GLOBAL ENERGY INDEPENDENCE DAY
Every year on July 10th, Global Energy Independence Day promotes awareness for alternative forms of energy. The day also offers opportunities to learn more about renewable forms of energy, such as solar, wind, and geothermal.
Think about all the things you use on a daily basis that requires energy. Our automobiles. Your coffee maker. Our homes’ heating and cooling system. Your wood-burning stove. So many things require energy. It’s no wonder that each human being in the world uses about 78 million British thermal units (BTU) of energy a year. This means the entire population of the world uses over 575 quadrillion Btu of energy each year! (One BTU equals the energy released in a single match.)
Some of the most common sources of energy that people use include oil, coal, and gas. These types of energy are known as fossil fuels. There are many concerns with fossil fuels. One is that they will eventually run out. Other fossil fuel concerns include air and water pollution, land degradation, and global warming. These problems are motivating scientists to discover newer forms of energy that can be replenished. These types of energy include solar, wind, hydroelectric, nuclear, and geothermal.
Some believe that the only way to achieve energy independence is to embrace renewable energy. Unfortunately, this is difficult to do. Some reasons for this include a lack of knowledge about how these energy sources work and also how much they cost for the consumer. One more major barrier in switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy is the inconvenience of doing so. This is why awareness for renewable energy is so important.
HOW TO OBSERVE #GlobalEnergyIndependenceDay
On this day, companies that produce renewable energy host workshops, conferences, and educational seminars. They disseminate information on energy independence to the general public. People around the world also celebrate the famous engineer, physicist, and futurist Nikola Tesla. To participate:
- Think about ways to embrace renewable energy.
- Watch a movie that features Nikola Tesla, such as “Tesla,” “American Genius,” “The Tesla Files,” “Tesla: Master of Lightning,” or “Pictures of Infinity.”
- Learn more about fossil fuels and why they reduce energy independence.
Share this day on social media with #GlobalEnergyIndependenceDay.
GLOBAL ENERGY INDEPENDENCE DAY HISTORY
In 2006, Michael D. Antonovich proclaimed July 10th as Global Energy Independence Day. At the time, Antonovich served as a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. The date of July 10th coincides with the birthday of Nikola Tesla, who was born in 1856. Tesla is a Serbian-American inventor born in Croatia. Tesla made many breakthroughs in the area of electric power. His inventions helped pave the way to discover other forms of energy.