Many compelling arguments have been made for renewable energy, although as of
August 2008 renewable energy sources have still only comprised 7% of all energy
sources used in the United States. Out of the total energy consumption, 40% is still
petroleum, 23% natural gas, 22% coal, and 8% of all energy is from nuclear electric
power (EIA, US Energy Consumption by Energy Sources, 2003-2007, May 2008). In
1991 – 18 years ago -, Isaac Asimov and Frederik Pohl, two writers more known for their
science fiction work, collaborated on a scientific survey piece entitled: Our Angry Earth.
The book starts by giving the political history of the U.S. involvement in the Persian Gulf
War, which led to one of the biggest “environmental wars” and disasters related to
politics since Hiroshima was dropped in Japan during WW II. What did it take to finally
get people’s attention? Al Gore losing the 2000 Presidential election so he could create
the Inconvenient Truth movement around the globe, which 8 years of real progress was
lost on the federal level in the United States. (more…)