Johneeo said:
The answer to energy is simple. Coal and oil.
Simplest answer, yes. No one is disputing that doing what we are already doing is the easiest thing to do.
But both are finite resources with ecological downsides.
Also, there's the rather stark reality that the Middle East is fucked up enough - could you imagine what would happen if the Western World no longer needed their oil?
Sure, all the troops would come home but only until World War III started.
The Philippines garners 27% of their national power usage from geothermal energy. That's the highest rate I could find.
And while California has the biggest geothermal power station - it's only 0.3%.
Nuclear power, on the other hand, has much greater results.
France has the highest at 80%!
And while the US produces the most Nuclear energy, it only covers 19% of consumption.
So... the most obvious thing to factor in is the size of the country.
Also, ALL of the US is filled. Sure, there's some desert in Nevada and Texas, but it's nothing like Australia where 90% of the population is around the coast.
There is also a huge difference of power requirements from megacities like NYC and Tokyo, compared to rural areas.
The answer is diversity. Yes, the staples of coal and oil will always be there. But with the population growing everyday with projections that we will hit 8.5 billion by 2030 (thank you India), sustainability is not just about coal and oil.
Soon we won't have the luxury of feeling superior as we buy our free range eggs, as it just isn't practical for chickens to run free. More forests will have to be cut down for farmland.
Future wars will be about resources, not religious ideology.
Oh God this is depressing!
I need wine and veal!
Cheers,
Jenifer