by Rita Mcconnell

Created on: September 29, 2009

The current energy crisis facing the world is a challenge unlike any we've faced before. Not because it's difficult, and not because its solution is imperative to the future. It's unique in that solving it depends on true compromise and collaboration. The energy problem may really be more of a human problem than a supply and technology problem.

The demand for quality, reliable energy is growing like never before. Experts tell us that need looks to continue on its current path for sometime. Even at the levels at which we produce energy today - be it for transportation, electricity generation, heating and cooling - we cannot meet the world's insatiable demand for fuel.

At the same time, we are confronted by the health of our planet itself, and must consider ways to live harmoniously within our ecosystem, or risk the very world itself.

Put together, these issues can only mean one thing - planning and compromise, two things society does not always excel at. Here are some steps we need to take to meet our energy needs most responsibly.

First, put away the agendas and stop yelling - this will probably be the hardest part. We have a problem. Everyone knows that. It happens to be a problem, though we should have been, we were not prepared for. The fact is, we're likely going to need all of the energy sources we have for decades to come. Yes, all of them: oil, solar, gas, wind, you name it. A few new ones wouldn't hurt either.

We need to sit down and make some real comparisons on what sources best meet which needs, which offer the most energy, what the costs are for each, and how to best apply them. No - right now we can't run the worlds on solar and wind and renewables - sorry, we're just not there yet. But we also can't run the world on fossils alone anymore.

All energy sources have pros and cons - yes, even solar and wind have issues. Let's stop lobbying and figure out what works best when and where.

Second, we need a real plan. Not only does that plan include what fuel source we're going to use when, it should include real estimates on what we have available, and in the case of fossil fuels, regularly updated information on when we'll run out. Information on new discoveries - be they of new oil and gas reservoirs, or new renewable technologies - should be incorporated as soon as possible. Plans should be made on how to man new enterprise, but also on how to un-man older ones we may not want to use as much down the road. Economics must be considered - everyone needs

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