{"id":568,"date":"2018-03-01T15:16:46","date_gmt":"2018-03-01T23:16:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.evergreen.edu\/zoltan\/?page_id=568"},"modified":"2018-03-01T15:42:46","modified_gmt":"2018-03-01T23:42:46","slug":"iraq-our-energy-future","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.evergreen.edu\/zoltan\/iraq-our-energy-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Iraq & Our Energy Future"},"content":{"rendered":"

This website was developed in May 2003 by students of Geography 378 (International Environmental Problems & Policy<\/a>) at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, to examine the connections between the Iraq War and the energy polices of the United States and the world community. The recent conflict in Iraq, and the aftermath of the 2003 invasion, has focused attention on global environmental issues in several ways.<\/p>\n

First, recent wars in Iraq have been fought in a country with a delicate\u00a0ecosystem<\/a> and historic cultural sites<\/a>. In this desert environment, the wars have generated a water crisis\u00a0<\/a>for the civilian population. The marshy environment of southern Iraq has also been drained<\/a> by the former government, which also set fire to oil wells<\/a> and trenches.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Second, the munitions<\/span><\/a> of war directed against Iraq possess distinct environmental risks. An example is the use of Depleted Uranium<\/span><\/a> metal, which has generated controversy around the world, particularly in Iraq<\/span><\/a>. The munitions, oil fires, and chemicals in Iraq’s wars may be contributed factors to Gulf War Syndrome, a term for symptoms reported both by U.S.veterans<\/span><\/a> and by Iraqis<\/span><\/a> themselves. Poor medical conditions in Iraq have been worsened by economic sanctions<\/span><\/a> and by postwar humanitarian crisis<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Third, the question of bio-chemical weapons<\/span><\/a> has loomed over Iraq.Chemical weapons<\/span><\/a> were used by both Iraqi and Iranian troops in the 1980s. The U.S. destruction<\/span><\/a> of Iraqi weapons in 1991 also contaminated the air. Nuclear fears have also shaped the conflict, and not only in the effort to thwart Iraqi development of nuclear arms. Nuclear options<\/span><\/a> have been explored to defeat Iraq, including the use of tactical “bunker-buster<\/span><\/a>” nukes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fourth, militaries around the world use enormous amounts of resources\u00a0<\/span><\/a>and rack up numerous costs<\/span><\/a> for global society. Wars are increasingly fought over natural resources such as oil<\/span><\/a>, to feed industrial civilization’s thirst for an endless oil supply<\/span><\/a>. The opening of new oil sources in the\u00a0Caspian Basin<\/span><\/a> was the theme of the Fall 2002 class website in this course.<\/span><\/p>\n

One alternative to increased dependence on foreign oil is to explore\u00a0renewable energies<\/span><\/a>, which are environmentally cleaner and increasingly feasible in cost<\/span><\/a>, particularly when combined with efforts to conserve\u00a0<\/span><\/a>energy. Only 8 percent of U.S. power is currently provided by renewable energy sources. Worldwide the share climbs to 14 percent. Appropriate energy can be generated from natural forces, such as the sun<\/span><\/a> (with\u00a0photovoltaic<\/span><\/a> cells), wind<\/span><\/a>, ocean tides<\/span><\/a>, and geothermal<\/span><\/a> heat. Fuel is also readily available in plant biomass<\/span><\/a> and organic waste<\/span><\/a>. Vehicles<\/span><\/a> can be made to run on cleaner and more efficient fuels, such as hydrogen<\/span><\/a>. Power plants can cogenerate<\/span><\/a> electricity and heat, or use hydrogen fuel cells<\/span><\/a>, and systems can be built to efficiently heat and cool<\/span><\/a> buildings.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>With so many options available to turn toward renewable supplies of energy, our national and global society is still wedded to fossil fuels, a source of energy that is both finite and environmentally destructive. At current trends, known oil reserves will run out in 45 years. Conflicts over dwindling oil supplies also contribute to regional wars, which in turn use up or burn up more oil. Renewable energies are one way for a new generation to break this cycle.<\/span><\/p>\n

