American politics(energy) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

American politics(energy) - Essay Example Without developing renewable energy sources such as hydrogen, we face a probable future of global war over the last remaining oil. We also will aggravate global warming and the environmental pollution, possibly to irreversible levels. There is also potential for the global economy to collapse, sending our civilization into virtual decline. Most of these events are already beginning to occur, and will worsen if no new path of action is taken. In order to avoid this crisis our world is heading towards, the National Issues Forums (NIF) booklet â€Å"The Energy Problem: Choices for an Uncertain Future† suggests three possible solutions to our present energy situation. The first approach is to utilize our national untapped reserves of oil, natural gas and coal. This approach seems to merely prolong our problem of needing to find long-term alternative energy, at best buying a few more years until the world’s supply of oil is too low to avoid major global crises. This approach also continues to pollute the environment, and will destroy the some of our country’s last fragile pristine environments, such as the Alaskan wilderness. The second approach is to use more wind, solar and nuclear power. Wind and solar power may not be able to meet our high demand for energy. Nuclear power is dangerous and dirty, requiring the disposal of radioactive waste that destroys environments. Wind and solar power have the advantage that people can install this form of energy production locally in order to become more energy independent. The great part of this approach is that we can finally work to reverse climate change. When hydrogen power is also included, these renewable energy sources make the greatest choice (minus nuclear power, unless a way is found to safely clean it up). The third approach is to use less energy and use energy more efficiently. This solution is