What Does Being Energy Independent Mean To You Essay

In addition, we depend on oil and natural gas for energy to drive our cars, heat our houses, provide air

“If we do nothing, it doesn't matter how we feel. And that’s exactly what oil companies are banking on: out of sight, out of mind” (Hart, 24). In his article, 50 Miles Out, Brandt Hart explains the controversy surrounding offshore oil drilling along the east coast. This argument on whether to end or continue drilling started when new oil and gas leasing programs were made for 2017-2022, which included plans for oil and gas “exploration and development” in federal waters (Hart. 24). This plan also includes more oil drilling along American coasts, more specifically the Gulf of Mexico and east coast of the U.S.

Another benefit from switching to clean-burning natural gas is a decrease in pollutants in the air, which will decrease airborne illnesses and premature deaths. He discusses the impact of energy independence for countries that rely on insecure regions for their energy needs. For example, the U.S. will rely less on the Middle East, Europe will rely less on Russia and India will rely less on Iran. By presenting fracking as the answer to the world’s problems, Pierce counters the arguments of critics who cite the environmental problems of fracking. His paper is one-sided because he leaves out the other side of the debate by ignoring any negative aspects of fracking.

Living off the grid is defined as being “not connected to or served by publicly or privately managed utilities” by Merriam-Webster.com. The interest in living off-grid is for several reasons, such as practicing self-reliance and making more sustainable choices for the environment. Living off the grid has no value as purchasing necessities for off-grid living is still expensive, negatively affects those not lively off-grid, and most people living off-grid still contribute to the global economy which produces vast amounts of pollution and negatively impacts the environment. Firstly, Source B describes how Dan Burr spent thousands of dollars purchasing solar panels to live off the grid and yet, source A believes low-income communities can afford

Due to more and more cities switching from fossil fuels to cleaner, more sustainable sources of energy, coal became less and less a part of each Americans daily life. For example, in 1966, one of John Lindsays major campaign ideas that got him elected mayor of New York City planned to eliminate the use of coal in the city. He did this by “, requiring reduction of the maximum sulfur content of coal and oil from its original level of 2.8% to 1% in three stages in five years.” These sanctions made it impossible for coal to be used as a fuel source, leading New York to leave coal in the past and look for other methods of energy. However, just because coal vanished from parts of America, does not mean it disappeared entirely.

The US is going to use some source of energy and that will always have some negative effects on the environment. The alternative sources for the energy we need have negative effects on the environment as well. “In 2011 U.S. coal-fired power plants emitted nearly two billion metric tons of greenhouse gases -- roughly eight times the amount produced by mining, refining and burning tar sands”(Biello). Canada is going to develop a pipeline system to export oil whether it’s to the US or other countries, like China, that are trying to get access to this resource.

They are two crucial aspects to the topic of energy, but are not included by the UN. A determinant reason that millions of people across the globe have to resort to biomass to cook is that the cost associated with modern energy makes it less accessible (Birol, p.1). This unfortunate situation is due to many reasons. A key reason is that many of the resources required to install energy plants are disproportionally controlled by a few geopolitical actors. This causes large fluctuations on the commodity prices all over the globe, making not only modern energy, but also other basic human development targets, such as shelters and transportations less attainable (Regnier, p.2).

Energy is a key factor in today's society, especially in Kentucky. Kentucky's main energy resource is coal, 91.8 percent of our energy comes from this resource but coal is nonrenewable, meaning that there is a limited amount of this type of fuel. Coal mining is also detrimental to the environment, people living and working in coal mining communities have a higher chance of getting lung cancer. with surface mining, this has been linked as a cause for poisoning local residences from the chemicals used in the mountaintop mining. there are still issues with the environment and natural wildlife in the surrounding areas of the coal mining as well.

Using natural gas from fracking is a better and safer alternative than using coal because natural gas does not emit as much carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. The graphs presented on natfuel.com shows that the amount of carbon dioxide

Where there is Energy: there is life Having Energy means having life yet we are running out of fuel. How are we going to survive if our energy sources are depleting. We must make a change. Confucius and Henry David Thoreau would argue upon whose responsibility the stewardship of natural resources would depend on, but both would agree that either the individuals, or a society should take action.

It is commonly known throughout human history that the energy used is burned from coal which creates biomass. During the Industrial Revolution, coal was an essential need to everyone, hence the discovery of oil as a substitute. Yet, the mass formation from the unearthing of oil causes more damage than benefits for the planet. Humanity had never seen a more compatible source in which came a higher demand for oil. As the public has urged to generate more oil, scientists theorized that fossil fuels will eventually run out, making way for a renewable energy route in the future (Mason).

“Renewable energy resources that is naturally regenerated over a short time scale and derived directly from the sun, indirectly from the sun or from other natural movement and mechanisms of the environment. Renewable energy does not include energy resources derived from fossil fuels, waste product from fossil sources, or waste products from inorganic sources.” There are a few types of renewable energy sources. 1) Wind Energy 2) Biomass 3)

Fossil fuels  Fossil fuels are NOT a renewable energy resource it will finish up one day As once we 've burned them all, there isn 't any more, and our consumption of fossil fuels has nearly doubled every 20 years since 1900. This is a particular problem for Oil, because we also use it to make plastics and many other products  Coal, Oil and Gas are called "fossil fuels" because they have been formed from the fossilized remains of prehistoric plants and animals. 

For example, if our only source of energy was the sun, we would not exist because of the chemical energy we need in our bodies. The sun provides us with thermal, radiant, and electrical energy which are essential for us. But, it does not provide us with the chemical, potential, gravitational, and kinetic energy that is also essential for us humans. Another similarity between our world today and Ember is how we are both running out of resources that are available to us. Ember’s hydroelectric generator is slowly starting to decay and age to the point where it is starting to turn on and off consistently and for long periods of time.

Energy is simply the capacity to do work. Energy has become one of the necessities of our modern life. Energy can have many forms like heat, electrical, chemical, nuclear, light, etc. In the pre historic era fuel wood was the major sources of energy. Conventional energy sources are the ones that have been using so far to fulfill most f our daily energy requirements of cooking, lighting, transportation etc.