Essay about Energy Consumption in the United States

Most of the energy that we use comes from fossil fuels like petroleum and coal that provide electricity and gas to power our growing energy needs. These fossil fuels, currently providing most of our home energy needs are finite resources, which mean that, they will eventually run out. Furthermore, the world’s population is growing rapidly. Countries are becoming more industrialised and are using notable amount of energy. Individuals are consuming nearly twice as much as energy as they were using 30 years ago. In Australia itself, the total amount of energy consumed by households has increased over the past two decades and is forecast to increase. This could be due to the dependence of our standard of living on easily available energy. Between

One thing Americans waste is electricity. First of all many Americans will leave the lights on in a room that is not occupied is a key example of a waste of electricity. To conserve energy all one has to do is shut off the lights when leaving a room. Americans have gotten used to leaving lights on that it has become a habit. An additional waste of electric is leaving the television on all night, whenever they are not home, or when they are out of the room. Most televisions have an option nowadays to set a timer for the TV to shut off by itself. If a person is afraid of the dark they should invest in a night light that saves energy. And last but not least when people are hungry, they dig around in the refrigerator looking for something to eat; leaving the refrigerator door open too long waste electric. A prime example of leaving the refrigerator door open is while putting away groceries or when looking

Thomas talked about the importance of understanding the current problems and our resources are starting to become limited as the United States is becoming over populated with a high consuming generation of middle class people. Friedman recommends that green energy will be the next major advancement that will help slow down global warming and the use of our resources. The book explains the needs for the renewable energy technology that will ultimately make the United States the strongest

When we turn on the lights and don’t turn them off , when we leave sinks on when we brush our teeth instead of turning them off until we need them. We are wasting energy by not realizing how much this could affect the environment. Animals, plants, humans, and minerals rely on energy to get the nutrients they need and to help give the plants their strength so they can provide food, flowers and other

Most Americans probably don’t think that it’s that big of a deal to conserve energy, but it’s a pretty big deal. If we started conserving energy more than it would possibly improve our national security because we won’t have to depend on the other foreign countries. Also if we started using energy efficiency we would save energy resources.

With the world population now past 7 billion, the demand for energy is at the highest level it as ever been. The average person today uses 57 kWh of energy per day, with the United States using a staggering 228 kWh of energy per person per day. This includes everything from home heating and cooking, powering appliances, lighting cities, and transportation. In 2008, the total world production of energy was approximately 20,261 TWh. Roughly 37% of this energy came from petroleum, 25% came from natural gas, and 21% came from coal. About 41% of the total energy produced goes to electric power, while approximately 28% goes to transportation.

Remember that the average American uses twice as much energy during their lifetime than the average European, so obviously we don't need to use as much energy as we do. It is selfish, ludicrously so, that we have 5% of the worlds population, yet we consume 20% of its energy. Using as much energy as we do is also destroying our environment. I know I want my grandchildren to be able to see beautiful redwood trees and breathtaking forests, but it is up the citizens of the United States if that is something that could take place. America is known as a wasteful country...is that what we want to be known as? I don't think so. It is so easy to change that perspective though, just invest in more energy efficient products and do the simple things such as turning off lights, cars, and computers. It's in your hands now...what do you want your country to be known for? You can make the

The energy crisis in America is often placed on the back burner to the average American citizen. Generally, one will only care about this crisis when the price of gas changes. The energy crisis, however, is a prominent issue as it is “ongoing and getting worse, despite many efforts” (Rinkesh). The world’s natural resources, such as oil, coal, and natural gas, cannot supply the world’s increasing demand. The amount of crude oil available is only 2 percent higher than the demand for it (Muise). If the demand expands any higher, then the limited supply of natural resources “will be gone for good” (“Learn about Energy”). It is projected that there is enough oil to last 34 more years, enough natural gas to last 53 more years, and enough coal

