As Americans, we're lucky.
We have ample access to multiple types of energy sources, and we make use of it. According to the World Bank, the average American uses nearly 4 times as much energy as the average World citizen. That goes to the comfortable modern lifestyle of gasoline-powered transportation, heated homes, air conditioners, electronic devices, etc.
More energy usage gives us a longer life.
If you take a look at electricity use versus lifespan, the Japanese are both lucky enough to have ample access to energy, but also efficient enough to squeeze the most lifespan out of it. Again, as Americans, we're lucky. We use a lot of energy, and we have a respectable lifespan, as well. Modern healthcare (powered by energy), labor saving devices like dishwashers, washing machines, etc. all help us out and help us to live longer.
Source: Global Energy Network Institute
But this energy comes from some "dirty" sources
Powering our energy-rich lifestyle are three major sources: petroleum, coal, and natural gas.
And not all of our energy suppliers are our friends.
Most of our imported natural gas comes from Canada, with whom we're pretty friendly (except for during Olympic hockey matches). Petroleum, however, is another matter. The US imported over 60% of it's oil in 2007. After those friendly Canadians, the next largest exporter was Saudi Arabia- whose ruling class is generally friendly to us, but it is also home to many of the people who brought down the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Venezuela and Nigeria, also not very friendly to us, also exported a large amount to the US. This fact causes energy security and national security-concerned people to seek out alternative sources of energy, preferably ones that we can produce entirely in our home country.
Another reason to look for alternate energy sources - carbon dioxide emissions
Since Americans use four times as much energy as the average world citizen, we also emit four times as much carbon dioxide, according to the World Bank. Carbon dioxide is what's known as a "greenhouse gas" - it collects in the atmosphere and is thought to be driving the elevation in temperature that we showed on the blog yesterday.
Transportation and electric power - the biggest drivers of carbon dioxide
Here in the western states of the US, the major carbon dioxide producers/energy consumers are transportation activities and electric power.
Source: Sightline.org
Walking beats the bus, which beats the Prius, which beats the car, which. . .
Since transportation is a huge contributor to energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions, it's often the primary target of conservation and alternative energy campaigns. So until you can afford that all-electric Tesla Motors vehicle, here are some things to keep in mind. Taking a bus can mean that you're responsible for only 1/6th the amount of carbon dioxide emissions than if you drove your car. If you have a Prius (or a Nissan Leaf or hybrid Ford, etc.) you release about 1/2 the amount of carbon dioxide into the air.
Energy conservation and finding alternative energy sources clearly helps on two fronts: it limits our exposure to countries that don't particularly like us, and it reduces the amount of greenhouse gases that we put in the air.
But perhaps the question for the day is, what are the Japanese doing? If Americans were more like the Japanese, they would use 50% less energy and also live longer. Sounds like a good combination, considering the high quality of life that the Japanese have, as well. On that thought, here's a link to Sakura House, which can help you find a nice apartment in Tokyo.
