Today the trade associations for solar, wind and hydro power banded together to present a proposal for immediate and near-term federal policies to address challenges related to the current economic climate as well as to spur long-term growth. The statement and press conference were an impressive display of unity and the group has outlined five specific steps that they want the current and new administrations to take.

Alongside the call for policy action, during the press conference there was also a challenge for the new administration to make a more symbolic gesture — restore renewables such as wind turbines and solar panels to the While House. As many know, one of Reagan’s acts in the 1980s was to take down perfectly good solar panels that President Carter had installed. My friend Matt McDermott at TreeHugger.com has called for the same thing ( Be The Change).

I hope that Obama heeds the call on both the policy and the greening the White House front.