The U.S. Energy Resources and Their Effects

The U.S produces and uses several separate types of energy sources that can be categorized into groups, for instance, primary and secondary, nonrenewable and renewable, and fossil fuels. The primary sources of energy in the US include natural gas, petroleum, renewable energy, and nuclear energy. Effective use of energy has the goal of reducing the quantity of energy that is needed to provide products and services. The U.S is effectively using its energy resources. The country has reduced its energy and carbon intensity and designed explicit policies to attain climate goals. Such policies entail; carbon tax, mandatory standards for efficient appliances, vehicles, and buildings, and subsidies and reduction in the upfront costs of fresh energy-efficient equipment. The production and use of electricity in more effective ways in the US reduces both the quantity of fuel required to generate electricity and the number of greenhouse gases and other air pollution given out as a result (Cassedy & Grossman, 2017). The US is encouraging the use of renewable energy sources, for example, geothermal, solar, and wind generally do not contribute to climate change or the air pollution of the local environment because no fuels are burned. That contributes to the effective use of energy resources in the US. There are several effects of energy resource misuse on the health of the population. From mining to transport and burning to disposal to wastes, such a lifecycle of fossil fuels causes environmental pollution and as a result, produces a toll on the health of a population. Air pollution causes heart attacks, and lung cancer among others, and that leads to premature death. Coal production causes contamination of water resources and also uses lots of water. Further, coal combustion leads to the production of mercury which has serious health effects. Twidell and Weir (2015) mentioned that Renewable energy sources cause lots of noise pollution and waste disposal that also possess a danger to human health. 

References  

Cassedy, E. S., & Grossman, P. Z. (2017).  Introduction to energy: resources, technology, and society . Cambridge University Press. 

Twidell, J., & Weir, T. (2015).  Renewable energy resources . Routledge.