I'm not sure that this means that we are actually using less coal or if the overall demand for energy keeps increasing. With the temperature rising, we are seeing places that never needed air conditioning using it on a regular basis. This is especially true along the coast of Lake Michigan where it was rare to need AC as temps were often pleasant. This is no longer the case.

I see an article about hacking and clicking on links and see a link in the article. No way that I'm going to click on the link.

The issue of low birth rates are affecting most industrialized nations. It really doesn't matter which continent you are on. The United States has largely relied on immigration for it's population growth and workforce. That's not something many want to acknowledge, but the economy needs workers and workers that are in the right age growth. An aging population is not a good thing and many countries are facing this issue. China with their one child policy is really looking at some challenges with it's workforce and population in the years to come.