I'm thoroughly disappointed that Congress failed to pass a production tax credit for renewable energy (wind and solar) while not ending the billions in tax giveaways to the oil and gas industries.

Democrats say their slim majority in the Senate prevent legislation from passing and that not enough Republicans currently have woken up to the need for sustainability.

But Congress waited way too long to assemble this important legislation as forcing a showdown in December did not give enough time for the politicking that could have enabled passage. Pleading "we ran out of time" is a lame excuse because of a lack of preparedness. This legislation should have been at the top of the agenda in January.

Ending the oil and gas subsidies would have leveled the playing field and instantaneously made wind and solar more cost-competitive. If we can't afford incentives for renewables, then we can't afford incentives for oil and gas either.

Money continues to be readily available for corporate farming and for biofuels, which is a mixed blessing. While corn ethanol is an imperfect fuel because of contention with food and energy inefficiency, the legislation does increase the likelihood that cellulosic ethanol will save the day. Finally raising the fuel economy (CAFE) standards is a big step forward, but it only partially addresses the "oil addiction" that the administration and Congress repeatedly say is an urgent problem.

So let's hope that the Senate leadership makes renewable energy a top priority in the beginning of the next session.