Noting that the federal government must lead the way in the United States' use of clean energy, President Obama issued a directive today to further reduce reliance on non-renewable sources of electricity. Through a memorandum, Obama ordered the government to more than double its current reliance on renewable energy by 2020. If the goal is met, at least 20 percent of the government's energy will come from renewable sources by then, with that number slowly rising up beginning with a minimum of 10 percent in 2015.

Combating climate change and reducing the government's reliance on non-renewable energy have been ongoing goals for the president. The federal government has already reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent from 2008 levels, and it's currently receiving over 7 percent of its energy from renewable sources. Not everyone agrees that Obama's recent plans to fix climate change will work, but the administration appears to be pleased with its successes so far. "Agencies are already well on their way towards meeting the aggressive sustainability goals set forth in [a 2009 executive order]," Obama writes in the memorandum.

The goal is to spur the economy through reliance on clean energy, which Obama says will have a laundry list of benefits for the country, including, among other: fighting climate change, promoting energy security, and protecting the environment. While the actions may have a relatively aggressive timetable, they now appear more necessary than ever. Between disastrous storms and new research showing just how severe the impact of climate change might be, it's starting to appear that major actions will be needed soon in order to dodge some of the worst potential outcomes.