Energy Crisis (FINAL) lourdes marcelo

Ma. Lourdes Elvira T. Marcelo
BSBA – E


Energy Crisis

Energy crisis is one of the most dangerous and urgent threats this nation has ever faced. Many of the people are outlining energy plans like fostering alternative fuels. You see, the country energy problem can be solved now by simple ingenuity. We don’t need to fight wars over oil, all we need to do is engage a bit of clever thinking and our energy problems are solved.

Energy deregulation scheme only masks the underlying cause: exploding energy demand caused by population growth. The DOE (Department of Energy) said there were no indications that crude oil prices would go down because of rising global demand.

Non-renewable energy supplies, such as oil, coal, and natural gas (used to power plants generating electricity) are running out. At the current rate of use, commercial quantities of oil worldwide will be exhausted by 2050. Crude oil deposit are near depletion, and yet efficient and economical alternative sources of energy are not yet developed/discovered.

As the demand gets bigger than the supply, energy prices increases. As a result, prices of basic commodities increases. Even the middle class felt the effects of energy crisis. The poor became poorer, situation now reach its lowest level. Which means peace and order are at stake again, more instability and more crimes for survival. On the political aspect, rallies and demonstrations from different sectors asking for salary increases, power cuts, government subsidies and the same time asking GMA to resign on the basis of questioning her administration to efficiently and effectively finding solutions to the problems.

As an individual and a concerned citizen, energy crisis must be solved in a manner that would be acceptable and manageable. However, we can also notice some good effects of energy crisis. Like, people are more aware to conserve energy, by limiting their outside or night out, and instead stays at home more often or have a party inside their home, share their cars to others like motorpool or share a ride. Saving gas or fuel by using bike as means of transportation. Or taking LRT or MRT and parking their car at the car port. Even fast food chains or other service providers used bike or motorbikes in their delivery. Aside from saving gas they can delivery on time and less traffic. (PDI, September 30,2008: pp. 1 & 8)

On the part of the car manufacturing, they anticipated that the consumers will recognize the importance of fuel efficiency on the vehicles they will buy so they developed small or mini cars to save energy and cost cutting. (PDI, September 30,2008: pp. 1 & 8)

Others converted their car using LPG, specially the taxi operators, instead of using gas or diesel.
The Bus Industry is trying the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). Again, we can notice that still very few are using it, because of efficiency and effectivity of its usage. Some of them are now undergoing road testing. (Article, September 5, 2008)

Here are a few of the things we can do now:

1. Update and enforce building codes so that buildings will require much less energy while having very good indoor air quality;
2. Increase the use of solar and wind energy before we run short of the materials and energy needed to produce them;
3. Increase the use of system in buildings to provide electricity, hot water, absorption cooling and Space heating. This is much more efficient than building additional central power plants that waste more than 60% of the fuel’s energy during generation and transmission;
4. Stop using tax dollars to subsidize the fossil fuel industry (let fossil fuels compete in a free market against energy efficiency and renewable energy sources)
   
   N.B.: Eliminating government subsidies for fossils fuels would encourage fuel conservation
   And the timely development of enough renewable energy system to sustain us in the
   Fossil fuel era.

The government has said that the looming oil price crisis will be more severe that 1974, 1979 and 1991 is certainly an issue far more important than politics and its impact will hurt the entire nation.

In answer to the crisis, one of the steps being undertaken by the government is to tap the country’s indigenous and renewable energy sources – especially geothermal, hydro, solar and other alternative fuels for transportation.

In answer with this, the DOE and other agencies of the Executive Branch are also working closely with Congress to craft a law that will be most responsive to the country’s energy independence agenda.

The government said that the looming crisis is not a simple test of our resiliency as a people, but a real challenge to our economic survival. The people were urged to act now to avoid complications

The modern civilization is dependent on energy for its existence. We should all be working at every level, privately and publicly. We should all be thinking about the kind of world we are making for our children, grandchildren and descendants going into the future, and doing what we can do to provide them a world and life as wonderful as the one so many of us are enjoying.