Did you watch the State of the Union address? I did. Do you care about green issues and the environment? I do. Did you hear anything in there that gave you any real kind of hope about the way Obama and the current administration will approach the green revolution? I didn’t.

“More production, more efficiency, and more incentives.” I heard Obama say that. And I got a little excited. But then… he dropped the nuclear bomb:

To build the clean energy future he says we need a new set of clean and safe nuclear plants. Seriously? Your push for clean energy and with all the options we have out there, all the innovation you talk about supporting and wanting, and your first example of the clean energy industry making steps forward is to suggest more nuclear plants? Come on.

Ok, so what’s next?

Offshore drilling opportunities. Oh, no. This isn’t even a little bit clean or sustainable or renewable. It’s 100% a nod to the Republicans on this one. Sure, you can argue that it is a good idea to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and try to achieve a greater level of energy independence, but to say it in the section of the speech that was supposed to be about clean and renewable energy? What? Where did this come from? Who do you think you are talking to?

What else?

New clean coal technologies. I almost turned off the Hulu. Are you kidding me? Put some filters on the smokestacks? That is what you are going to give tax breaks and support to? The kind of technology that just cleans up an unsustainable and dirty and destructive form of energy? Sure, it’s one of the biggest sources of energy in America right now, we have a lot of it, and it’s not going anywhere fast. But to invest in technology to maybe clean it up a little bit is not the answer.

And that was it. That was his set of examples on what we were supposed to do about green energy.

He started talking about keeping up with China and other countries and not coming in second. President Obama, these are the wrong goals.

You didn’t say anything about solar or wind or geothermal or hydro-electricity. That is where the money should go. And if anyone is going to put the money there it is you.

Well, maybe I’m wrong. What about Van Jones? He had a great idea and not only did you let Glenn Beck take him down without putting up a fight, you tossed his ideas aside.

“The nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy- and America must be that nation,” he said. Well put, Obama.

So what are we going to do about the clean energy economy? I didn’t hear any ideas about clean energy. Give me a speech about massive tax breaks and loans to solar businesses putting up panels in cities, ok. Give me a speech about a fleet of windmills, ok. Give me a speech about bicycles. Give me a speech about tax breaks for organic food farmers. Give me something better than nuclear, offshore drilling and clean coal.

Give me a real clean energy economy.

Photo Credit: woodleywonderworks (via Flickr under CCL)