and inciting terrorist networks.

The thousands of miles of pipelines that help bring oil to America are also vulnerable to terrorist attack. A few targeted strikes against oil facilities in Saudi Arabia could take several million barrels of Saudi oil off the global market every day for months and send oil prices soaring to more than $100 per barrel. A safer, more secure energy future is well within America's reach.

2. Can America reduce our oil dependence?

Yes. We have the know-how to dramatically reduce oil use in cars and trucks, industry and buildings. For instance, we could slash today's oil use in cars and light trucks by about one-third within 15 years by using off-the-shelf technologies and raising the federal fuel economy standards to 40 miles per gallon over the next decade.

We can gain even deeper savings by giving automakers incentives to build hybrids and hi-tech cars, expanding the use of biofuels -- fuels made from plants grown by American farmers -- and encouraging smart growth instead of suburban sprawl to cut down on driving time. Together, these solutions could deliver savings of more than 3 million barrels per day by 2015 -- more oil than we currently import from the Middle East every day.

3. How can we reduce air and water pollution from power plants and expand the use of cleaner energy sources?

Coal-fired power plants are the single largest source of some of the worst air pollutants, including sulfur dioxide, mercury and carbon dioxide -- the main cause of global warming. Scientists have shown that power plant pollution is linked to asthma, neurological damage, developmental delays and premature death.

The fastest, cleanest and cheapest way for America to reduce these dangerous pollutants is through energy efficiency -- getting more productivity using less energy. Thanks to readily available technology for improving heating and cooling systems in buildings and increasing the efficiency of everyday appliances, America can make dramatic cuts in energy use without sacrificing comfort or profitability.

We can also generate more electricity from clean resources such as wind, solar and biomass. Almost 20 states now have a renewable portfolio standard, a requirement that electricity providers include a percentage of clean energy resources in the electricity mix they deliver to their customers. New York State, for instance, is calling on utilities to generate 24 percent of their energy through renewables by 2013. A national renewable portfolio standard would expand the market for renewable energy even further.

4. Can America cut global warming pollution?

Yes. The good news is, America has the technology to reduce global warming pollution from power plants and vehicles -- the two largest sources of greenhouse gases. The bad news is, American innovation is being held back by a powerful few who have decided that it is in their interests to keep us dependent on yesterday's technologies.

It is time for America to get ahead of the problem. Right away, we should put existing technologies for building cleaner cars and more modern electricity generators into widespread use. We can increase our reliance on renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and geothermal. And we can manufacture more efficient appliances and conserve energy. But first and foremost, Congress must pass the Climate Stewardship Act to reduce global warming pollution from all major U.S. industrial sources.

5. Is it possible to protect our last remaining wildlands from destructive energy development and still have enough energy supply?

Yes. We do not need to drill in our nation's most spectacular landscapes in order to meet America's energy needs. Focusing on drilling is a remnant of the past, one that fails to see that energy development in special wild places like Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Montana's Rocky Mountain Front or Utah's Redrock Wilderness is not a solution to our energy problems. It's a distraction.

The solution will be found in American ingenuity -- in investing in efficient vehicles, buildings and appliances, and relying more heavily on cleaner, renewable energy resources. For instance, upgrading the quality of replacement tires to match that of tires that come as standard equipment on new cars would save over the next 50 years nearly the total amount of oil likely to be recovered from the Arctic Refuge over the same time period.

6. How does a clean energy policy benefit American farmers?

We can reduce our dependence on oil use with biofuels -- fuels made from plant materials grown by American farmers. These fuels, especially those known as cellulosic biofuels, could be cost-competitive with gasoline and diesel, and allow us to invest our energy dollars at home. They could also slash global warming emissions, improve air quality, reduce soil erosion and expand wildlife habitat.

Producing the crops to make biofuels could provide farmers with profits of more than $5 billion per year by 2025. And a market for cellulosic biomass would benefit all farmers by proving a demand for their crop residues and broadening the range of crops they can grow.