If Al Gore's PowerPoint presentations and the recent Live Earth concert didn't capture enough attention, this summer's record-breaking heat waves in the West and unusual flooding in England should have raised some red flags. The question now is no longer if global warming exists, but what the nation and the world plan to do about it.

In the absence of federal leadership, 23 states, including Hawai'i, have created their own renewable energy standards. These are policies designed to increase our use of renewable energy from sources such as wind, sun and crops to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and tackle global warming.

But to truly make an impact and send a message to the rest of the world, a national renewable-energy standard must be put in place.

Representatives will have a chance to set the wheels in motion next week through an amendment to the energy bill, HR 969, proposed by Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M. The amendment seeks to increase the nation's renewable energy to 20 percent by 2020.

Rep. Mazie Horono has already signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill.

More members, including Rep. Neil Abercrombie, are needed to ensure the RES amendment goes through. Considering the stakes, it's time the nation took the lead on this issue that affects us all.