The Energy Story
The Energy Problem
Conservation
of Energy
Aging
of Energy
Finite
Resources
The
Oil "Crisis"
Energy
Pollution
Discussion
Topics
The Energy Solution |
Topic
|
TOPIC
QUESTION: Should Americans reduce their energy use, considering
how much more energy they use than people in other countries.
|
Introduction
|
"In 1999, with less than 5 % of the world's population,
the US generated 30 % of the world's GDP (Gross Domestic Product),
consumed 25 % of the world's energy, and emitted 25 % of the
world's carbon dioxide."
"The
United Nations compiles annual statistics about human development
and the environment in 174 countries. The statistics relate
to energy use, life expectancy, nutrition and health, income
and poverty, carbon dioxide emissions, and so on. Three of
the indicators are combined to calculate a Human Development
Index (HDI). The UN's HDI is considered by many to be a fair
measure of basic human well-being."
"Alan
Pasternak...found a correlation between electricity consumption
and the HDI (see the figure). His analysis showed that HDI
reached a high plateau when a nation's people consumed about
4000 kWh (kilowatthours) of electricity annually per capita..."
From
Physics Today web site, SPECIAL
ISSUE: The Energy Challenge , adapted from
A. Pasternak, Global Energy Futures and Human Development:
A Framework for Analysis, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
rep. no. UCRL-ID-140773 (October 2000).
See full report at Lawrence
Livermore Laboratory Page
(approved for public release; further dissemination unlimited)
Considering
the above data, it would seem that the US could reduce its
energy consumption and still maintain a high HDI.
|
Some Pros and Cons
|
Pros
|
Cons
|
Since
the US uses so much energy per person, it can easily reduce
its consumption by taking a number of simple conservation steps. |
The
US needs to use more energy per person because the country is
so large, which requires many more miles of driving. |
By
cutting down on energy use, the US would become more efficient,
lower prices, and stimulate the economy.
|
Cutting
back on energy use would slow down the US's growth rate and
hurt its economy. |
If
the world's oil supply either runs out or is cut off, the
US would be forced to cut down its energy consumption quickly.
The use of coal would dramatically increase air pollution
and shale oil is not a proven technology at this time.
|
The
US still has huge reserves of coal and shale oil if needed in
the future. And new energy supplies will keep on being developed. |
The
US can use its tremendous technology to increase energy efficiency,
and still maintain almost the same high standard of living.
|
The
US's strength of innovation, based on research and development,
require large amounts of energy. |
By
continuing to consume energy at its present rate, the US is
dependent on foreign sources of energy and is running a huge
balance of payments deficit.
|
The
US can use all the energy it wants, as long as it is rich enough
to pay for it. |
|
|
|