Frederick Douglas, a famous abolitionist in 1864 sketched the perfect picture of America saying, "In thinking of America, I sometimes find myself admiring her bright blue sky-her grand old woods-her fertile fields-her beautiful rivers-her mighty lakes and star-crowned mountains. But my rapture is soon checked when I remember that all is cursed... " He whet on to finish his statement by describing the bonds of slavery and the shadow it cast on America. The picture of America that Frederick Douglas so beautifully described is slowly changing as the environment wilts and America's economy scours the planet for a solution in these tumultuous times. America must utilize alternative energy in a time of economic crisis to increase employment opportunities and globally impact our environment.
As of March 6, 2009 a FOX NEWS article reported that 12.5 million people are unemployed in America. This number is staggering and is the highest it's been since 1983 and still climbing. Putting the 12.5 million people into perspective, it is a larger number than the entire population of Pennsylvania not to mention 45 other states. Alternative energy is more than a source of electricity, fuel, or energy savings; it is a source of jobs. The influx of jobs that would be created by alternative energy would reverse the downward spiral of unemployment and develop a stable job field. According to a November report commissioned by the American Solar Energy Society the U.S jobs involving renewable-energy could grow up to as many as 40 million by 2030 (Macmillan). The future is very bright agreed Kevin Doyle, author of Complete Guide to Environmental Careers in the 21st Century, according to his article, careers in wind, solar, hydrogen, bio-energy and bio-fuels and even the federal government are more prolific than ever; the wide range of niches has something for just about anyone interested in alternative energy. Doyle went on to say that from 1999 to 2004 the wind power industry has grown 26% globally each year which makes it the top pick for available jobs in the alternative energy field (Rossheim). Some jobs will be lost in the process by updating technology and investing in efficient energy and renewable energy. However, an October study done by the American Solar Energy Society showed that 4.5 million more jobs would be generated rather than eliminated.
America is threatened by the destruction of their own environment. United States is known for their innovation towards alternative energy like solar power, wind power and nuclear power. However , these alternative energies are not completely beneficial towards the United States.
The path that the United States took to become the largest consumer of power in the world was one largely chosen by market forces and government intervention. The role of culture on the use of energy is negligible in comparison with the influences of economic and political factors. The choices to adopt several new methods to produce energy were caused by the backing that these energies had in creating wealth or saving money for those who used the new energy and by the backing of the government through direct and indirect subsidies. One can examine the transitions to coal, oil, nuclear power, and current transitions toward green energy in order to see that the market forces are the dominant factor in dramatic increase of energy consumption in the United States.
The reliance on other countries for fossil fuels that produce energy have put the United States of America at risk of being pulled into unstable regions around the world jeopardizing international relationships and putting its own citizens in harm’s way. America needs to balance both the pursuit of alternative energy solutions and reduce energy usage. Our military runs on fossil fuels produced by other nations who do not have similar interests or values as the United States, ultimately adding unwanted risk that becomes difficult to manage. There are advantages to alternative energy solutions that could allow for America to become an independent energy nation that would eliminate the need to support and stabilize various regions around the world. The U.S. Military needs to reduce its overall energy usage by taking advantage of breakthrough technologies that could be integrated onto current systems.
Thirty-seven percent of the energy used in the United States comes from oil. Natural gas comes in at second, contributes twenty five percent of the energy. Coal gives us twenty one percent of our energy while the other seventeen percent comes from other energy sources. Those other resources include nuclear, wind, and mostly solar. Besides the environmental harm that some people think fracking has, it has the potential to produce more natural gas and oil. It also is a non-renewable resource and will take a very long time for it to come back because of the earth’s natural creation. Solar and wind power are renewable, but do not produce enough energy to run our country. All of the solar panels and wind mills we have on the earth right now could ...
First of all, President Obama’s comments tell about how wind power is a clean and renewable way of providing energy. Also, wind energy has provided new jobs to people. Seventy-five thousand jobs across the United States depend on wind power. Wind energy and solar power combined are enough power to make sure that 13 million homes in America have reliable power.
The energy industry provides many different resource options for consumers to choose. Two main markets within this industry exist: conventional energy and alternative energy. Conventional forms of energy never suffer from low demand because of consumer’s familiarity with these resources. Alternative energy, on the other hand, is still a growing market. The United States government shows great interest in adapting to a lifestyle that uses these forms of energies by passing acts, creating energy policies, and subsidization to support the alternative energy market. But the conventional energy market still remains prevalent in the country. A government model of utilizing alternative resources needs to occur for the energy market to thrive amongst
As of 2008 the United States only 8.8% of the power they use is renewable, 71.9% fossil fuels, and 19.2% nuclear (Heinrichs, 18). Renewable energy sources are energy sources that can continuously be replenished without producing pollution. Right now the world depends on fossil fuels for energy but they are running out of them and need to find an alternative energy source. As more people are being born the demand for energy is rising and we need different ways to get it. Without a doubt renewable energy sources are better than fossil fuels because they do the same thing but in a cleaner and renewable way, but what you use the energy for always depends on how you get that energy to see if it’s worth it (Konrad). Although many people see renewable energy sources as positive alternatives, they do not know what negative effects they can have.
