Table of Contents

This first decade of the 21st century is a time of waking up to two issues that will dramatically change our society's future:  climate change and declining fossil fuels.  The better we understand the energy picture in our country, the better choices we will make.

The Center for Earth Leadership prepared this booklet as a resource for citizens who wish to be informed about energy issues.

The first section presents an overview of energy use in the U.S. and the problems related to our reliance on fossil fuels.  It includes the concept of energy return on energy invested.

The second section assesses each potential energy source, summarizing its potential, it benefits, and concerns about its use.

The last section provides a brief history of cap-and-trade systems.  It then discusses voluntary offset programs.