Energy Problem

Energy Problem

  • Submitted By: czupco
  • Date Submitted: 01/18/2009 6:41 AM
  • Category: Social Issues
  • Words: 1645
  • Page: 7
  • Views: 1240

Energy Problem
If you are someone who watches the news, then you know about the energy crisis the world is going through right now. Our two main sources of energy in the world are oil/gasoline, and coal. Both of these have magnificent negative repercussions surrounding them. As we all know, oil and gas prices are through the roof and it doesn’t look like they will get any better anytime soon. Coal is a fossil fuel that damages our atmosphere and it is not an unlimited resource. It will run out one day. As said in the article “Future Power: Where Will the World Get Its Next Energy Fix?” written by Michael Parfit, the world needs a new power source to fulfill its growing energy need. In this paper I will evaluate possible new energy sources to solve the energy crisis.
Oil has long been our main source of energy. The world’s top five crude oil-producing countries are:
• Saudi Arabia
• Russia
• United States
• Iran
• China
Over one-fourth of the crude oil produced in the United States is produced offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. The top crude oil-producing states are:
• Texas
• Alaska
• California
• Louisiana
• Oklahoma
The amount of crude oil produced (domestically) in the United States has been getting smaller each year.   However, the use of products made from crude oil has been growing, making it necessary to bring more oil from other countries.  About 58 percent of the crude oil and petroleum products used in the United States comes from other countries.
Gasoline is used in cars, diesel fuel is used in trucks, and heating oil is used to heat our homes. When petroleum products are burned as fuel, they give off carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that is linked with global warming. The use of petroleum products also gives off pollutants - carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and unburned hydrocarbons - that help form air pollution. Since a lot of air pollution comes from cars and trucks, many...

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