"Sustainability is the path to peace," says Kucinich. The progressive congressman from Ohio would inject every federal agency, from defense to transportation, with a green agenda.

Battle Cry: "We need to see the connection between global warring and global warming, and it's oil."

Green Chops: "My philosophy of sustainability extends to everything I do," says Kucinich. "I've been living an essentially vegan lifestyle since 1995, and that has led me to a condition of extraordinary health and clarity." His proposed Works Green Administration would put clean-energy technologies like wind and solar in American homes, creating "millions" of jobs.

Power Points: "We need a requirement to move away from all carbon-based technologies and to fund fully all alternative-energy research that is in harmony with the environment."

Outside Moment: Growing up in Cleveland, Kucinich loved hanging out in a wild area near his home. "I would go there often to find solitude and to think," he says.

Eco-Hero: Nutrition guru John Robbins.

Hmmm: How to fund that green government overhaul? "It pays for itself," says Kucinich. "See, the whole idea about sustainability is that you conserve, you save, and you use the savings for other things."