In 1979 President Jimmy Carter installed 32 panels atop the White House to harness the sun's energy to heat water. Of this system he said “a generation from now, this solar heater can either be a curiosity, a museum piece, an example of a road not taken, or it can be a small part of one of the greatest and most exciting adventures ever undertaken by the American people; harnessing the power of the Sun to enrich our lives as we move away from our crippling dependence on foreign oil.”

Yet less than a decade later, Ronald Reagan had the panels taken down from the White House. But in 2010 President Obama announced that he would be installing a new PV and solar thermal system in early 2011. However, as 2012 comes to an end the panels have still not been installed.

Mr. President, this is the key to energy independence, not oil sands and fracking. Act as a role model for millions of homeowners and go green. Install solar panels on top of the White House.

Coal fired power plants produce the majority of electricity in the US - and currently fuel over 41% of global electricity. In an average year, a typical coal plant generates:

-3,700,000 tons of carbon dioxide

-10,000 tons of sulfur dioxide

-500 tons of small airborne particles

-10,200 tons of nitrogen oxide

-720 tons of carbon monoxide

-220 tons of hydrocarbons

-170 pounds of mercury

-225 pounds of arsenic

-114 pounds of lead

Source: (Union of Concerned Scientists)

This is not the way to a sustainable future. The White House must set an example and invest in solar energy. Take a stand today by signing this petition to ask President Obama to honor the commitment he made in 2010.