In the world there are very many different environmental issues that effect the Earth. Our mere existence causes problems and poses great threats to our environment each day. Many people think they can go on blindly living their lives; that there is nothing they can do or that they have no effect on the world around them. Environmental issues, both global and local, effect the world as a whole in some way.
             National Geographic featured an article titled Insatiable Appetites -Rising global energy consumption fuels the search for alternatives, which discusses the fact that most of the world's energy comes from oil, coal, and natural gas. These fossil fuels emit around 22 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year into our Earth's atmosphere. The article also suggests that by the year 2020 these emissions could increase 55%. This would increase smog, ozone depletion, and global warming. The United States leads in both yearly per capita and total gasoline consumption, as well as coal and natural gas use. In 1998, North America consumed 30% of the world's energy with only 7% of the world's total population. Alternatives are growing though and analysts predict that by 2050 half the world's energy will be renewable.
             Locally an Athens Banner Herald article Low lake level likely to force watering ban spoke of the dire position we are in with the current drought in Clarke, Oconee, Barrow and Jackson counties. Currently, all these counties are under strict water conservation rules, based on odd and even street addresses. The Bear Creek water reservoir we share has been dropping at about 2 feet per week and has now been reduced to 70% of its capacity as of Tuesday. In August, 853 million gallons of water were pumped from the reservoir to the four counties, with around 700 million alone to Clarke. When the water level reaches 70% capacity there is a nonessential watering ban put into place, but the au...