This article addresses
the issue of the great dependance our nation has of foreign oil. 56% of the
United States' oil is imported and by 2025 that number will increase to 68%. To
increase our domestic supply, the
U.S should search for new areas to drill. Alaska
and offshore drilling areas should be looked into to increase domestic oil.
This will decrease our need on imported oil from foreign nations, many of whom
do not have the best of relationships with the United States.
Thanks to developments in modern
technology, we can drill for oil and have less of an impact on the environment.
Tracts of land used for drilling now have been reduced to about the size of a
small city airport but maintain the same amount of oil collected. Also, air
pollution has decreased 54% due to the increasing efforts of burning coal more
efficiently and cleanly by capturing and removing green house gas emissions and
pollutants. The department of energy is focusing on a project called FutureGen,
a $950 million initiative to build the world's first coal-fired electricity
generating plant that emits no pollution through a process called carbon
sequestration. FutureGen would also produce hydrogen which will hopefully
replace petrolium used in automitves. Nuclear Power Plants will also begin to
be developed for the first time since 1970 and will increase the amount of
electricity produced without any type of pollution production or harmful gas
emissions.
The article then goes on to explain
the benefits of energy conservation and how the Department of Energy is
encouraging homeowners to choose “Energy Star” rated homes and appliances.
Simply turning off the lights in a room when it is not in use and unplugging
appliances can help save money as well as energy.
~ Samuel Conrad
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