Should Americans be forced to curb their energy use?

Question

Please also have an article in your sources with your answer. Thanks :D

-Cloouvgeh

Here's a question that my friend has (pretty similar to mine): http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=At6_oHZulOlALXup_eoGsxbsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20080107163138AAj8cUa

Answer 1

its happening already with crude at 100 a barrel

Answer 2

Yes, as soon as all the politicians do, not minute before.

Answer 3

No, I think most of us are making a concerted effort to do so in  one way or another. The government has enough control as it is.

Answer 4

Of course not.  There is no shortage of energy.  Our current problems are a result of running low on the cheap stuff that is easy to get.    But there is a 100-150 years supply of Oil in North America alone (oil shales and oil sands making up most of it, and that is costly to extract).  There is 1000 years of coal in the ground (cheap to extract and use economically, but expensive environmentally).   And there is the nuclear option that is essentially limitless (but not cheap)

So, with all of this abundant, but expensive energy available it is pointless to 'force' people to curb their use.  If by curbing you mean increasing efficiency, then by all means, lets do that.  Everyone wins when it costs less to operate the world.  But if by curbing you mean taking away the free market of electricity and gasoline and rationing it out, then no.

Answer 5

"Should" will be a moot point in the very near future. We WILL be forced to do it since the era of cheap oil has come to a close.

Answer 6

no, this is the land of the free

(I do hope we end up curbing it on our own)