Whether it’s by contributing to the destabilizing effects of climate change or by furthering our dependence on foreign fuels, increasing electrical consumption from non-renewable sources of power and similar demand for the importation of fossil fuels to power automobiles directly serve to put our national security at greater risk and to otherwise complicate our conduct of foreign affairs.

Inaction isn’t an option only on account of the probable adverse impact on national security – inaction means we’ll find ourselves left by the wayside as the rest of the world pushes ahead to exploit the enormous economic opportunities entailed in expanded energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Happily, the American Climate and Energy Security Act (ACES) that recently passed the House and is headed to the Senate tackles these challenges and avails our country of these opportunities the American way. It’s not about penalties; it’s about opportunities and incentives. The national carbon markets created by ACES charge major emitters the price that we’re all already paying on their behalf today, and in so doing create a series of price signals and other strong market incentives both for major emitters to do the right thing and for entrepreneurs to invent or innovate solutions that improve our economy and enhance our national security.

I run a start-up that is preparing to debut a new public-private partnership that will allow households to earn rewards points for saving energy and water – rewards points that can be redeemed for exclusive discounts and offers from local businesses. Our goal is to harness the elusive negawatt, and the distributed network of energy saving and generation opportunities spread out through neighborhoods all across the country.

In the grand tradition of American entrepreneurs, we’re building a business that works with or without action on the part of government – but we know that our business will be strengthened (and many new, American small businesses will be spurred) if large emitters are presented with clear price signals and new profit motives for reducing emissions and moving to more homegrown sources of energy.

Operation FREE and Project FREE are initiatives on the forefront of the fight to deliver the change we need to make our air cleaner, our national security posture stronger, and our local and national economy more prosperous – I’m proud to be a part.