Alternative Energy Alternatives

Superior Essays
The world has solely relied on fossil fuels to supply us energy. Alone petroleum, coal, natural gas, and oil makes up eighty-one percent of the United States of America’s energy. If the world does not push to use alternative energy, eventually completely switching to alternative energy, leaving fossil fuels in the past, we will never stop some of the environmental problems contributed with burning fossil fuels. Some of the harsh environmental problems are air pollution, water pollution, and oil spills, just to name a few. It is time to make a tremendous effect to stop the damaging consequences of the burning and use of fossil fuels. I firmly believe the United States can lead the revolution in switching to alternative energy. In order to comprehend why we need to shift to alternative energy sources, we must first review the history of fossil fuels and how it transitioned into the world during an important era of history. Fossil fuels played an extremely significant role in the era of the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution began in the eighteenth century. Fossil fuels were the ultimate ideal source of energy during the Industrial Revolution. Coal was especially used the most during the revolution. It burned “cleaner” and hotter than what wood did. The Industrial Revolution without a doubt expanded the use of coal. During the revolution, coal was used for steamships and with the escalating business of transporting goods across the country, it played a major part in powering steam-powered railroads and trains. Throughout the era of industrialization coal has powered many factories and machines. Even leading to the American Civil War, where coal was used to give life to factories used to build weapons. Currently, in our world today, fossil fuels, coal and petroleum (kerosene), provide electricity and heat to billions of American homes. Not only are houses filled with power, so are ships, airplanes, and cars with the aid of kerosene. Needless to say, Americans are quite happy to have clean, warm homes. However, there is a cost to pay. Extracting these precious fossil fuels causes air and water pollution. Air pollution is defined as “any visible or invisible particle or gas found in the air that is not part of the natural composition of air” by the Environmental Protection Agency. Water pollution is “any matter into waters which changes the physical, chemical, or biological l condition of water” by the Protection of the Environment Operations Act of 1997. When the fossil fuels are burned they release hazardous gases. The gases with the deadly combination of air and water pollution is lethal to the public health. For example, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide are products of the burning of fossil fuels. These hazardous pollutants can trigger asthma and abnormal lung functions. Fossil fuels are damaging our society health. People who live in the city where there are high amounts of these dangerous gases are more at risk of having lung and breathing problems. Cities have more cars, buses, and trains, which in return means more fossil fuels are being used to fuel the means of the massive transportation. Children and the elderly who live in …show more content…
Nicholas C. Arguimbau, an environmental lawyer, states that the “production of oil has been steadily dropping and is poised to drastically decline in just a few years.” (Energy Alternatives pg. 12) It is simple. The demand for oil and other fossil fuels are at an all-time high. “Countries such as India and China are consuming fossil fuels at an ever faster rate.” (Energy Alternatives pg. 12) With the population of countries growing tremendously, of course the demand and high need for fossil fuels. There are more houses, cars, buildings, factories and much more to power. Although we are discovering new places were oil has been hiding, it is not enough to meet the exceeding demand that is already on the market. It simply will not cut it. We need other options. “At the present rate of thirty billion barrels per year, eighty-two million barrels per day it will gone in thirty-three years, and consumption has been rapidly increasing, not decreasing, so if anything it will all e gone sooner…” (Energy Alternatives pg. 12) Discovering more oil is barely cutting it as a temporary fix. We need a permanent solution,

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