With rising fuel prices and more talk about alternative fuel sources, energy has become one of the top concerns for voters in this election. There’s the question of what to do about rising gas prices, and whether we should pursue more offshore drilling. Americans want to know the candidates' priorities on wind, natural gas, biofuels and solar power, and their positions on nuclear energy and on the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. We’ll see where the candidates stand on energy.

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Drive through Lempster these days and you’ll see the progress being made on the state’s first commercial wind farm.

When up and running, the 12 windmills on Lempster Mountain are expected to produce enough clean renewable energy for about 10 thousands homes.

With America increasingly looking for clean energy and independence from oil, wind farms are one possibility.

A big one is proposed for Coos County.

The project has its fans, but it also has it opponents.

NHPR correspondent Chris Jensen has the story.

There’s been a lot of talk this campaign season about dealing with America’s reliance on foreign oil. When we pay for fuel that comes from regimes our country doesn’t see eye-to-eye with, we’re funding programs that can fly in the face of our values.

But it may not just be the gas in your tank you need to worry about. It’s the crackers in your cupboard, the toilet paper in your bathroom, the peanut butter on your sandwich, and the sheets on your bed.

Many of us buy these things from corporations so big, they have budgets that rival the economies of small countries. And if you don’t agree with their corporate policies, you might be funding actions, programs and campaigns that would appall you - if you only knew about them.

That’s why University of California-Davis professor Ellis Jones wrote The Better World Shopping Guide. It’s a simple, pocket-sized book that lists all kinds of products - from ketchup to cars – and ranks the companies that produce them. Ellis just released an updated version of his book and joins Word of Mouth with more.

And here's something to think about after you've made your purchases. Whenever you order your double latte to go at your corner coffee shop, the empty cup and lid may end up in a giant pit of plastic in the ocean. Some cities and counties are so concerned about the garbage in the North Pacific Gyre that they've passed ordinances to try to limit the amount of plastic in our lives.

Reporter David Gorn visited a bird hospital in northern California where dead animals are often found with stomachs full of plastic. He filed this report for KQED’s QUEST radio series. Click here to listen.

(Photo by Jeff Keen)

On Monday, Senator John Sununu and his Democratic opponent, former Governor Jeanne Shaheen, took part in a candidate forum based on business issues in New Hampshire. The event was a partnership between New Hampshire Public Radio, the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association, the Union Leader and New Hampshire Public Television. The candidates for discussed issues ranging from taxes and the federal budget, to health care and energy policy. Today we play that forum back to you.

This year the New Hampshire Democratic Party has opened up 24 offices around the state, a few in long-standing Republican strongholds.

It’s part of an organizing strategy that Party leaders believe will make New Hampshire a blue state every election cycle.

But state Republicans say their rivals are just wasting money.

New Hampshire Public Radio’s Dan Gorenstein has more.