Even before the turn of the century, the world has seen many environmental protests shot down through lack of concern and listening.  The fear that spread through few is now reaching millions.  Civilizations before us have ceased their own existence; our very own technology is destroying the land we walk upon.  It’s time to change and bring alternative energy to reality.  President George Bush stated that the United States had become addicted to foreign oil; consumption of fossil fuels has double over the past twenty years. (Darvill p.1)  Countries all over the world are working on using different types of alternative energy in place of fossil fuels. (O’Connor p.1) Thanks to the United States government, citizens receive awards for their efforts toward alternative energy.  Consumers as well as companies can receive tax credits of 500 dollars and 30% by installing energy-efficient products. (Consumer p.1)  Nonrenewable resources are large groups of monopolies; each year for these careers can swing for the good or bad of the economy like the flip of a coin.  Alternative resources are consistent in their pricing and make an efficient amount of available energy each year.  Most of the nonrenewable energy sources have to be produced in factories to use, but alternative energy can be a person’s choice to use it in his or her own home.

            It has been proven that the United States is among top nations in the world that contribute more hazards to the threatening “greenhouse effect,” and if the United States stays on its current course, its carbon emissions will grow from 6 billion to 6.9 billion tons; these will just be more environmental hazards that will cause global warming. (Schell p.1) I’m sure everyone loves living here; therefore, we should preserve the benefit of life for our children also.  Mankind in the present time does not want to be known as the species that caused its own destruction just like the ancestral Romans and Greeks have done before us.  The main problem of air pollution in the state of Maine initiates with an everyday item, our own vehicles. (Cleaner p.1)  Carbon emissions from coal are just like an epidemic.  It is spreading to different areas as more coal-burning power plants spring up, and they are killing our ozone layer.  “Clean coal” will forever be just an oxymoron.  No matter what, coal will still contain carbon that will be released into the air which will cause further harm.  Our climates are starting to turn into irregular formations as the weather is getting harder to predict.  If this problem is ignored, the effects of air pollution can be quite dangerous.  Each person inhales an average amount of 20,000 liters of air per day. (Air p.1)  Just think of all those toxins and chemicals traveling through our bodies!  Just in the United States alone, an annual death rate of 50,000 can be traced back to contaminated air.  Pollution in this form has easy access to travel and reach the most rural of areas from the cities or factories in which it came from. (Air p.1) The alternative energy resources do not pollute the air or the rest of our environment.  In fact, they may change animal migrations and create new wildlife habitats.  There are many simple ways to help the prevention of air pollution straight from our own households.  A person could walk, ride a bike, and take a bus instead of always traveling by car.  Not only does that prevent air pollution, but it also provides a healthy exercise and saves money on gas expenses.  Do not forget that recycling all types of items such as soda pop cans, clothes, and raw materials can be reused for other energy purposes.  We, as a species, need to realize that we need to let everything with nature occur as a natural phenomenon instead of it having to deal with mankind.

            Everyone is starting to notice that we are demanding more of the earth’s nonrenewable resources than it can supply.  Everything is causing nations to consider frantic actions in order to remain the dominant nation or just to remain alive.  People operating motor vehicles have noticed the steep increase in gas prices.  That amount of money has taken a chunk out of each paycheck.  Fossil fuel prices jumped to a new high in the years of 1973-1981.  These huge changes in price meant economic problems in fuel-producing American states such as Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Montana, West Virginia, and Ohio. (Alters p. 7-8)  In fact, the United States couldn’t produce enough oil to satisfy its needs starting in the 1970s. (Churchill p.1)  After this era, The United States had to venture over the seas and deal with Middle Eastern oil companies to gain enough oil for our own country.  Since then, there have been price changes and embargo acts on oil which has affected our society and money problems.  Besides oil, coal is a very dangerous resource to extract from the earth, it claims the lives of men trying to reach it, and strip mining is killing our trees.  Less trees in the world means that more carbon dioxide can escape and cause harm to the ozone layer.  There are areas in the United States, with the right technology, can be very useful with our energy crisis.  Wind power, water power, sun power, and nuclear power all provide safer and more reliable ways to create energy.  The death rate for windmills for birds and bats is actually lower compared to large buildings and skyscrapers.  We can use other items that the earth graciously provides us, and these items can be maintained to keep up with our demand proportions. Ethanol, for example, can be taken from trees and plants residue.  Also, energy can be produced from waste and vegetation.  Right now, major automobile dealerships are researching ways that corn can be turned into fuel for our economy.  Everyday, more and more oil is being used that can’t be replace.  The earth can’t afford to travel back to another stone age with we run out of this resource, and that is just one major reason why the United States should switch to alternative energy sources.

            Since the year of 2001, the United States has been sending troops over to the Middle East.  First, the reason was to catch the murderers who drew up the plans to crash into the World Trade Centers.  Now, we are starting to fight a different war.  Israel, Pakistan, Iraq, and Iran have been involved in nonstop fighting as long as 2 thousand years ago.  This fighting has not only affected them, but it has affected our energy and fuel costs and supplies.  We, as a nation, had no choice but to join in on the brawl to lift some pressure off of our economic problems.  “Energy War” reveals how the economic importance under political influence affects the ownership of nonrenewable sources. (Boon p.1)  The rest of the world with different types of governments along the lines of authoritarian and communism are switching to the use of renewable energy, and this major shift could change the seat of power in the world.  The only option the United States has to remain a powerful nation in this world is to make the switch also.  The West is supposedly losing the Energy Cold War as our oil pipelines in foreign countries are becoming harder to reach.  It is very possible that a World War III could evolve over the struggle for energy, and it would bring nothing but death and disaster.  Right now, there may be just a few sparks flying; the plans for war and the plans for a new energy policy are getting created in different wings in the government.  These plans, however, have close ties. (Meadows p.1) The world’s eyes are beaming in the Middle East as the cost for war and oil both can’t suit any country.  The solution to the war problem is easy.  If we use different energy sources that thrive in the United States and rarely use foreign energy, our men won’t have to face the fear of dying over on strange land.

            Ultimately, the future has been changed by our past and present actions.  The human race has been given a chance to prove their intelligence, and that is leading to devastation.  Everything around us is changing.  Even though change may come hard for some of us, all the signs are obvious.  For example, our President’s slogan deals with change, protests are starting to form more often, and new technology is being developed as we speak.  Some concrete reasons to switch from nonrenewable energy to renewable energy is costs, war, safety, pollution, and health.  The best way to change America is through its people’s intellectual infrastructure. (Revkin p.1)