The topic of energy production and consumption is becoming a more important issue each year. We need to think about energy more now than ever so that we can preserve our planet for as long as possible.
Before coal was discovered as a valuable energy source, there were still other fuels burned to produce energy. The most plentiful and most commonly used resource was wood because it can be found easily and can be used easily to cook food. Problems with wood arose because the energy extraction process is very difficult and inefficient. A large abundance of wood is needed to keep a fire going for a long time. Also, a hot fire also needs adequate space to burn. For example, a present-day kerosene lamp with a wood fire in place of the kerosene fire seems very impractical. To solve this issue, whale oil taken from the blubber of a whale was a common resource. It was used in lamps most commonly and when coal production really got going whale oil became obsolete.
Since the discovery of coal in 1742, America's energy production along with the rest of the world's production has grown exponentially. [10] Ever since the discovery, America has been the front runner in coal.West Virginia alone currently boasts four percent of coal reserves in the world. [10]. Each day, there are more and more people living on this planet. With nearly 7 billion already here, focusing attention on the Earth and its energy usage is a very important goal.
Each country trades with other countries, and when a region is abundant in a resource it makes for a valuable “bartering” source. The increased levels of overseas manufacturing have led to a world-wide problem concerning energy, its abundance, and its impact on our planet.
