This week, PRWeek held its Target Green conference in Washington, DC. The prevailing view from those speaking at the conference is that sustainability and environmental issues are here to stay. That's safe enough turf. The problem is that these are highly complex issues to solve. Without a doubt, they also are still very political, even with the sea change in public opinion since Hurricane Katrina.

Congressman Ed Markey gave his view as chairman of the House's Select Committee on Energy Independence and Climate Change at the morning keynote. Markey said after the Iraq war, climate change is Speaker Pelosi's highest priority. His "we're all in this together" message was at odds with his rhetoric. His speech was littered with shots at the Republicans — nothing like an easy target. He seemed to take a harder line on coal, which earlier in the year he said was not to be made into fuels, but acceptable as a power source.

One thing that came through clearly, whether or not it is politically possible today: many Democrats in Congress believe they need to be prescriptive to lower industrial greenhouse gas emissions and energy use. Markey talked about new legislation that would direct computer makers to reduce energy use by PCs in standby mode to 1W from 5W today. That's getting pretty specific. Corporations should take note, given the likelihood that Democrats will expand their majorities in the House and Senate and gain control of the White House next November.

In my view, one way to cut through the political debates over standards and technology is through public education. This can accelerate environmentally-friendly action at the grassroots level. Companies and industry groups have done this when it suits them. I would love to see Congress prescribe that. It would deliver results and make policymaking easier.

- Mike Schmidt, Account Group Supervisor, Green