Energy Book Appendix
Appendix: Where To Find
More Than You've Ever Wanted
To Know About Energy
More Than You've Ever Wanted
To Know About Energy
A web extra from Scott Bittle and Jean Johnson, authors of
"Who Turned Out The Lights? Your Guided Tour to the Energy Crisis"
"Who Turned Out The Lights? Your Guided Tour to the Energy Crisis"
1. Where To Fill In The Blanks
Even in three hundred and some pages, there's a lot we haven't covered. Luckily your tax dollars have paid for a lot of very good energy information on the web. The following are our favorite official energy sites.
The Energy Information Administration
While writing this book, we've practically fallen in love with the Energy Information Administration, the federal agency which seems to compile statistics on every single kind of energy and studies on most of the important questions the country is facing. As far as we can tell, nearly everyone relies on EIA statistics, and their web site should be the number one destination for anyone who wants to know more.
DOE's site is huge since it's set up to serve all sorts of experts, producers, and regulators, as well as typical citizens, but their sections on "Energy Sources" and "The Environment," are quite accessible and informative. One especially nice feature is their link to the various "Kids Pages" on energy. If our kids and their teachers are actually using all this material, the next generation may well be a lot savvier about energy than we are.
Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA site is large, aiming to serve all sorts of needs and constituencies. If your main purpose is getting a better grip on the issues, you can head straight to the "Learn the Issues" section, which is quite useful. EPA also has good information for consumers and homeowners, which we highlight below.
This is the government agency that leases federal land and offshore areas for energy exploration, and if this is an area that interests or concerns you, the MMS provides some easily understandable details on what they're doing and why they do it.
The NRC licenses nuclear reactors in the U.S., and the "Fact Sheets and Brochures" section of the NRC Electronic Reading Room is a good place to start. They have detailed summaries on everything from new reactor designs to what happened at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island.
2. A Walk On The Other Side Of Town
Most Americans tend to approach the energy issue with opinion about the environmental movement and the energy industry—good, bad, and otherwise. Wherever you start, we think a trip around the major web sites of the "opposing point of view" is time well spent. Here are our recommendations for the most intriguing industry and environmental web sites. Their names are self-explanatory, but you might be surprised by what you find if you peek inside. They're fascinating.
3. Getting Your Own Act Together
We've pointed out several times that the country needs some broad policy changes to tackle its energy problems, but that doesn't mean you don't need to get your own act together. Here's where to find out what you need to do.
The EPA helps you find out how much you personally contribute to global warming, but their calculator assumes you have a car. Public transit riders get off scot free.
Renovations and Buying More Energy Efficient Appliances
Energy Star is the Grand Central Station of government conservation information. You can find out what you need to do and whether you can get a tax break for doing it.
Whether you're planning on buying a brand new Maserati Gran Turismo or a "pre-owned" 1987 Buick LeSabre, this government website can tell you what kind of mileage it will get.
4. Both Sides Of The Climate Debate
Yes, we did promise this, didn't we? In the book, we say right up front that we're not refighting the climate change debate. Everything we've learned researching this issue says that most scientists, government officials and even leaders in the energy industry accept that climate change is real and caused by humans. And even if you don't, there are plenty of other reasons to change how we use energy. But it's not unanimous - not much ever is - so if you'd like to see what both sides are saying, here are some places to start. We've chosen places that present the information in the most accessible ways.
5. International Issues
We've tended to focus on the challenge facing the U.S. and what we should be doing here in our own country, but that doesn't mean that the global issues aren't crucial. Here are some of the best places to start thinking globally while we act nationally.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Organized by the United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization, IPCC won the Nobel Prize for its work on global warming. This is the place to check out both its reports and learn more about its activities.
IEA is the policy organization for 28 countries including the United States, Japan, and most of Europe. You might want to start with a free download of its rundown of Key World Energy Statistics.
The Energy Information Administration
EIA is part of the U.S. Department of Energy, but it provides detailed information and projections on the energy needs and activities of more than 200 countries.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
This is the group that organized the Kyoto Protocol which set greenhouse emissions targets accepted by 192 countries (although not the U.S.). A new conference is set for December 2009 in Copenhagen to negotiate a new arrangement; this is the place to get specifics on the discussions.
6. Getting Off The Computer
There's a massive amount of information online, but some of the best thinking and analysis can be found in books. Load them onto your e-reader if that's your preference, but however you do it, these books can get you thinking:
Robert Bryce, Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of "Energy Independence," Paperback, 2009.
Kenneth S. Deffeyes, Beyond Oil: The View from Hubbert's Peak, Paperback, 2006
David Goodstein, Out of Gas: The End of the Age Of Oil by (Paperback - Feb 17, 2005)
Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It, Paperback, 2006
Lisa Margonelli, Oil on the Brain: Petroleum's Long, Strange Trip to Your Tank, Paperback, 2008
Paul Roberts, The End of Oil: On the Edge of a Perilous New World, Paperback, 2005
Matthew R. Simmons, Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy, Paperback, 2006
Daniel Yergin, The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power, Paperback, 2008
