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“Conservation of our resources is the fundamental question before this nation, and that our first and greatest task is to set our house in order and begin to live within our means.”
Theodore Roosevelt, January 1909, in letter transmitting report of National Conservation Commission to Congress
There are many things simple things that we can do to decrease our dependence on foreign oil imports. These are my personal thoughts on reducing dependence on foreign oil and are just a small part of the opportunities that could be realized from a comprehensive US Energy Plan that moves beyond “Drill Baby Drill.”
Conservation should be a key component of a national energy plan that leads to energy independence. It is estimated that the US uses approximately 5 billion gallons of heating oil each year. Incentives to encourage upgrades of existing buildings and changes in building codes that require the use of more energy efficient building materials and practices are key components of a national conservation plan. Below is a list of key reasons to consider these changes:
• Improving insulation on existing homes reduces energy consumption by an average of 20%
• The installation of Low-E insulated windows reduces energy consumption by an average of 20%
• The installation of a high-efficiency gas/LP furnace over a standard efficiency furnace reduces consumption by an average of 15%.
• Installing an automatic programmable setback thermostat can reduce consumption by an average of 10%.
At the time of construction the addition of these components are approximately equivalent to the cost of granite and stainless steel upgrades yet the payback can be realized in as little as 2 to 3 years. Given that most homes are designed to last 100 years or more the lifetime savings to occupants (and our national consumption) are huge.
Substituting at least one fuel-efficient car (30 mpg) for a less efficient car (20 mpg – current US average rounded 21 actual) is another simple solution for energy conservation.
• 250 million registered passenger vehicles in US.
• 3 trillion miles driven annually (12,000 miles per registered vehicle US average)
• 150 billion gallons consumed annually.
• 125 million registered vehicles replaced with 10 mpg improvement (50%) = savings of 25 billion gallons annually or 68.5 million gallons per day. This equates roughly to a savings of roughly 3.5 million barrels per day of crude needed to produce gasoline (approximately 20 gallons of gas yielded from 1 42-gallon barrel of crude along with other products).
“Conservation of our resources is the fundamental question before this nation, and that our first and greatest task is to set our house in order and begin to live within our means.”
Theodore Roosevelt, January 1909, in letter transmitting report of National Conservation Commission to Congress
There are many things simple things that we can do to decrease our dependence on foreign oil imports. These are my personal thoughts on reducing dependence on foreign oil and are just a small part of the opportunities that could be realized from a comprehensive US Energy Plan that moves beyond “Drill Baby Drill.”
Conservation should be a key component of a national energy plan that leads to energy independence. It is estimated that the US uses approximately 5 billion gallons of heating oil each year. Incentives to encourage upgrades of existing buildings and changes in building codes that require the use of more energy efficient building materials and practices are key components of a national conservation plan. Below is a list of key reasons to consider these changes:
• Improving insulation on existing homes reduces energy consumption by an average of 20%
• The installation of Low-E insulated windows reduces energy consumption by an average of 20%
• The installation of a high-efficiency gas/LP furnace over a standard efficiency furnace reduces consumption by an average of 15%.
• Installing an automatic programmable setback thermostat can reduce consumption by an average of 10%.
At the time of construction the addition of these components are approximately equivalent to the cost of granite and stainless steel upgrades yet the payback can be realized in as little as 2 to 3 years. Given that most homes are designed to last 100 years or more the lifetime savings to occupants (and our national consumption) are huge.
Substituting at least one fuel-efficient car (30 mpg) for a less efficient car (20 mpg – current US average rounded 21 actual) is another simple solution for energy conservation.
• 250 million registered passenger vehicles in US.
• 3 trillion miles driven annually (12,000 miles per registered vehicle US average)
• 150 billion gallons consumed annually.
• 125 million registered vehicles replaced with 10 mpg improvement (50%) = savings of 25 billion gallons annually or 68.5 million gallons per day. This equates roughly to a savings of roughly 3.5 million barrels per day of crude needed to produce gasoline (approximately 20 gallons of gas yielded from 1 42-gallon barrel of crude along with other products).
I certainly have no problems with conservation. That was one of the reasons I had built nine years ago a five-star energy-rated home. However, it should be conservation where it is practical, both financially and geographically. There are many in Alaska where heating oil is the only source of energy for heat. Some also use coal, or propane, while others rely on wood.
While conservation may be a good thing, you have to realize that as our population increases, so will our demand for more energy resources. No amount of conservation will change that inevitable result. Which means that even with conservation we will have to continually increase our energy production.
I would also be opposed to any federal mandates concerning conservation. Like Nixon did with the 55 mph speed limit, or like Carter did with setting the 68°F thermostat. Ask, do not impose, and it will be far better received.
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