Energy and American Society—Thirteen Myths (review)

Marilyn Brown and Benjamin Sovacool have done an excellent job of assembling a group of very qualified coauthors to produce this anthology of essays on energy and society in America. Their premise is that for the most part Americans are “energy illiterate,” with most of their understanding based on “myths” rather than truths. Underlying the entire collection is the basic belief that while many Americans may be “aware” of the importance of energy issues because of increasing electricity, gas, or oil prices, they are grossly misinformed or completely ignorant of how our current energy system really works, how invasive it is in almost every area of our lives, and what we can do to effectively mitigate its long-term damaging effects on the health of our environment and on our economic well-being.

The book provides numerous examples of how the costs and prices of energy are misaligned with the values that energy delivers to society. The details on how we supply, convert, and use energy are unknown to most people and so will be of interest. However, perhaps even more important, the essays discuss in depth the options for transforming our current system to make it more sustainable—to last longer and eliminate potentially dire environmental and economic consequences for future generations.

The authors recommend using “energy sustainability indicators” to select options. While each essay explores a different energy myth, is written by a different author, and is focused on a specific energy issue, option, or topic, the commonality of theme throughout the book more than justifies grouping them in a single volume. Each essay is extremely well-documented, using many examples and providing detailed references in order to justify the arguments presented. Thus, each is well-suited for scholars or instructors interested in understanding the connections (or lack thereof) of a particular energy technology or environmental and resource issue to social, political, and economic values. While there is an understandable tendency for the authors to dispose of a myth quickly, with an arsenal of carefully selected facts and figures, in some instances a more open discussion of the inherent uncertainties and tradeoffs associated with many issues and choices might be welcome. For example, predicting land resources available for sustainable biofuels is not a simple task; it necessitates making many assumptions regarding population, food production tradeoffs, water requirements, soil conditions, and climate changes. In another chapter, by making selective assumptions, the author presents a case study which indicates that increasing energy efficiency would be a preferred option over increasing the number of nuclear plants for reducing our carbon footprint. Energy issues offer a rich landscape of choices, and one can consider these choices to be either acceptable or unacceptable depending on what one is trying to optimize or improve.

For those wanting to explore the depths of energy illiteracy in America with definitive, detailed, and well-documented analysis, this book is a must read. From my own perspective, I really appreciate the range and depth of the topics covered along with the high quality of the writing. However, I could not help but wonder whether some of the very people we hope will read it (especially policymakers) may be driven away by the sheer volume of material presented—more than 350 pages in fifteen chapters. Perhaps one or two of the authors would consider drafting a shorter, more “digestible” version for the broader audience. I believe it would be a compelling best seller.