The American boom was over in the early 1900s. The country’s economy was on the upswing, and so were companies looking to take advantage of it. That’s when the U.S. lost one of its most important industries — mining and oil production — as well as one of its most expensive natural resources: coal. The result? As a result of the rise of cheaper and more abundant natural gas, the U.S. has since lagged behind other industrial nations in terms of energy supply and demand. But things are quickly changing: By 2020, new sources of energy will drive virtually all U.S. energy consumption growth again. In fact, new fossil fuel investments have increased from $18 billion in 2005 to $34 billion last year alone, a recent study found. (Read our resource list on how new fossil fuel investment has grown in the past four years.) So here is something you might not know about coal or oil or natural gas: What if you’re thinking about becoming an environmentalist? You could try becoming an environmentalist because you like solving problems — even if your cause is no national security or environmental protection concern, there’s a good chance that being an environmentalist can help reverse many of those trends that have crippled the economy and left millions homeless over the past century or two very much alive today — not just for a little while but forever? Here’s why: Read more how did shock g die
Shock G: The Life and Death Of An American Boom Bull
The American boom was over in the early 1900s. The country’s economy was on the upswing, and so were companies looking to take advantage of it. That’s when the U.S. lost one of its most important industries — mining and oil production — as well as one of its most expensive natural resources: coal. The result? As a result of the rise of cheaper and more abundant natural gas, the U.S. has since lagged behind other industrial nations in terms of energy supply and demand. But things are quickly changing: By 2020, new sources of energy will drive virtually all U.S. energy consumption growth again. In fact, new fossil fuel investments have increased from $18 billion in 2005 to $34 billion last year alone, a recent study found. (Read our resource list on how new fossil fuel investment has grown in the past four years.) So here is something you might not know about coal or oil or natural gas: What if you’re thinking about becoming an environmentalist? You could try becoming an environmentalist because you like solving problems — even if your cause is no national security or environmental protection concern, there’s a good chance that being an environmentalist can help reverse many of those trends that have crippled the economy and left millions homeless over the past century or two very much alive today — not just for a little while but forever? Here’s why:
The history of environmentalism as a social movement
The origins of environmentalism can be traced back to the early 1900s, when the United States and other western industrial countries were struggling to deal with the effects of the oil crisis. Up until that point, most of the attention had been on the crisis in oil production and how it could be resolved. After the oil crisis, however, another new concern rose in the public consciousness, one that was soon to inherit the world stage: the environment. This was the growing perception that life was being endangered both physically and socially by the growing use of fossil fuels. The first step in reining in the growing number of people who believed that the environment was under threat was to bring them face-to-face with the facts. Oil company executives, for example, were now coming to realize that the money they were earning from oil companies was really paying for their damaging actions that endangered the environment. Environmental groups, meanwhile, were becoming more savvy at how to use the increasingly sophisticated communications technology of the time to bring their messages to the attention of consumers.
What does it mean to be an environmentalist?
The word environmentalist can have a wide range of different meanings. Some people use it to mean someone who care about the environment because it supports human life, or even more specifically those living in Earth’s systems. Others might use it to mean someone who cares about the environment because it provides an economy based on responsible and healthy consumption of resources. Still others might use it to mean someone who wants to see a lasting change in the way people interact with the environment.
Why being an environmentalist matters
One of the most important reasons people become environmentalists is because of a love for their environment. The average person doesn’t want to live in a world where they can’t breathe the air they love, eat the food they eat, or see the things they enjoy. Environmentalists, on the other hand, are motivated by a sense of duty to protect the environment from whatever source it comes from — whether that be human or natural. This means the person working for the environmental group might not have the luxury of a coastal home or a mountain home in the mountains nearby to monitor for rain or snow. These are things that people normally have, not things that can be created through modern science. The environment is more than just a place to live and work. It is the foundation of life and the social fabric of a community. If we are to survive as a species, it is critical that we recognize this and take care of our environments as we see and use them. This means when people become environmentalists, it is not just because they love their environment but also because it provides a source of income. It is not unusual for environmental organizations to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars each year from oil companies for lobbying efforts.
The changing face of industrial energy
Now that we have a sense of what it means to be an environmentalist, let’s examine the changing face of industrial energy. The last two decades have seen a marked increase in the amount of electricity being generated and then used in the U.S. and Canada. This increase has been completed with the construction of new power plants, which are then connected to the grid. These new power plants are built with more energy in order to match the power going out. Currently, this is accomplished through the use of wind and solar power.
Are we ready to wipe the slate clean on fossil fuels?
The short answer is no. However, the process of developing and bringing to market new technologies that are more efficient than today’s technology, as well as more highly automated and cloud-based, will ensure that fossil fuels will play a more significant role in our energy mix in the future. We will also see more use of natural gas as an affordable and accessible energy source, along with the expansion of wind and solar power. There is also the added advantage of using this clean, renewable energy source in combination with electricity from other sources, such as a combination of wind and hydro power.
Conclusion
The past few years have seen an increase in interest in environmental issues among both the public and members of political leadership. Environmental issues have become a broader range of issues that can be addressed through social media and other online platforms. While online activism can be dangerous, there is also an added danger of becoming a victim of your own views. The future of energy will be determined by how well we respond to these changes and how closely we adhere to the values that make up a free and open internet.
“The Humpty Dance” was also co-written by Shock G. Its video, which features an adolescent Shakur, was nominated for Best Rap Video at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards, but was defeated by “U Can’t Touch This.”