Our decision about energy will test the character of the American people and the ability of the President and the Congress to govern. This difficult effort will be the "moral equivalent of war" -- except that we will be uniting our efforts to build and not destroy. . .
We must look back in history to understand our energy problem. Twice in the last several hundred years there has been a transition in the way people use energy.
The first was about 200 years ago, away from wood -- which had provided about 90 percent of all fuel -- to coal, which was more efficient. This change became the basis of the Industrial Revolution.
The second change took place in this century, with the growing use of oil and natural gas. They were more convenient and cheaper than coal, and the supply seemed to be almost without limit. They made possible the age of automobile and airplane travel. Nearly everyone who is alive today grew up during this age and we have never known anything different. . .
The world has not prepared for the future. During the 1950s, people used twice as much oil as during the 1940s. During the 1960s, we used twice as much as during the 1950s. And in each of those decades, more oil was consumed than in all of mankind's previous history. . .
Each American uses the energy equivalent of 60 barrels of oil per person each year. Ours is the most wasteful nation on earth. We waste more energy than we import. With about the same standard of living, we use twice as much energy per person as do other countries like Germany, Japan and Sweden. . .
If we fail to act soon, we will face an economic, social and political crisis that will threaten our free institutions.
-- Excerpted from nationally televised address by President Jimmy Carter, April 18, 1977.
Or to put it another way, in the words of James Brown:
People, people
We got to get over
Before we go under
Listen to me
Let's get together
And get some land
Raise our food like the man
Save our money like the Mob
Put up a fight down on the job
Excerpt from "Funky President (People It's Bad)," 1974.
Today's Rune: Wholeness.
4 comments:
We definitely need to be spending money, perhaps in taxes on oil companies, for developing alternate fuels. You've gotta know the stuff will eventually run out.
Here, you'll like this site.
the Oil Drum
Erik, to diminish the consumption is to decelerate the growth, the production, the consumerism lives in an alive wheel! Here in Brazil saved electric energy hidro for force of the cost: she is expensive. Thus everything that it moves with the pocket, is saved. Thus it must be, however never one bought as many electric and electronic products. Brazil also is between the 5 producing and exporting greaters of cars, where wants to arrive? I find that the question is this that deserves reply. We do not need in such a way to live, we need to freiar the consumerism. To walk more to the foot, of bicycle, skids to practise ecology human being and terms better quality of life. Beijus
Thanks y'all for the comments!
Nunya, a good link, indeed.
Luma, here's to hopin' for the simpler ways of life.
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