In the wake of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, that nation embraced more solar and wind and took a hard look at nuclear power. Apparently, it's going to take a similar disaster in our nation to get the United States to make the switch to green energy.

Not only did our regulators decide to keep building more nuclear power plants, but many local lawmakers are blocking residents from going green. And, several states are actually preventing voters from regulating fossil fuels in their communities.

Voters in Fort Collins, Colorado approved a five-year ban on fracking within their city limits, but District Judge Gregory Lammons overturned that ban because it “would substantially impede the state's interest in oil and gas production. Meanwhile, some homeowners in Plano, Texas are being told that they can't install solar panels in new subdivisions, because the developers think that panels are ugly and bad for business. And, don't forget about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's recent decision to allow nuclear waste to be stored above ground, which opened the door for new plants to be constructed.

It couldn't be more obvious that developers and lawmakers would rather do the bidding of the fossil fuel industry than fight for what's important. When it comes to saving our environment, it's hard enough to fight against the massive Oil Lobby. Our lawmakers and regulators should not be making it harder to go green. It took a massive disaster to wake Japan up to the dangers of dirty fuel, and it's not like we haven't had our own horrible events here in the states.

It shouldn't take another BP Spill or Fukushima to get lawmakers on board with making the switch to green energy. If they won't help us move to the energy of the future, come this November, it's time to replace them with lawmakers and regulators who will.