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Kieron Teets
Professor Wilson
CSS 364
November 30, 2015
Americas Energy Future
The United States relies on many different energy sources, renewable and non-renewable,
to power everyday American life. Of those sources, four are deemed bad and the current
American view on climate change is pushing American views and government actions toward
utilizing less of these sources if not doing away with them all together. The four bad energy
sources are hydropower, coal, nuclear energy, and oil. But, despite the fact that current American
views suggest finding alternative options for energy, these four sources provide positive benefits
and should not be written off as energy options for the United States future.
Hydropower is very controversial in that dams ruin river ecosystems and destroy job
markets in areas surrounding the dams. However, hydropower is cost-effective. The largest
producer of hydropower in the United States is the Grand Coulee Dam. This dam generates
more than 21 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. Thats enough power to supply 2.3
million households with electricity for one year (Grand Coulee Dam Statistics and Facts). The
amount of power combined from all dams is exponential in comparison to the number of dams
actually in existence. Hydropower is also the cleanest source of energy we have discovered thus
far and water is renewable. Water doesnt disappear when it runs through dams. It simply goes
back into the water cycle. The main benefit is that water is an energy source that doesnt need to
be harvested. Water exists on this Earth in many forms and humans found a way to harness
waters energy that was going to waste.

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Coal has a lot of negatives. Emissions are the biggest issue. Carbon dioxide emissions
from coal combustion represents 24.5 percent of total United States greenhouse gas emissions
(Coal). But, coal has been a main source of energy for centuries, so the infrastructure already
exists. Coal is also a relatively cheap source of energy and the United States sits on large coal
mines, making access to coal easier because it doesnt have to be imported.
Nuclear energy is a risky energy source. The waste generated from nuclear power is
hazardous to humans and the environment, making it difficult to dispose. Nuclear energy also
generates a negative image because of its association with bombs and warfare. Therefore, nuclear
energy sites are large security risks because terrorists and officials of corrupt nations who dislike
or are at war with the United States find that these sites pose a threat. This generates an overall
fear that these nuclear energy sites could be attacked by said terrorists or corrupt nations, putting
the American public in an overall danger. However, nuclear energy is the greatest source of
energy. It lasts a long time, it is very powerful, it is efficient, and it is clean despite the waste.
Oil mainly causes political controversy. Countries in the Middle East that are members of
the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have oil reserves with usable oil.
In other words, the oil these countries harvest doesnt need a ton of refining before it is barreled
and exported. This causes foreign policy issues within the United States government because
importing oil from Middle Eastern countries creates a dependence on these unstable countries,
and depending on unstable countries is a risky political move. Oil is also dangerous and
environmentally unfriendly. Oil spills ruin ecosystems and cost millions of dollars to clean up.
But, oil already has an infrastructure in place and most Americans rely on oil as a main source of
energy.

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In regards to the United States energy future, the government should focus on
hydropower and oil. Hydropower is a very powerful energy source and the infrastructure is
already in place. It would be counterproductive to tear dams downs. Yes, they ruin ecosystems,
but the dams in the United States have been fully operational for decades. Therefore, the main
destruction of the ecosystems happened back when the dams were built. The most effective
method for the government in the future would be to address this issue and enforce some sort of
protection for the remaining ecosystems surrounding the dams. With this issue being addressed,
the government should utilize the existing dams for all the power that can be created. Water is the
cleanest energy source and it isnt being depleted, so harvesting energy from hydropower is a
good move for the United States.
The United States should also focus on oil as an energy source. There has been a recent
discovery that the United States sits on a large amount of oil reserves. The difference between
this oil and the oil that is imported is this oil is not as cheap as the other and requires a bit more
refining before it can be distributed to the American public. This new discovery opens a lot of
doors for the United States politically. With a bit more refining, the United States has access to
domestic oil and this therefore reduces American reliance on foreign nations. This new oil allows
the United States to slowly break its dependence on countries in the Middle East as well as
reduces the amount of foreign policy issues that arises from dependence on OPEC nations. There
is also not a shortage of oil. There is a shortage of cheap oil, but cheap oil is not the only kind of
oil. For every one barrel used, 1.7 barrels of oil is harvested. This oil isnt oil that is cheap to
refine, but it has the ability to be refined for a slightly higher cost. If the United States didnt
have access to domestic oil, it would be a bad political move to continue to depend on unstable

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nations solely for imported oil. But, since the United States can harvest domestic oil, oil should
continue to be an energy source with regards to the United States energy future.
For future energy needs, the United States should avoid using nuclear energy and should
reduce its use of coal. Nuclear energy is too risky. The negative image that is generated because
of its association with bombs and warfare puts the American public in too much danger.
Terrorists and corrupt nations dislike the idea that the United States could have access to nuclear
energy because that poses a threat to them. The United States cant control the actions of
terrorists and corrupt nations, and the fear that these entities could attack domestic nuclear
energy sites creates too big of a security risk. Nuclear waste is also too hazardous and there is not
currently a best way to dispose of the waste. Overall, it would be too much of a hassle and too
time consuming for the government if nuclear energy was a possibility for the United States
future.
On the other hand, coal has become too outdated of an energy source. Coal is a great
energy source for underdeveloped countries that are trying to become more developed. But, the
United States is not trying to become more developed. The United States is a first world country
focusing on utilizing environmentally friendly energy sources. Therefore, the United States is no
longer a coal-derived economy. It would be better for the future of the United States to continue
to harvest coal and export it to countries who need it because the profit would be large. The
United States can still use coal as an energy source, but it should not be the forefront of the
future energy plan.
The United States is at a place where it no longer needs to focus on development. Instead,
the focus has shifted to managing its energy sources in an environmentally friendly way. To
accomplish this goal, the United States needs to evaluate its focus to utilizing hydropower and oil

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more so than nuclear energy and coal. Hydropower and oil improve both the energy and political
future of the United States, and both energy sources are compatible with the current American
view on climate change and how the United States government should approach the future.
Work Cited
Coal. Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Strategies for the Global Environment.
November 2015. Web.
Grand Coulee Dam Statistics and Facts. Reclamation: Managing Water in the West. U.S.
Department of the Interior. Web.