Since the Industrial Revolution, humanity has relied on energy to fuel our activities. This reliance has resulted in unprecedented contributions to both our economy and quality of life. Energy use has grown alongside our industries and population, and today a number of energy sources are available to fuel our activities. In this blog post, we’ll review how much energy we consume in our day-to-day activities, where this energy comes from, and what can be done to cut back on our energy consumption.
How Much Energy Do We Use In Our Day-to-Day Activities?
Energy use in buildings is high. In fact, buildings use around 25% of the world’s total energy supply. This energy is critical to our lives. Not only does it power our homes and businesses, but it also fuels our vehicles, air travel, and shipping.
While energy use in buildings is relatively high, the amount used is highly variable. Some buildings, such as data centers and factories, consume huge amounts of energy. However, most buildings only use small fractions of the energy they consume. The building that you inhabit, for example, may only use a small fraction of the energy that is consumed by larger buildings.
Where Does This Energy Come From?
Over 90% of the world’s energy supply is generated from fossil fuels, such as coal and petroleum. Though these fuels provide us with the benefit of being able to generate energy whenever we need it, the downside is that they’re non-renewable. Once these fossil fuels are depleted, the world will not have the wealth of energy that it currently uses. This also creates additional environmental problems, such as climate change.
Fortunately, there are alternatives to fossil fuels. For example, solar power, which is completely renewable, can be used to generate electricity. Similarly, wind power, which is completely clean and does not harm the environment, can be used to power our homes and businesses. These alternative fuels allow us to avoid many of the problems that come with fossil fuels, such as global warming and energy scarcity.
Why Aren’t We Using These Energy Sources More?
Despite the many benefits of alternative fuels, they still account for only a small fraction of the world’s energy supply. This is because the technologies to generate and use this energy are not yet as accessible or easy to use as those involving fossil fuels. Furthermore, fossil fuels are much cheaper and more abundant than sustainable energy sources. This makes their use more attractive from a cost perspective.
What Can Be Done To Cut Back On Our Energy Consumption?
As long as there is demand for energy, someone will be producing it. Similarly, as long as there is a market for products made using energy, someone will be generating this energy. Since we cannot change the fact that we require energy to live our lives, some alternatives exist to reduce our energy consumption.
The simplest and most direct way to reduce our energy use is through saving energy at home. This can be done in a number of ways, such as setting up some energy-saving devices or programs, upgrading your appliance and vehicle fleets, planting energy-saving trees, and so much more. Though these measures will not reduce our energy needs entirely, they will certainly help.
More sustainable and long-term solutions involve changing how we generate and use energy. The first step in this direction is to stop relying on fossil fuels entirely and find other, cleaner energy sources. Once this is done, it’s important to find ways to efficiently use this new energy. This can be done through efficient appliances, LED lighting, and more. Additionally, new builds and renovations must consider the energy efficiency of the products and materials they use, to ensure they’re using energy as efficiently as possible. This will help in reducing their energy consumption and carbon footprints.
This blog post reviewed how much energy we use in our day-to-day activities. This energy is important because it allows us to do all the things we want and need in life. Once we understand how much energy we use and why, we can find ways to reduce our consumption. For more information on how to reduce your energy consumption, please visit the links below.