The Energy Crisis
Peter Evans
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I. WHAT IS THE ENERGY CRISIS?
Webster defines crisis as a “decisive moment”or “turning point”. We are now at an extremely critical stage of using energy beyond a practical limit. We have increased our usage enormously, especially oil, in the past decade. The consequence is we are quickly exhausting our finite supplies of oil and natural gas. As a result, we are becoming more dependent on foreign sources of oil to keep our country functioning. In 1977 the United States with only 6 percent of the world’s population consumed approximately 30 percent of the energy produced in the world. These statistics are startling reminders of our insatiable energy appetite. Some people may ask “do we have an energy crisis”. The answer is a definite yes. Our next step is to realize we are at a crucial time if we are to reverse our terrible trip towards energy starvation. We will have to recognize our mounting trouble and act decisively to stem the tide.
