How to Survive the Coming Energy Crunch
If you drop a frog in boiling water, he'll jump out. But if you put him in tepid water and heat it slowly, he'll stay until you can serve him up as cuisses de grenouilles (frog's legs). The same thing is happening to us when it comes to the rising cost of energy. So don't wait, start doing something about it now!
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Recognize the trends. The Energy Information Administration projects that the demand for the world's oil will continue to grow faster than the supply. Since the U.S. is the world's biggest emitter of carbon dioxide, the next administration will have to finally confront global warming as an increasing threat. The result will inevitably drive our energy costs skyward for electricity sources like coal, which supplies close to half our electrical capacity. Although Americans have 5 percent of the world's population, we burn ΒΌ of the world's energy, costing about a million dollars a minute. To survive the coming energy crunch, those anticipated costs have to be factored in when buying anything that uses energy.
-
2
Look at the major economic sectors that use energy and understand how to trim power use.
-
-
3
Cut back in the area that is 90 percent dependent on petroleum products. A third of America's energy use is due to transportation, yet since 1988 average fuel economy in the U.S. actually declined due to the popularity of SUV's and light trucks. Ask yourself if you really need to drive. Can you run errands by walking or biking to the store instead? You'll burn no gas, and the aerobic activity is better for your health. Yesterday I had a talk with a friend who swears by his motorcycle As just one example, a 2005 Honda Shadow Spirit 750 gets more than 50 miles per gallon both highway and city. Riders can legally split lanes through rush hour traffic and take the carpool lane. If you're stuck on an SUV, hybrids are now available.
-
4
Be energy efficient at home. Twenty percent of U.S. energy use is residential. Older homes can be a nightmare of energy dissipation. Most of our home energy consumption is through heating, ventilating and cooling. Some of the most productive upgrades are simply installing insulation, including energy saving doors and windows. Landscaping can beautify the home while providing shade and blocking wind. Water heating comes next in home energy use. You can turn your thermostat down, insulate the delivery system, and take more showers as opposed to baths.
-
5
Become a smart consumer. Manufacturing uses 1/3 of U.S. energy. Since energy is a cost, businesses have a build in incentive to be efficient. As consumers, we can make an impact with our buying choices. On the average each of us generates half a ton of trash a year. We can severely cut this waste by buying only what we need, reusing what we can and recycling as much as possible.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
By cutting your energy consumption today, you'll not only save money in the long term, but cut back on carbon dioxide emissions to slow global warming.
When upgrading appliances, be sure to look for an Energy Star rating given to those designed to perform as well at lower power. Energy Guide labels on appliances will now give you estimated operating costs per year and make comparison shopping easy.
As economies like China and India continue to boom, the world wide demand for energy will zoom driving prices up further.
Don't be seduced into believing that an easy technological fix is imminent for this coming crunch.
