What is the problem of energy?

ENS102D

Feb. 6, 2006

Review

• What are the three strategic environmental themes emphasized by Wright?– Sustainability

– Stewardship

– Sound Science

• What are the three integrative environmental themes emphasized by Wright?– Ecosystem capital

– Policy and Politics

– Globalization

Review

• What is sustainability?– Definition– Five components

• Ecosystems use sunlight as their main source of energy

• Ecosystems are built upon interrelationships not independence

• Ecosystems dispose of wastes and replenish nutrients by recycling

• Ecosystems, regulate the size of member populations• Ecosystems, maintain (bio)diversity

Review

• What is sound science?– Data– Shaping principles– Theories

Questions about energy?

• Where does energy come from?

• How does energy work?

• What are our major sources of energy?

• How is energy produced?

• Do we have an energy crisis?

What is the problem of energy?

• #1 Energy is not cheap

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crude_oil

What is the problem of energy?

• #1 Energy is not cheap

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crude_oil

What is the problem of energy?

• #2 Energy use is increasing

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/earth_lights_lrg.jpg

What is the problem of energy?

• #2 Energy use is increasing–  Global energy

consumption will soar 60 percent over the next 25 years, Exxon Mobil Corp. forecast Tuesday in its annual energy outlook. Dec 2005 CBS News

What is the problem of energy?

• #3 Energy use is not equally distributed

http://www.unep.org/geo/geo3/english/086.htm

What is the problem of energy?• #3 Energy use is not equally distributed as a

resource

http://www.rff.org/rff/News/Features/Global-Energy-Resources-Supplemental-Material.cfm

What is the problem of energy?• #3 Energy use is not equally distributed by use

http://www.rff.org/rff/News/Features/Global-Energy-Resources-Supplemental-Material.cfm

What is the problem of energy?• #4 Fossil fuel is limited

– Peak oil - Hubbert Curves

What is the problem of energy?• #4 Fossil fuel is limited

– Peak oil - Hubbert Curves

http://www3.sympatico.ca/drrennie/spike.html

What is the problem of energy?• #5 Sound science, sustainability, and

stewardship are being ignored in favor of economic policy.

What is the problem of energy?• # 6 others?

http://www.rff.org/rff/News/Features/Global-Energy-Resources-Supplemental-Material.cfm

Question for WednesdaySo what do we do about fossil

fuels?

Resources• http://cbsnews.cbs.com/stories/2005/12/13/tech/main1123160.shtml

• http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article343301.ece• http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/driving/articles/105512/article.html

• http://www.edmunds.com/fueleconomy/?mktcat=oilprice&kw=current+price+of+oil&mktid=ga9914898

• http://peakoil.com/

• http://www.eia.doe.gov/neic/quickfacts/quickoil.html

• http://www.edmunds.com/advice/specialreports/articles/105901/article.html

• doe this week in petroleum http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/twip/twip.asp

• crude oil price animation http://www.forbes.com/static_html/oil/2004/oil.shtml

• wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crude_oil