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Back in the '70's, Jimmy Carter installed solar panels on the roof of the White House to emphasize the importance of alternative energy. How long do you think they lasted?

During the energy crisis of the late 1970s, then-president Jimmy Carter called on Americans to conserve power and to prove that he wasn't just all talk, he had an expansive row of solar panels installed on the roof of the West Wing in 1977.

In 1986 when the price of energy was temporarily cheaper and Americans' minds were less focused on environmental issues, President Reagan ordered the panels removed from the White House roof. Reagan, who didn't think much of solar energy, also allowed the tax credit Carter had instated to lapse.

Now, coming up on October 10th (10/10/10), Bill McKibben - founder of 350.org - is leading the charge back to the White House to get solar panels re-installed on its roof:

McKibben is challenging President Obama to install his new set of panels on October 10 as part of 350.org's 10/10/10 Global Work Party, a day when millions of people across the planet will be getting to work on climate solutions.

McKibben will be accompanied on the trip by a group of students from Unity who will tweet, blog, and video the trip. Events will be held along the way in Boston and New York City to highlight how solar power is helping lay the foundation for a new clean energy economy.

Over 30,000 people have signed a letter urging President Obama to install a new set of panels at the campaign's PutSolarOn.It website. The site will provide live updates from the road and a chance for the public to interact with the road trip participants.

Watch McKibben below, when he appeared on David Letterman speaking about 10/10/10, and his new book, "Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet"

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