Engineers!
Engineering a Mindset
Engineers increase the standard of living for their communities. They improve efficiency, lower cost, and create opportunities in new job fields. Without engineers, there would be no solutions for the new problems we encounter because the rest of the population is already specialized in established fields; although the energy crisis worries a large portion of the world community, we can’t expect those without the expertise to alter the inevitable implications of empty oil fields. Engineers must be the ones to bring about change because they are the only people equipped to do so.
But perhaps the focus of engineers should be less technical and more ideological. Instead of building machinery, they should be molding mindsets. There is no shortage of energy-conserving options for those willing to invest their time, money, and patience, but the problem arises from the preconceptions of the public, especially those of the United States. We cannot forget that the main reason for America’s movement towards a “green” way of life has been the endangerment of our most precious resource: money. If impassioned speeches regarding the disappearance of ice caps and reduction of the ozone layer didn’t move citizens to call for another option, rising gas prices did. But what keeps the homes from being solar-paneled, cars electrically run, and windmills from filling lawns? The United States, in particular, seems to lack the foresight to realize the potential for investment in these options. It is always too expensive, too inconvenient, and not aesthetically appealing. The difficulty of the energy crisis lies not in the awareness of the issue and its consequences, or even in the applicability of the technology that will replace oil fields, but a full understanding of what the country, and world, will have to sacrifice in order to maintain the luxuries of a civilized society. Engineers must be the ones to educate the public because they will know the full implications of their alternatives.
Each option for conserving energy comes with its own side effects. For instance, the main problems with solar panels are their cost and wavelength compatibility. In less sunny climates, the panels will not provide as consistent savings on energy bills as other areas because of the difference in light waves. For many locations, this may cause the initial start-up cost to be greater because of the increased time of compensation. In addition, most energy options require more inconvenience than the consumer may have predicted. Electric cars, for example, can only be driven for a set number of miles or in certain conditions until needing to be plugged in again. And if the vehicle is powered with an alternate fuel, such as ethanol, there is an added reliance on fueling stations to be built. Even though consumers want to reduce their costs, and improve the environmental conditions, they are not prepared for the lifestyle changes needed to use each fuel-saving option to the fullest.
As the innovators of society, engineers will bear the weight of the environment’s outcome. But in order to be successful, they will first need to expand their plan of action beyond the AutoCAD-designed structures and reaction-tested substances; they will need to develop a desire for change and an acknowledgement of the challenges ahead. Engineers will need to build, within each individual, the feeling of empowerment and responsibility.