The year is 2200. The world is going through a fossil fuel shortage. Oil reserves are almost completely consumed and it is becoming impossible to find new fossil fuel sources. Not prepared for this event to occur, The United States, has no alternative options. As a result of the oil shortage, the standard of living deteriorates. Heat in homes, supermarkets full of food, and transportation, all basic necessities taken for granted, will be depleted because fossil fuels are used to power almost everything. The key to the prevention of this future is renewable energy. Unfortunately the support for the use of renewable energy is weak and ineffective. Unless the US puts forth effort to research and promote the use of renewable energy to consumers, conversion from fossil fuels to renewable energy will no longer be an option.
4 million jobs could be created by 2030 if California increased the use of renewable energy and low carbon energy, such as nuclear energy or natural gas, to be the primary energy source by more than 50% (3). A point to make is that green jobs will not be taken over seas (3). Manufacturing the materials to build solar panels, wind turbines, or other materials for renewable energy sources, might be made in countries with low cost labor, but the main installations and design cannot be done from overseas (3). Additionally, the rate at which fossil-fuel energy jobs, like coal mines, are lost are at a lower rate than the growth rate of green jobs being produced. Green jobs need highly skilled people to maintain these renewable energy resources, so a government program that would train people to install solar panels could increase job opportunities as the rise in solar energy usage increases. A program like this will bring about more jobs needed and also encourage energy
"Jobs in Renewable Energy Expanding." Worldwatch Institute. Worldwatch Institute, 8 July 2008. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
I believe any negative economic effects that the transition from traditional to renewable energy may have on our economy would be counteracted by the plethora of positive effects that would come about as a result. According to ucusa.org, renewable energy already supports thousands of jobs in the United States alone. For example, in 2011, the wind energy industry directly employed 75,000 full-time-equivalent employees in a variety of capacities, including manufacturing, project development, construction and turbine installation, operations and maintenance, transportation and logistics, and financial, legal, and consulting services. Other renewable energy technologies, such as the solar industry, employ even more workers. According to the National Solar Job Census taken in 2011, over 100,000 people were employed both part-time and full-time within the industry. That data alone is a promising figure considering renewable energy is still in it’s
In chapter thirteen of our book, Environment by Raven and Berg, it shows us just how important renewable energy sources are. Currently the United States of America thrives on the use of fossil fuels and nuclear power. The main problems with these types of fuel are that they are both limited and can be extremely harmful to our environment. They cause global warming, air pollution, acid rain, and oil spills (Environment), and not only that, but in the grand scheme of things, these sources really aren’t even that cheap of a fuel source. There are many alternatives to these all but outdated fuel sources.
For years man has relied on energy in order to be successful in life. The industrial revolution relied on coal for the new inventions brought into the world. Life as has never been the same since then. However since that time, there has been little done to improve on energy efficiency and humans still primarily rely on fossil fuels for energy. For over a hundred years the Earth has become more polluted and dirtier than ever before. Now, with new, innovative technology there is an opportunity to change that and to rely on renewable, cleaner sources of energy. The main source of energy for the world should be alternative energy instead of energy from fossil fuels.
Using fossil fuels such as coal and oil is inefficient, dangerous, and otherwise a process that is known to eventually fail as a long lasting energy source. Yet, there is hope for the future of energy, this new hope has many shapes and forms, but requires a chance to be fully implemented in our everyday life. Such energy sources like solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, and hydro power are the key to our future. These energy sources are proven to be long lasting, safe, more reliable, and the next innovation. In short, all Americans should switch to renewable energy, resulting in a safer and more efficient world.
The world that we live into today affords us the expectation that the flip a switch will turn the lights on. As populations increase and developing nations undergo dramatic economic growth, this energy demand will only continue to grow. The International Energy Agency (IEA) believes that “the world’s energy needs could be 50% higher in 2030 than they are today” (ElBaradei). Given this projected growth, it is necessary for world leaders must take action to secure the energy supply. Meaning that world leaders need to start seriously considering an alternative to non-renewable energy sources. “In 2012, the United States generated about 4,054 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. About 68% of the electricity generated was from fossil fuel (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), with 37% attributed from coal” (U.S. Energy Information Administration). The fossil fuels that are used to supply over half of our country’s energy are in finite supply and are increasing in price to astronomical heights.