GEOGRAPHY 378 STUDENTS, SPRING 2003<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Emily<\/span><\/td>\nSabrina\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nRubin\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kelly\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nDavid\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nLinda\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Matt\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nAdam<\/span><\/td>\nKyle\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Christy\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nBrandon\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nJulie<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jed\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nChip\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nJoel\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cora\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nLiz<\/span><\/td>\nAdam\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Megan<\/span><\/td>\nClaudia\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nDan\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Matt\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nJen\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nBrian\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lisa<\/span><\/td>\nGraham<\/span><\/td>\nNeil\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Beth\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nMatthew<\/span><\/td>\nHolly\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Erin\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nTony<\/span><\/td>\nMichelle\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Erin<\/span><\/td>\nRyan\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nMai\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

IRAQ WAR LINKS & <\/strong>MAPS<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Eyewitnesses:<\/span><\/td>\nPro-war analysis:<\/span><\/td>\nMedia:<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Electronic Iraq<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nE-freedom News<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nCBC<\/a> (Canada)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Iraq Body Count<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nWhite House Report<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nIndependent<\/a> (UK)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Iraq Peace Team<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nProject for a New American Century<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nGuardian<\/a> (UK)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Education for Peace in Iraq Center<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nBush State of the Union<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n\n

Al Jazeera<\/a> (Qatar)<\/span><\/p>\n

CNN<\/a> on Iraq scars<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Voices in the Wilderness<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nVeterans:<\/span><\/td>\nIndependent Media Center<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Iraq Journal<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nNational Gulf War Resource Center<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nInstitute for Public Accuracy<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Anti-war analysis:<\/span><\/td>\nVeterans of Foreign Wars<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nBackground:<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Common Dreams<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nVeterans for Common Sense<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nMiddle East Research & Information Project<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Counterpunch<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nVeterans Against the Iraq War<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nIraq War Debate<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
AlterNet<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nVeterans for Peace<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nOpen Democracy debate<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Z Net<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n\n
\n
R<\/span>efugee relief:<\/span><\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/td>\n
Biochemical weapons history<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wisconsin Peace Forum<\/a> and PSA<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nMennonite Central Committee<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nGulf War v.2.0<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

RENEWABLE ENERGY LINKS<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Renewables:<\/span><\/td>\nSolar:<\/span><\/td>\nAmerican Wind Energy Association<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Earth Future<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nInternational Solar Energy Society<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n\n

Native Energy<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Focus on Energy<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

World Resources Institute<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nSolar Developments<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nOther:<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
National Renewable Energy Laboratory<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nPV-Web<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nGeothermal Technologies Program<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
DoE Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nGo Solar<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nIntroduction to Geothermal Energy<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
DoE Energy Information Administration<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nOK Solar<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nAmerican Bioenergy Association<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
A Global Overview of Renewable Energy Sources<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n\n

Fast Solar Energy Facts<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

DoE Office of Transportation Technologies<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
International Network for Sustainable Energy<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nSolar Buzz<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nDoE Clean Cities<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
American Council for Energy Efficient Economy<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nWind:<\/span><\/td>\nFuel Cell Information Center<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
World Energy Council<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nInfinite Power<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n\u00a0Energy Guide<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Midwest Renewable Energy Association<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nHistory of Wind Power<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nInt’l Council for Local Environmental Initiatives<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
National Resources Defense Council<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n\n
\n
British Wind Power<\/a><\/span><\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/td>\n
Combined Heat and Power<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Institute for the Analysis of Global Security<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nDanish Wind Energy<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nEnergy Conservation and Renewables<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The opinions expressed on this website are those of the students or their research sources, not of all Geography 378 students, the instructor, or of the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire and its departments.<\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This website was developed in May 2003 by students of Geography 378 (International Environmental Problems & Policy) at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, to examine the connections between the Iraq War and the energy polices of the United States and the world community. The recent conflict in Iraq, and the aftermath of the 2003 invasion, … Continue reading Iraq & Our Energy Future<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3910,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.evergreen.edu\/zoltan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/568"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.evergreen.edu\/zoltan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.evergreen.edu\/zoltan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.evergreen.edu\/zoltan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3910"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.evergreen.edu\/zoltan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=568"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.evergreen.edu\/zoltan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/568\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.evergreen.edu\/zoltan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=568"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}