High gasoline prices are one of the many symptoms that the global energy system is being challenged by the rising demand compared with supply. A stable and environmentally responsible energy supply is one of the major issues that confronts mankind in the 21st century. Our personal energy use, the development of novel energy resources, and policies adopted by government are all influenced by the awareness of the public of the choices that we face in our energy use and the consequences of those choices. For this reason, energy education and outreach is essential for making the public better aware of our energy situation. SEG members, in their roles as employees of energy companies, as government employees working in the geosciences, or as educators at universities, are well prepared to help educate the public about the challenges and opportunities that we face in our energy supply. Here we sketch those challenges and opportunities and give ideas on how one can assist in energy outreach and education. We have developed a public lecture, “The Global Energy Challenge,” that is available for such outreach and education activities.

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