The U.S. Department of Energy is commemorating American Energy Month during October to emphasize the importance of energy, its role in the U.S. economy, and the value of conservation. We are pleased to be part of American Energy Month. It is important that each American do all that he or she can to conserve our valuable energy resources.
Energy affects many segments of our society such as the environment, public health, and the economy.
Recent studies indicate energy production and use cause more environmental damage than any human activity other than war and defense related activities. Without using cleaner energy fuels and aggressive conservation initiatives, this could have a detrimental impact on the environment in terms of more urban smog, a greater concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and greater health care costs caused by respiratory ailments. The U.S. economy is heavily dependent on imported oil from the Middle East. That dependence makes our economy vulnerable to price shocks and potential supply disruptions. America's reliance on foreign oil imports expands our trade deficit and decreases energy independence initiatives.