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.
...m fossil fuels, there remains alternative resources that can easily be taken advantage of. So why isn’t the United States taking this deeply into consideration and improving this dilemma? The energy crisis of the 1970’s continues on into the present as Americans search for new ways to fuel the consumption. This remains unresolved.
Semantically fossil fuels are a renewable source of energy, however given that it takes millions of years for the organic materials to be broken down and converted, it is wholly unrealistic to consider them as renewable. As the demand for fossil fuels increases and source diminish faster than they are replentished, the United States must work towards a renewable energy independent state using truly renable sources, both technically and in practice. With changes in the home, as consumers in buying goods and with alternative fuel sources backed by public trust and governmental involvement, the United States could drastically lessen its dependence on fossil fuels, foreign and domestic.
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.
There is a grave and pressing danger lurking through the atmosphere, afflicting oceans, and preying on the environment. But the most bone-chilling monster is the shadow of oblivion cast on society. Living as if it were the 18th century, America remains stuck in an industrial revolution mindset. According to The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, “The United States gets 81% of its total energy from oil, coal, and natural gas, all of which are fossil fuels” (Fossil Fuels par. 1 ). The unfaltering dependency on fossil fuels is a capricious practice that will eventually fall victim to lack of materials and startling consequences. Now is the time to reject ignorance and to
Instilling this new way of energy usage into off-grid communities will inevitably increase the state of living for those in cities and other well-populated areas. The change to renewable energy sources could drastically lower the pollutants currently being dispersed into the atmosphere by coal mines and other harmful power options, increasing the supply of renewable energy would allow us to replace carbon-intensive energy sources and significantly reduce U.S. global warming emissions. a 25 percent by 2025 national renewable electricity standard would lower power plant CO2 emissions 277 million metric tons annually by 2025—the equivalent of the annual output from 70 typical (600 MW) new coal plants (“Benefits of Renewable Energy Use”). Electricity production accounts for more than one-third of U.S. global warming emissions, with the majority generated by coal-fired power plants.
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 dependency on fossil fuels is a pressing issue for not only America, but the whole world. People everywhere continue to search for solutions to the growing problem by taking steps to create a cleaner environment, reduce the price of fuel consumers pay and most importantly, protect the nation’s security from foreigners. America, being one of the leading consuming nations of fossil fuels, is negatively affecting the environmental, economic and political aspects pertaining to its dependency on non-renewable resources.
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 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.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, over half of the oil used in the USA is imported. Most of this imported oil is located in the middle east and is controlled by OPEC members. Subsequent oil price shocks and price manipulation by OPEC have cost our economy dearly—about $1.9 trillion from 2004 to 2008—and each major shock was followed by a recession (Reduce). We may never be able to fully eliminate our need to import oil, but we can reduce cartel market control and the economic impact of price shocks by reducing our demand (Reduce). One way we can reduce our reliance on oil is through investing in renewable energy. Solar power, wind power, and hydro power are all forms of energy which come from renewable resources. Unlike oil, solar, wind and hydro electric power is abundant and can be obtained locally.
Alternative energy sources are renewable, and is most commonly referred to as free energy sources. There are many alternative energy sources such as hydro power, solar power, wind, biomass, and geothermal. Using alternative sources is more expensive in the long run, but it is the much safer option for our environment compared to fossil fuels. Although everything used is completely free, such as water and wind, the equipment used to generate these things are expensive. There are several pros and cons that come with the utilization of alternative energy sources.
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 infancy.
With the depletion of fossil fuel resources comes speculations and debates about alternative energy sources. The world, including the Philippines, is practically dependent on a dwindling non-renewable source of energy. Today, experts are debating about and considering three options: Nuclear, Solar, or Wind Energy. Everyone has been accustomed to the bad image of nuclear energy as a result of the Chernobyl and Fukushima incidents above all others. The popular belief is that radiation from a nuclear meltdown is very harmful to humans and other living things—which is true—and that nuclear power plants are very dangerous and not ideal—which is not. According to Smith, et. al (n.d), all the nuclear disasters that ever occurred were caused by human error and natural disasters like tsunamis, not one because of system failure. Putting the false beliefs aside, with proper engineering and adequate maintenance by experts, a nuclear power plant is a very ideal and viable source of energy for the following reasons:
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.
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.