nergy makes America go.

But the way we get it is more complex and vulnerable than most of us realize.


is that change won't come easily.

Here, you can explore America’s energy stories, meet the people behind the debate and join the conversation about our future.

Climate refugees		The high-energy diet
A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in Alaska as coastal villagers are losing their homes to rising waters. Meanwhile, state and federal agencies are struggling to deal with the costs of climate change.		In the last century, the amount of fossil fuels used to grow and transport food has increased dramatically. Here’s why fossil fuels matter to food and what you can do about it.
Down the lines		Mining the mountains
The U.S. energy grid is in trouble. The crumbling infrastructure and lag in construction of power lines have set the stage for more serious and frequent blackouts in the coming years.		Environmental organizers in West Virginia are fighting mountaintop removal, which blasts the tops off mountains to mine coal. But miners are fighting back to defend their livelihood.
Debating coal's future		Powering Down		Reclaiming creation
The residents of Meigs County, Ohio, live beneath the towering smokestacks of four coal-fired power plants. A fifth plant has been proposed, the latest salvo in a battle over the way the U.S. gets electricity.		The Powering Down energy challenge will give you the tools you need to chart your energy use, target the most cost-effective savings in your home and be rewarded for your progress.		A mobilized faith community could be crucial to recharging environmental conversations and influencing energy policy. Meanwhile, a focus on the environment could draw in young members, breathing new life into religious communities.
Energy portraits		The power in plants		Roping the wind
A growing population means that the U.S. is producing ever more greenhouse gases. Four American families open up about how they’re succeeding and struggling to reduce their energy consumption.		With corn and soybeans alone unable to meet the demand for biofuels, can second-generation plants such as giant cane be the answer to replacing gasoline?		Once considered a burden, the wind is now reviving the Texas town of Roscoe by creating new jobs and bringing people back, giving a second chance to this once-dying community.
Guest editorials		Blog
Experts and opinion leaders, from politicians to filmmakers to CEOs, weigh in on why energy is one the most important issues of our time.		It took 12 journalists 10 weeks to create Powering A Nation. The blog chronicles their thoughts as they developed the site and the lessons they learned in the process.