While some look to government action, ultimately each of us are responsible for leading our own energy revolution. After all, it is us who stand to gain the most from efficient, clean, and affordable fuel and energy!
The EPA estimates CO2 emissions from the average American home make up about 17% of total U.S. emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions from homes comes mostly from electrical use and heating, both which can be reduced or eliminated through smart energy solutions.
Impact
The average household CO2 emissions from electricity are approximately 7.4 metric tons per year (about 16,290 lbs). A coal burning power plant emits more greenhouse gases per unit of electricity than a power plant that uses natural gas, however both go to extremes to harvest the energy from the earth.
According to the US Energy Information Administration, the United States consumes 378 million gallons of gasoline, which is more than 19 million barrels of petroleum every day! This addiction equates to trillions of domestic income funding difficult extractions of dirty fuels all around the world. The facts are that petroleum energy is depleting and going up in price, causing economic strife for people and businesses everywhere. Our transportation is ripe for a green change!
Impact
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates a typical passenger vehicle annually emits 5.5 metric tons of carbon dioxide. This equates to 20 lbs of CO2 per gallon of gasoline it consumes.
Fossil fuels are the biggest contributor to a person’s typical carbon footprint. In addition the environmental consequences of harvesting so much fossil fuel can be devastating. Drilling and refining is known to cause air, water, and ecosystem pollution, while the burning of fossil fuels is the leading contributor to the greenhouse gases that accelerate climate change.
Oil as a fossil fuel takes millions of years to form underground, so by their very nature, they are non-renewable - so once we use it - there is no more. Experts now have reason to believe Peak Oil has already occurred or is on the verge of occurring, which means that the rate of discovery for oil has stopped increasing, while demand continues to expand globally. The fact is that the supply of oil civilization depends so heavily on is running out. Lessening or eliminating our dependence on oil lessens the impacts we may face as oil skyrockets in price, or is rationed.