Understanding the Effect of the World Energy Crisis on Your Life

Unless you've been living in a cave then you are aware our planet is facing an environmental crisis of epic proportions. It's all over the news. Our schools are teaching students about the subject. Presidential nominee Al Gore won a Nobel Peace Prize for his work "An Inconvenient Truth" and that it exactly what this crisis is for many people. It is inconvenient to us because we feel there is nothing one person can do to stop global warming. That is, until we realize that when humanity acts collectively there is much we can do about these devastating problems.

It helps to understand more about the issues at hand. One is the global dependence on oil. There is only a limited amount of oil in the world. It takes millions of years to form, so more cannot be made. Estimations reveal that at the rate our planet is consuming oil, it will run dry sometime within the next century or so. This may not affect you and me, but it affects our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Therefore we must discover and utilize other energy sources rather than continuing our unhealthy dependence on oil. The oil crisis directly affects everyone because supply and demand makes the price fluctuate. We see it reflected in the price of gasoline and the price of our heating bill.

Ethanol is an alternative to gasoline you may have heard of. While it may sound like a good solution, it is not without its disadvantages. Older cars are unable to use ethanol because it destroys the engine. This means you will need a newer car because more and more gas stations are adding a percentage of ethanol to the gasoline. The economy makes it difficult for many citizens to purchase a new vehicle they cannot afford. So, here is another way the global crisis affects your life.

The U.S. and various other countries use mostly ethanol made from corn. Using corn ethanol has an effect on the food supply. Corn grown to be eaten is now being grown to make ethanol. This means when you go to the grocery store for some corn you will find it costs more because there is now less of it. You may not go broke over a few ears of corn but it is still a reminder of our energy problem.

Whether you are paying more for corn or modifying your car to accommodate new types of fuel, you will find yourself affected by the world's energy crisis. It is important as a global citizen of Earth to take whatever steps you can to conserve energy and encourage those around you to do the same.

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