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"   On September 14th, I had the unique opportunity to attend the Alliance to Save Energy&amp;#039;s conference on Capitol Hill entitled &amp;quot;From Power Plant to Plug and Beyond&amp;quot;. The talks, which focused on an array of hurdles to progress in energy efficiency, had both down-to-earth realism and invigorating energy, and were eloquently articulated by a diverse group of well-respected, powerful industry experts. From US Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H., US Energy Committee), to Jon Wellinghof (Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission), and the well respected &amp;#039;godfather&amp;#039; of energy efficiency Art Rosenfeld, speakers conveyed various angles on how best to approach the evolution of energy production and efficiency. Speakers were in agreement however, that consumer awareness and momentum is necessary to tackle Green issues affecting national, economic, and environmental security in the United States. The heart of this movement must come from the public. As Jon Wellinghof said, &amp;quot;I believe that the smart grid will not succeed unless consumers see [. . .] and understand [. . .] the benefits&amp;quot;. This applies not only to the smart grid (an upgraded system of how we distribute electricity - see previous article), but every aspect of energy, and the ways we choose to use it. Advances in technology can be a critical progress enabler, but without &amp;quot;demand pull&amp;quot; from consumers, as described by Michael Terrell, (Energy Policy Council, Google Inc.) policy cannot move forward and product innovation has no impetus.  Consumers (myself included) must look not only to save money (natural in a tight economy), but push leaders with our voices, and industry with our purchasing choices. This means starting with the basics, like buying CFLs lightbulbs, using reusable grocery bags, and choosing to buy electricity from green suppliers. It also means going out on a limb occasionally by choosing to be an early adopter in developing industries like hybrid-electric vehicles, and approaching green investments like any other long-term financial venture: Pay a little more now for products and maintenance, get a lot back later over time.  Most important, we should all feel good about the decisions we make and those around us will follow our contagious spirit! The Green Good Housekeeping Seal was recently launched to help you make informed decisions on the products you buy. Products are evaluated based on a wide range of environmental considerations, and are being rolled out on a category by category basis. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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