energy

35758Energy

You have now learned about energy and heat, which is a transfer of thermal energy. Energy is of immense importance in all branches of science. That being said…

Today’s world is completely different to that of 200 years ago, largely because of energy use. It was our learning how to harness energy in a new way – using fossil fuels to make steam to power machines – that started the Industrial Revolution and the birth of the modern world. Coal powered steam engines gave us powerful, portable energy that could be made to do jobs of work. We were no longer limited to what could be done through human or animal effort, nor was the energy source fixed in one place like water wheels.

And ever since, almost every part of our world has been shaped by the use of portable energy, which has now expanded into electrical and even nuclear energy. From transport and industry to healthcare and entertainment, it all depends on energy.

The big problem is that our world today is now totally dependent upon the supply of easily available, cheap energy. And how we have used it has both built our world and at the same time now threatens its future. Is it time to rethink our view of energy? (Rhetorical question—of course it is J)

So, why is energy an ethical issue? Consider the following:

The world economy relies on cheap energy to function, but the fossil fuels that provide that energy are also resulting in Climate Change.
The demand for energy across the world is steadily rising, faster than suppliers can keep up.
Fossil fuels, particularly oil, will eventually run out, though it is unclear exactly when this will happen.
As the supply dwindles while demand is rising, the cost of energy from fossil fuels may rise dramatically.
Whether we share (or don’t share) the responsibility of changing how we obtain and use energy will greatly affect the future well being of everyone on our planet.
But there are also consequences to each of the choices we make in how we reduce energy usage, and find replacement energy sources.
Thus the core ethical issues revolve around:

ensuring fair access to energy
understanding the consequences of the way we supply energy
deciding upon how we will act in response to those consequences
acting quickly enough to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
Questions/Ethical Considerations:

All this being said, the generations of people born after us will have to bear the consequences of decisions we make now about energy. How do you feel about this? Since one can never e sure of what the future holds, should we just enjoy the moment and not worry about what we leave behind?

The Earth does not belong to any one of us, but rather to all of us. The ways that rich countries have used fossil fuels to generate energy is damaging the environment of those who have NOT acted this way. How can we continue to generate energy, but without damaging the planet or hurting other people?

Think about how different countries would be affected differently based upon their social and economic situations. A few of the industrialized countries use far more energy than the less industrialized ones. Is this just? Since we here in the U.S., for example, use way more than anyone else, do we “owe” the world anything and should we thus bear more of the cost and responsibility of coming up with alternative energy sources?

An important way to conserve energy supplies may well be for rich countries to share new technologies with other, less well off countries, but will they? How can we help make this happen (or should we)?

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