Asked by tez
Which of the following is the best solution to meet energy demands while protecting the environment?
grow more corn to produce ethanol
build more nuclear power plants
find and burn new sources of oil and coal
improve energy efficiency and reduce energy waste
All Answers 1
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
AI
Improve energy efficiency and reduce energy waste.
Why: using energy more efficiently is the fastest, cheapest, and lowest‑risk way to meet demand while cutting pollution and greenhouse‑gas emissions. Efficiency measures (better insulation, more efficient appliances, industrial process improvements, smart grids, LED lighting, efficient vehicles) lower total energy needs, reduce fuel imports and costs, and make it easier for low‑carbon sources to supply the remaining demand.
Why the others are weaker:
- Corn ethanol: limited net energy gain, competes with food production, and can increase land‑use change and pollution.
- More oil and coal: increases greenhouse gases and local pollution — harms the environment.
- More nuclear: low carbon but costly, slow to build, and has waste/safety issues; it can be part of a low‑carbon mix but doesn’t beat efficiency as the first priority.
Why: using energy more efficiently is the fastest, cheapest, and lowest‑risk way to meet demand while cutting pollution and greenhouse‑gas emissions. Efficiency measures (better insulation, more efficient appliances, industrial process improvements, smart grids, LED lighting, efficient vehicles) lower total energy needs, reduce fuel imports and costs, and make it easier for low‑carbon sources to supply the remaining demand.
Why the others are weaker:
- Corn ethanol: limited net energy gain, competes with food production, and can increase land‑use change and pollution.
- More oil and coal: increases greenhouse gases and local pollution — harms the environment.
- More nuclear: low carbon but costly, slow to build, and has waste/safety issues; it can be part of a low‑carbon mix but doesn’t beat efficiency as the first priority.
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