Reference no: EM132474382

Question: According to the US Energy Information Administration the department of defense accounts for most of the energy consumed by the federal government. The share of federal government energy use attributed to DoD fell from 87% in FY 1975 to 78% in FY 2013-the lowest share on record. Most of the energy use is for transportation, training of personnel, and operations of weapons to be used by the military, which is one of the most powerful military forces on the planet (George, 2015.) Our carbon footprint is known to almost everyone that it is affecting the globe. If the military is one of the biggest consumers of our resources, it is very important that they are a self regulating force. With the instillation of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, the US has mobilized from stationed ground forces where military operations can jump into action instead of transporting most supplies that has been done in the past.

The US military has continuously made strides to reduce the use of fossil fuels, and use other fuel sources to fuel military operations. Mabus, 2011 states that . In the 1850s we went from sail to coal, in the early part of the 20th century we moved from coal to oil, and then in the 1950s we pioneered the use of nuclear fuel in our warships. This shows us that the US military operations has been at the forefront of the way energy consumption can be better utilized. I believe we will continue as a nation to build innovative technology to ease the effects of climate change. If we can be a standout, then hopefully other countries will follow suit, or at least come to a compromise.

References: George, R. (2015) US Energy Information Administration. Defense Department energy use falls to lowest level since at least 1975.

Mabus, R. (2011, September 28). Remarks by the Honorable Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy at the Washington Energy Summit. Washington, DC.