Young people in America today have a right to be upset. A lot of people just out of high school or college are wondering about their futures when jobs are so hard to find. But in a time when our country has so many problems that appear unsolvable, we do have a solution that can make our communities more prosperous. We can take control of our energy future.
For decades, we've been spending hundreds of billions of dollars to buy oil from overseas. Outdated factories and dirty power plants are polluting our neighborhoods. Gasoline and electricity prices have skyrocketed. And all the while, big corporations and their lobbyists have fought against any changes to the current state of affairs.
But the good news is that the situation is not hopeless. We can make investments in clean energy that will reduce pollution, revitalize our neighborhoods and create new jobs.
For the young Americans who might listen to my music or watch my films, I hope I can convince you that it's time to get engaged. For African Americans and other people of color, I hope you can support the clean energy solutions that will make our communities more prosperous. This isn't the time to surrender to feelings of hopelessness and despair. It's time to tell our friends, neighbors and elected officials why clean energy is good for our communities and our country.
That's why I was proud to be part of a movement that took to the highways of our nation this past month. It was a bus tour for clean energy, known as the Hip Hop Caucus Clean Energy Now! tour. It brought together young people, entertainers such as myself, people of color and people of many faiths. We are a diverse group with a united voice in support of a clean energy future. The tour started in New Orleans and concluded in Washington, D.C., with stops on college campuses, in neighborhoods, at churches, and at factories where clean energy is putting people to work. We held rallies and concerts to get young people, communities of color, and Americans from all walks of life excited about clean energy solutions.
It's time to spread the word that clean energy means new jobs. We can invest in free energy sources like wind and solar, as well as the technology that will make our homes and businesses more efficient. When we do this, we'll create jobs in our own neighborhoods for both entry-level workers and experienced professionals. This means jobs for people like construction workers, electricians, architects and engineers. It means that African-American entrepreneurs will have new opportunities to capitalize on a clean energy economy. We have to stop sending our jobs overseas and start creating new clean energy jobs in America.
And it's time to stop the air pollution that is making us sick; pollution that is especially hazardous for children and the elderly. Old and outdated power plants are a leading cause of global warming, which is making too many of our neighborhoods inhospitable places to live. The future of our young people depends on our resolve to change the way we use energy. Fortunately, we can take action now to build new industries in America and make life better for future generations.
It's also time to improve our quality of life. Energy efficiency solutions can the reduce the costs of heating and electricity, which ends up making winters like this one hard for working families.
A clean energy economy will produce new businesses that can revitalize our communities and make our streets safer. Even if we take simple steps, like planting more trees and switching out our light bulbs, we can reduce pollution, make our neighborhoods greener and save money on electricity bills.
We need to tell our leaders that this is a priority. And we need to tell them now. All of us, young and old, are hopeful that we can build a prosperous future. We can do it, and we don't have any time to lose.