More than 30 years have passed since President Jimmy Carter called for the creation of a national energy policy to address the nation's greatest peacetime challenge of his life - ensuring reliable energy for the nation.

Carter's message went largely unheeded in Southern Illinois and elsewhere until recently, when working people began feeling the pinch of higher utility rates, skyrocketing gasoline prices and lost purchasing power for the oil-related necessities of life - food trucked to groceries and consumer goods hauled to stores.

Today, people are changing their lives in our region to address the new realities of energy - conserving fossil fuels by taking steps at home to reduce their consumption of electricity, switching to high-mileage vehicles or reducing the amount of miles they drive by switching to bicycles.

On the home front

Bill King said the recent rate hike by AmerenCIPS was the impetus to change the way he uses electricity in his Benton residence.

"Since CIPS socked it to us, we've changed all our light bulbs to the energy efficient ones and instead of having all the lights on, we run basically one light and our TV at night," he said "Also, when we buy appliances, I really read the ratings now."

King said the efforts have paid off with savings on his electricity bills, which dropped from an average of $300 to $200 in summer months.

He also started ahead of the game with energy-efficient construction on his 1,600-square-foot house.

"We've got tripled-glazed windows and R-38 (insulation) in the ceiling, so we've always kind of had the energy thing down," he said.

On the road

Denny Hays of Carbondale has not one, but two 2005 Toyota Priuses that he shares with his wife, Esther. The retired architect said he purchased one new and the other used.

"We've always been sort of energy conscious anyway," Hays said. "And then our daughter, Kellan, became very active in environmental issues and helped persuade us to look at a more energy-efficient car."

Hays said he and his wife are glad they made the commitment to make those purchases.

"The non-pollution aspect of it gives us a certain comfort level," he said. It's also a cost savings for the couple in terms of fuel because both vehicles average 49 miles per gallon.

Some people are moving away from motor vehicles when possible.

"The (bicycling) industry as a whole was in a noticeable slump and it was not until this year that you began to see a big increase of interest from all walks of life," said Jeff Daily, president of the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Cycling Club.

Bicycling interest is directly related to gas prices, the economy and "green" environmental initiatives, Daily said. He has seen the SIUC Cycling Club membership widen from strictly those who want to race to commuters and recreationalists.

First warning shot?

"Tonight I want to have an unpleasant talk with you about a problem unprecedented in our history. With the exception of preventing war, this is the greatest challenge our country will face during our lifetimes."

With those words, President Carter began his April 18, 1977, address to the American people. Carter said the nation's energy crisis would be "likely to get progressively worse through the rest of this century."

Carter's speech and energy plan were not well received. Political think tanks claimed an energy shortage was not - and would not become - an issue for America. Congress failed to approve the plan.

"Now, 30 years later, some people say he was just ahead of his time," said Jonathan Feipel, deputy director of energy and recycling for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

In addition to education, changing the public's habits and actions will also become necessary in developing a successful energy plan for America's future, and most experts agree that changing behavior is anything but a simple task.

In the early summer, when gas prices first began approaching $4 per gallon, consumers began driving their vehicles less for the first time since the oil crisis Carter described in 1977, Feipel said.

"We had the first sign of consumers finally responding," he said, adding he disagrees with a widespread belief that America's resistance to change stems from laziness. "I don't think we are (lazy). There are so many things we face on a daily basis; it's sometimes just easier to drive the car you drive."

Understanding energy

In an age of skyrocketing fuel prices and state interference in electricity rate hikes, words like "energy" and "green" have found their way into the vocabulary of nearly every American citizen.

Energy, however, can have different meanings depending on the audience. Ask a person well-versed in science, and he or she will likely respond by saying, "Energy is the ability to do work."

They'll also rattle off principles of energy such as, "Energy cannot be created or destroyed," and "Energy is either kinetic or potential."

But for the average person, energy can be boiled down to something much simpler, Feipel said. Energy is what heats homes, turns on lights and allows a vehicle to move down the interstate.

To many Americans, energy is just a part of life.

"I think the complexity of it is not really at the heart of the public understanding yet," said Peter Blair, executive director of the Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences for the National Academies. The National Academies are the advisers to the nation on science, engineering and medicine.

The past two decades have seen a large increase in a basic knowledge of energy, but there's still much learning to do, he said.

This learning and interest in energy, however, has mostly been driven by increasing costs of gasoline and America's dependence on foreign oil, Blair said.

Choosing sources

When examining and comparing potential energy sources - including coal, natural gas, nuclear and alternative fuels, among others - three main qualities come into play, Blair said. People examine each source's attributes of energy security, environmental effects and economic benefits.

In recent decades, one of these three qualities would appear to be the leading factor in the minds of Americans, but that has changed, he said.

"When we used to talk about this, politicians used to tell us which of these things was most important," Blair said. "Now they are simultaneous, crucial dimensions to moving the nation forward."

What's the best solution for the future?

Joel Darmstadter, senior fellow with Washington, D.C.-based Resources for the Future, said there are often tradeoffs between energy forms that make a diversified energy portfolio the most appealing option.

While some energy forms may be the most environmentally sound, others may be cost-effective, so balancing different sources together can create a desired result, he said.

- Reporters Becky Malkovich, John Homan and Scott Fitzgerald contributed to this report.

adam.testa@thesouthern.com

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