Hydrocarbon Fuels

Research
suggestions
for concerned
consumers

How to use:

Pathfinder
World Shipping Routes of Crude Oil. Retrieved 22 November 2013 from
http://southchinaseastudies.org/en/

Explore these sites

beyond the provided
entry points using
suggested search
terms. Cross-check
information between
sites while exploring
this controversial
topic. See the site
www.ipl2.org/div/pf/
entry/87172 for help
evaluating new
sources you find.

*** S T A R T H E R E ***
1. U.S. Energy Information Administration
plain language energy encyclopedia:
www.eia.gov/energyexplained
Also see: EIAs Energy in Brief, FAQs, and Glossary pages
2. World Energy Crisis: A Reference Handbook
By David E. Newton
Also see: Bibliography for authorities and sources, p. 269-306.

Primary Energy Use by Source, 2012.

www.eia.gov
Source image modified by author.

ESU-specific Databases:
WAW Library: www.emporia.edu/libsv/libraryresources/databases/electronic-databases-by-subject.html:
Life Science: Academic Search Premier, Annual
Reviews, GreenFILE, JSTOR
News & Current Events: Access World News, CQ
Researcher, Opposing Viewpoints in Context
Physical Sciences: BioOne, Science.gov

THE SCIENCE

THE INDUSTRY

Fossil fuels are simple compounds with complex origins.

Refining crude oil into useable forms is big business. Search

terms: EROI, fracking, refinery, distillation, upstream,
downstream, pipeline, petrochemicals, energy development

Video:
sciencenetlinks.com/interactives/energy/interactive/api_treat_012810
.swf
Articles:

How Stuff Works: www.howstuffworks.com/gasoline2.htm

National Academy of Sciences: www.issues.org/energy.html

Encyclopedia of Earth: www.eoearth.org/view/article/155206/

www.science.gov: See both Energy and Environment sections

Book:

Smil, Vaclav. 2008. Oil: A Beginners Guide.

Overview index:

www.forbes.com/pictures/eejk45elhfg/not-just-the-usualsuspects-3/

Videos:

American Petroleum Institute:

www.api.org/story/index.html
(Also see www.api.org/statistics)
Film: Crude: The Incredible Journey of Oil
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5xScdRbXEU

THE ENVIRONMENT
Extensive research backs an ongoing debate about the effects of
producing and using fossil fuels on the planet. Search terms:
emissions, greenhouse gases, acid rain, carbon dioxide, particulates,
smog, oil sands, oil spills, water contaminants, runoff
Videos:
TED Talks: The Political Chemistry of Oil
Articles:
Climate Issue: scientificamerican.com/report.cfm?id=400ppm-and-climate-change
Sites
Union of Concerned Scientists: www.ucusa.org
National Geographic Great Energy Challenge:
environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/energ
y/great-energy-challenge/
EIA: www.eia.gov/environment/
Science.gov: http://www.science.gov/browse/w_123.htm
Pollution Issues: http://www.pollutionissues.com/NaPh/Petroleum.html
Books:
Smil, Vaclav. 2005. Energy at the Crossroads.

THE LIMIT
As a non-renewable resource, the amount of usable petroleum
left is disputed. Search terms: peak oil, non-renewable energy,
proven reserves, recoverable reserves, consumption rate
Reports:
OPEC: opec.org/opec_web/en/data_graphs/330.htm
International Energy Agency:
http://www.iea.org/publications/oilmarketreport/
BP: bp.com/content/dam/bp/pdf/statisticalreview/statistical_review_of_world_energy_2013.pdf

Film:

Peak Oil: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT-a6jes4mk

Books:

Editors of Scientific American Magazine. 2007. Oil

and the Future of Energy.
Goodstein, David. 2005. Out of Gas: The End of the
Age of Oil.
Gorelic, Seteven. 2012. Oil Panic and the Global
Crisis: Predictions and Myths

CLIMATE CHANGE: Non-Consensus

Elephant in the Room. Leah Saulnier.

www.pinterest.com/paintingmaniac/

Interpretations of data regarding correlations between CO2 emissions and global warming
differ. This is one area where source authority is of the utmost import in your research.
Search terms: climate change, global warming, energy crisis, carbon sequestration.
Organizations:
EPA: epa.gov/climatechange
NASA: climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus
World Bank: data.worldbank.org/topic/climate-change
National Academy of Sciences: www.nasonline.org
United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: www.ipcc.ch/
Books:
Stewart, William. 2010. Climate of Uncertainty: A balanced Look at Global Warming and
Renewable Energy.
Lomborg, Bjrn. 2008. Cool it: The Skeptical Environmentalists Guide to Global Warming.
Avery, Dennis. 2007. Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years.

NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

CONSUMER RELIEF
The three heaviest areas of fossil fuel consumption are
transportation, residential, and food production.
Carbon footprint calculators:

www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/indcalculator.html
www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator/inde
x.htm
Berners-Lee, Mike. 2011. How Bad are Bananas?:
The Carbon Footprint of Everything

The majority of energy discussions include the question, Whats next?

Search terms: biofuel, hydroelectricity, wind, solar, geothermal
Videos:

TED Talks: The end of oil? 10-talk series.

www.ted.com/playlists/58/the_end_of_oil.html

Sites:

henergy.gov/science-innovation/energy-sources/renewable-energy
www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/home
National Renewable Energy Laboratory: www.nrel.gov/

Transportation - Electric Vehicles:

www.fueleconomy.gov/
www.doe.gov/egallon
Top 10 things you didnt know about electric
vehicles: www.energy.gov/articles/
Gas vs. EV car pricing: www.carsdirect.com/carpricing/new-electric-car-costs-vs-standardgasoline-vehicles
EV pathfinder: www.ipl2.org/div/pf/entry/79900

Residential:

www.energy.gov/consumption
Home efficiency: www.energystar.gov

Wulfinghoff, Donald. 2000. Energy Efficiency

Manual.

Manning, Richard. 2004. The Oil We Eat: Following

the Food Chain back to Iraq.
Pfieffer, Dale Allen. 2006. Eating Fossil Fuels.
www.resilience.org/stories/2004-05-23/oil-we-eatfollowing-food-chain-back-iraq
shrinkthatfootprint.com/how-to-save-money-onfood-waste
portlandlocalfood.wordpress.com/
Oregon Environmental Council:
www.oeconline.org/our-work/food-andfarms/farm-fresh/sole-food-resources
See the website section for an extensive list of local
food resources.
Hopkins, Rob. 2011. The Transition Handbook: From
Oil Dependency to Local Resilience.
Holmgren, David. 2009. Future Scenarios: How
Communities can Adapt to Peak Oil and Climate
Change.
Lovins, Amory. 2000. Natural Capitalism: Creating
the Next Industrial Revolution.

IEA Production Costs of Alternative Transportation Fuels

www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/name,43708,en.
html
Shades of Green report: shrinkthatfootprint.com/electric-car-emissions

EV Articles:

Further reads:

www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/

Food:

PROBLEMS WITH NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

Critics of EVs and other alternative energy strategies often claim they
merely shift, rather than solve the energy crisis.
Reports:

www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/automobiles/how-green-are-electriccars-depends-on-where-you-plug-in.html?_r=0
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers:
spectrum.ieee.org/energy/renewables/unclean-at-any-speed
Chicago Tribune: cars.chicagotribune.com/fuel-efficient/news/chi-areelectric-vehicles-environmental-option-20130715
Forbes: www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2013/07/21/are-electric-carsreally-that-polluting/

Books:

Goodell, Jeff. 2007. Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America Energy
Future.
Heinberg, Richard, 2009. Blackout: Coal, Climate and the Last Energy
Crisis.
Owen, David. 2012. The Conundrum.

Consumer credit:www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index

IRS Plug-In Vehicle credit: http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Plug-InElectric-Vehicle-Credit-%28IRC-30-and-IRC-30D%29

Statewide residential energy tax credit: http://energy.gov/savings
DOE funding: www1.eere.energy.gov/financing/index.html

FINANCIAL INCENTIVES

EIA:
www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=renewable_home#tab3