Energy is at the heart of the human predicament in the 21st Century.
We are now facing a transformational moment in our energy story. As we leave the age of seemingly cheap and plentiful fossil fuels and enter an era of extreme energy, the ever-rising financial, social, and environmental costs of fossil fuels can no longer be ignored.
The essential problem is not just that we are tapping the wrong energy sources (though we are), or that we are wasteful and inefficient (though we are), but that we are overpowered, and we are overpowering nature.
- Richard Heinberg, from the Introduction to ENERGY
We believe that in order to make the right choices and investments, we must have a more comprehensive understanding of our energy predicament, including:
- The true costs, potential benefits, and limitations of all energy options, including renewables;
- The impact of each form of energy production on human societies and nature; and
- The true relationship between energy, our economic system, and the environment.
The Energy Reality Program builds this fundamental energy literacy and aims to shift the public conversation around energy—from wanting more to needing less, and valuing what we have.
Visit the Energy Reality website, the online home for:
- A robust energy primer and series of thought provoking essays;
- The Public Energy Art Kit (P.E.A.K.), a campaign to increase energy literacy using arts and activism;
- A collection of compelling photos shareable via social media to connect people with the efforts of partner organizations working to address the impacts of global energy economy; and
- The list of hundreds of ambassadors and organizations with whom we partnered to disseminate over 5,000 free copies of the breathtaking and thought-provoking book, ENERGY: Overdevelopment and the Delusion of Endless Growth.