Editorial

Around the world, Americans as a group are described using one characteristic...greedy. This certainly is not true for every American, but despite the outrageous stereotype, there are still prominent reasons for our bad reputation. One of the main reasons is our non-renewable energy consumption. China, the country with the largest population, uses an estimated 6.93 million barrels of oil a day, according to the World Fact book, while the US uses approximately 20 million barrels a day, can someone say oil-hog? The United States has failed miserably at reducing its independence on oil. While Europe is developing wind and solar energy, the US considers drilling for oil in its outer continental shelf. The US also refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol last year, which would have been a major advancement in fighting climate change for the US. While it is easy to say that those problems are the fault of the government, the American civilians must be the ones to start the change toward alternative energy. While some are skeptical toward the practicality of alternative energies, they are more viable for the future than a future of oil, coal, and natural gas.

First, the excuse that alternative energies can’t work as effectively as fossil fuels has been completely wiped out. This has happened with an influx of European countries going green and pursuing alternatives full throttle. For example, Denmark has turned to wind energy, and wind power now provides 20% of electricity to the country. Alternative energies such as this can be viable with the current technology, and with more research, the alternatives will become more effective.

A second problem that arises when considering alternative energy is their cost. The cost to build a solar, wind or nuclear power plant is very expensive. However, studies in Europe have shown that the cost of building the plant is worthwhile, because the production costs are much cheaper than that of fossil fuels. The US must rise above the costs of building the plants, and see the end result of developing alternative energies.

The last reason why alternative energies should be pursued are the eco-friendliness of many alternative energies. Fossil fuels such as coal produce negative climate effects, such as acid rain, smog, and other air pollution. The carbon dioxide released into the air also contributes to the greenhouse effect, which is a cause of global warming. On the other hand, many alternatives release few or no carbon dioxide emissions. Not only would this decrease the greenhouse effect, but it would also increase the quality of life for many Americans. The effects of pollution from fossil fuels create an adverse environment, especially in urban areas. If a switch to alternative energies was made, pollution would gradually decrease, making the environment much more pleasant in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

Americans must follow in the footsteps of many European countries, and make a major switch to relying on alternative energies instead of fossil fuels. This switch must start with civilians, if Americans pursue energy efficient and eco-friendly resources in their daily lives, America and the world will have a brighter future.