On September 13, at 7:00 pm in the Hotel Donaldson Stoker’s Basement, Prof. Kent Rodgers from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry will present a Science Café entitled:
Energy and our future: What is the problem, how big is it, and what are our options?
In today’s world, discussions of energy seem to be dominated by two overarching points of view, one promoting a change in how we power our societies and one opposing it. The driving force for change is motivated by concern over continued use of energy derived from fossil fuels because of its effect on the environment and future quality of life. This point of view is typically rationalized in terms of apocalyptic scenarios for future generations. Alternatively, the subject of energy evokes a defensive posture from which economic and political interests are staunchly defended. By nurturing a fear of what could happen if we change how societies are powered, this point of view typically promotes the status quo. Public discourse related to our energy future is often emotionally and politically charged, in part because opposing points of view both use fear tactics to influence the way the general public thinks about energy issues. Nevertheless, most people seem to agree that our societies operate through the use of very large amounts of energy and that the amount is getting larger. The evening’s discussion aims to impart a sense of how big large is and how much bigger large could become during the foreseeable future. Whether or not projected energy needs can be met using current technology will then be examined as a way of gaining insight into our energy situation and the challenges to improving it.
