Nowadays most people are well aware that there is an environmental cost to the way we use (or misuse) energy resources. You've probably noticed concern raised about continuing use of fossil fuels - resource depletion, pollution and even possible climate change. But what do these problems really mean, and what implications do they have for the future of our planet?

Furthermore, what can you and I actually do about it? Conserving energy is one obvious answer, but how can we do this effectively and economically? There is also growing consensus that renewable energy is the way forward, but what are the viable alternative forms, and can we all switch to green power? Alternatively, what about nuclear energy? Does it really deserve the bad press that it gets, or is it a sensible solution for the future?

Explore these issues further in our articles on greening energy and nuclear power.