Our current global climate crisis comes from our demand for energy. Since the Industrial Revolution, technological advances have increased the ease of human living, however, these advances require a lot of energy. Consider how transportation methods have changed over time! Past generations may have travelled on foot or by horse, and now we can use motorized vehicles and airplanes to get from place to place. Countless other things, like heating our homes, lighting a room or powering a city, require energy. Our bodies even require energy in the form of food, which requires energy to produce. Energy is at the heart of our civilization.

As you have learned in previous lessons, currently we primarily meet our energy demands by burning fossil fuels. However, this combustion increases the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and alters Earth's radiation balance, contributing to climate change. As you start engaging with Design Our Climate simulation (DOCs), you'll explore how we might meet our energy demand in a variety of ways while minimizing our carbon footprint. There is no one fix-all solution to climate change, but rather a mosaic of solutions is needed.