Energy has been a huge problem in the past decade in the United States, primarily because of global warming and climate change. Clinton said, “I won’t let anyone take us backward, deny our economy the benefits of harnessing a clean energy future, or force our children to endure the catastrophe that would result from unchecked climate change.” Hillary Clinton has proposed two main national goals to fight climate change, create jobs, protect the health of American families, and make the United States of America the world’s clean energy superpower. The first goal that Secretary Clinton proposes is to have more than 500 million solar panels installed by the end of her first term- this will create good-paying jobs. This will also cut energy waste in homes, schools, and hospitals by a third, as well as reduce American oil consumption by a third- energy will be secured by reducing the amount of oil consumed in the United States and around the world. Her second goal is to provide enough clean renewable energy to power every single home in the United States within ten years of taking office.

In fact, Jimmy Carter stated, “[America] is the most wasteful nation … use twice as much energy per person [than] Germany, Japan, and Sweden” (Carter, Primary Resources: Proposed Energy Policy, 1977). It was certainly a double-edged sword to many Americans since the environmental crisis was occurring at the same time were focused on conservations and cleanup efforts and to reduce oil drilling, meanwhile oil supply was almost nonexistent and being used so carelessly that it became an inevitable to drill for more oil. The dependence on oil is evident in a graph where in the late 1970s, petroleum energy consumption is nearly at 40 quadrillion Btu, and natural gas was at 20 quadrillion Btu (07 Environment-Oil Crisis Readings.pdf). Alternative energy sources were considered, but these sources were just as dangerous, if not worse to produce, due to their cost and power per unit. In fact, it was a talking point in Carter’s televised speech to seek for more alternative resources, use the most of what was left, and “apply stricter safety standards to nuclear energy” after the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island (Carter, Primary Resources: Proposed Energy Policy,

Built around energy infrastructure fueled by nonrenewable resources, the United States transformed from an agrarian society of rural landholders to a giant in the industrialized world. With this astonishing feat arose a multitude of cities, urbanizing America. From fossil fuels alone, Americans are provided with heating, transportation, and electricity. However, it will not be for another millennium until the organic matter subjected to immense heat and pressure becomes viable sources to power the world. As these nonrenewable resources are continued to be quickly consumed, it is imperative to consider alternative sources of energy, such as renewables, before American reverts back to Jefferson’s agrarian ideal with a society of farmers on small land units.

We live in a world where energy is used in massive numbers every day. In this essay, we will look into how two very different countries use energy and the amounts they use. America is a country well known in the energy field as we are one of the biggest consumers of energy in the world. The Philippines however use three times less energy than America. Let’s now turn our attention to America and see how the use energy.

In the United States of America, a total of four thousand and fifty-eight billion kilowatt hours of energy is produced. A Kilowatt hour is a measure of electrical energy that is equal to the utilization of power of one thousand watts for one hour. Before we get into the energy being consumed in the United States, we must understand what energy is because of how often it is used. Energy is power and work that comes from chemical or physical resources which are essential to what power light and heat, or to work machinery. Not only does machinery use energy, but everyone uses it in everything they do.

As the population rises, the demand for energy increases as well. Americans expect the convenience of electrical power to be there when they need it and their economy depends on it, but a lack of power might soon be a reality. A large amount of electricity in the United States is produced by burning fossil fuels. The national government, as well as individual states, are on a quest for less pollution, but with the energy demand so high it seems lower carbon emissions are impossible. Despite claims that the aging electrical grid is to blame for energy shortages, fossil fuel power generation plants simply cannot keep up with demand. While there is no question the electrical grid needs modernizing, alternative forms of energy production, such

The world in general, and especially in the United States, consumes a lot of energy. This has been known for a very long time. We have used fossil fuels, nuclear power plants, and other traditional means to make energy. Recently, many parties, including environmentalist parties, have said that we should use more environmentally friendly ways to produce energy. Which solution is right is debatable, but one thing is certain: Finding a solution to the problem is critical.