On this 40th anniversary of Earth Day, Americans should reflect not only on the importance of a clean environment, but also take a moment to consider the vital role that abundant natural resources have contributed towards the betterment of our lives.
As in Earth Days past, you will no doubt hear the usual cries from enviro-doomsayers and eco-profiteers that the earth is in peril and that our actions are causing the destruction. But what you won’t hear from that same sky-is-falling crowd is that for decades, Americans have done more with less; we conserve, we save, and we utilize technology to continually improve the efficiency of our energy consumption. And by the way, we have improved the environment in the process.
Contrary to the dogma of the Washington environmental establishment, responsible energy production and a prosperous economy very much coincide with a sustainable planet. The facts bear this out, but don’t necessarily sell as well as a “planet in peril” when lobbying for a national energy tax.
It is a fact that over the past 30 years, American oil consumption has remained relatively constant. In 2008, we used only 3 percent more than we did in 1978. Meanwhile, our economy has more than doubled, and the population has increased by 87 million people.
It is also a fact that we have been able to significantly improve our air quality, which is much, much cleaner today than it was 30 years ago. Tailpipe emissions from cars are down by 98 percent since 1980 and in less than twenty years, we have reduced the emission of air pollution by over 40 percent.
How can this be possible, you ask? The answer is simple—the fruits of human ingenuity: technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Human ingenuity — our ability to put ideas into action — has been the catalyst for each of the major breakthroughs and discoveries that have transformed energy into beneficial and constructive forms of work. It is these same characteristics – not government energy rationing schemes like cap-and-trade – that will enable America to tackle the energy and environmental challenges in the decades to come.
Energy increases human productivity and vastly improves our quality of life. Energy grows our food, shelters us, transports us and manufactured goods and protects us. And the very energy that Mother Earth created millions of years ago – specifically oil, coal and natural gas – provides for 85 percent of America’s current energy needs. For these reasons, and so many others, these resources should be celebrated, not demonized.
As you go about your day this Earth Day, reflect on the many ways that affordable energy has improved your life – from your favorite cup of coffee, to the shoes on your feet, to the newest electronic gadget that you are reading this article from – and reject the call for policies that restrict access to the affordable energy resources that makes it all possible.
Some quick facts on energy and the environment:
- Almost one quarter of the world’s population does not have access to affordable energy – 1.4 billion people do not have access to electricity. (Int’l Energy Agency)
- Air quality continues to improve even as the economy grows and energy consumption increases. Since 1990 U.S. gross domestic product has increased by 64 percent, population has grown by 22 percent, and energy consumption has increased by 19 percent. At the same time, air pollution emissions have decreased by 41 percent. (Inst for Energy Research)
- We use less energy per person today than in the 1970s even though the economy has doubled in size. Today we drive more miles and have many more electronic gadgets and yet, energy use per person fell by 9 percent according to the Energy Information Administration. Also, since 1970, energy use per dollar of economic output has fallen by over 50 percent. (Dept. of Energy)
- Today’s power plants are much cleaner than in the past. One factor in improving air quality has been the pollution-control technologies used by coal-fired power plants. Between 1970 and 2006, SO2 emissions in pounds per million Btu were reduced by almost 80 percent and NOx emissions in lbs per million Btu were reduced by over 70 percent. Between 1970 and 2006, total SO2 emissions were reduced by about 40 percent. Between 1980 and 2006, NOx emissions were reduced by almost 50 percent. (Inst for Energy Research)
- The United States produced more oil in 1949 than it does today. This should not come as a surprise since the federal government has only offered for lease 3 percent of federal lands and the Obama Administration continues to keep new offshore areas under lock and key. (Dept. of Energy)
Thomas J. Pyle is the president of the Institute for Energy Research and the American Energy Alliance.
