Change has come to DC, and it's not just Barack Obama who is shaking things up. This morning, Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA) took over the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, the committee that will be responsible for writing global warming legislation. Congressman Waxman replaces Congressman John Dingell (D-MI), another great leader on toxics, endangered species, and EPA-related issues, and is known for maintaining scientific integrity and holding polluters accountable.  He will work with the new administration to address the global climate crisis - a top priority laid out by the president-elect.

On Tuesday, in a taped statement, President-elect Obama clearly affirmed his commitment to addressing global warming. After eight years of working with an administration that has actively avoided necessary action on global warming, we have a president who recognizes the urgency of the situation and believes it should be a top priority for his administration.

Frances Beinecke, the President of NRDC, said it best in her blog: "U.S. leadership on the climate crisis has arrived."

How right she is, and how good it feels to have a leader who believes we must work together to confront this challenge. As sea levels rise and places like my hometown of New Orleans grow more susceptible to stronger storms, the time to solve global warming is now.

The third green act of the week came this afternoon when Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, echoed President-elect Obama's commitment. She said: "I believe strongly that when we address the threat of unchecked global warming by investing in clean energy technologies and reducing our dependence on foreign oil, we also have a recipe for economic recovery. The time to start is now..."

In her speech, Senator Boxer announced plans to introduce two pieces of legislation that will curb global warming pollution, fund clean energy technology, and create good jobs.

It is hard to describe the sense of change in DC. After years of environmentalists playing defense, we are now working together to take on the climate crisis, the greatest challenge of this generation. With all that has happened this week, I can't help but feel hopeful as the shake-up continues.