BP’s gushing oil well in the Gulf of Mexico has been a disturbing reminder of the toxic nature of our current energy economy. In a special energy issue of The Nation—featuring contributions from Michael T. Klare, Christian Parenti and Mark Hertsgaard—Klare emphasizes the fact that our transition to green energy will not be fast or painless, but it needs to start immediately. To supply the United States with power without destroying the earth in the process we need radical changes in the way we think about energy consumption and our energy infrastructure. Klare argues that the future of the US and of the world depends on developing a new energy outlook that favors energy that’s "clean, green, safe and inventive."

The forces of opposition are powerful, but the moment is ripe. Most Americans already believe we will soon leave oil behind, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll. President Obama could jump-start a green revolution today without spending more money or awaiting approval from Congress, as Christian Parenti explains. America’s broken energy system threatens our economic, military and environmental security. This slide show outlines the ways we can fix it.