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While technology has increased our real and potential efficiency of energy use, these advances have been dwarfed by rapidly growing energy demand. Between 1850 and 1970 the number of people on the earth tripled. During that same period, energy consumption rose by a factor of twelve. Between 1970 and 2002 energy use rose another 68 percent. Today the expanding economies of developing nations such as China and India are reflecting a dramatically increasing need for energy. By 2025, some experts predict that China will overtake Japan as the second highest oil consumer behind the United States. At the same time, U.S. energy demand shows no sign of waning. The average U.S. resident consumes five times more energy than the average global citizen.
The U.S. is highly dependent on a diminishing supply of fossil fuels. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that in 2004 nearly 86% of our energy consumption came from oil, natural gas and coal. Approximately 8% came from nuclear power and only 6% came from renewable energy. With questions of global energy availability and security looming large in our future, this unbalanced consumption is clearly unsustainable and a threat to this and future generations. Indeed many experts believe that we are today at or near peak oil production, and that a crisis is imminent.
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U.S. Primary Energy Consumption
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration. Click for larger image Did You Know . . .
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Copyright [2007] [Eco-Justice Collaborative]. All rights reserved Eco-Justice Collaborative 1645 W. Jarvis Avenue ▪ Chicago, IL 60626 ▪ 773.556.3417 / 773.556.3418 ejc@ecojusticecollaborative.org ▪ www.ecojusticecollaborative.org
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