Introduction As our environment and economy continues to face many challenges, replacing fossil fuels with alternative energy resources, not only helps to create a cleaner environment, it also helps reduce the bills. However, not everyone is aware of these issues. It’s time we realize that there is only a matter of time before we have globally consumed all available fossil fuels. We have reached a point in time where we must look into alternative resources preferably renewable ones.
Alternative resources range from getting our energy from the sun, the wind, biomass or even water. However, new innovative thinkers have suggested using garbage as an actual energy source. While others focus more on what is available now and how we can take advantage of what we have. Whichever options we choose to follow, it times we act now for the damages we have caused to the earth is irreversible; We can however, prevent further damage. Problems At Hand Given the rate at which we are consuming fossil fuels, such as coal, petroleum and natural gas, is unknown and we do not know how much more is available. Also, the effect on the environment will also, in the long run affect us. Much of the damage being done is irreversible. According to Grant Lindsey in his book, The End Of Fossil Fuels, it 's only a matter of time before fossil fuels cease to exist. Grant focuses on how much our population has grown over the years, and how that has affected us. The current world population is at 7.4 billion and it will only continue to grow. With such a large rising population our available resources are being used up more and at a faster rate than expected. We all rely on oil, coal, natural gases and biomass in order to produce our energy. We are, however, unaware of how quickly we are using up our available resources. Also, according to The End Of Fossil Fuels, given the current circumstances, it is predicted that by 2052 our oil deposits will be gone. By 2080 we will be out of fossil fuels. Sure, they may find a few reserves, giving us a few more years, but the reality is that one day it will no longer exist. We are not aware of the effects that are left because of burning fossil fuels. We are not aware of all the water and air pollution that has accumulated over the years. We will be left with bigger issues, besides no source of energy because of how we have treated landmarks in order to retrieve the fossil fuels. We now have to work on protecting the environment, if we don’t stop now then even accessing …show more content…
When it comes to renewable energies there are economical disadvantages. One being the investments made as Ulrike Lehr Lehr (August 2012) states, renewable energy technologies crowds out investment in fossil fuel technologies such as coal fired power plants, oil fired heating systems. This substitution effect leads to profit losses in the respective economic sectors. This connects to the increasing prices of the renewable energy systems in due to its higher demand. In order to get to the benefits that come with using renewable energy it would take large investments and a structured economy to achieve the goal, because the benefits will outshadow the …show more content…
Many believe that new reservoirs will be found giving us more time. They believe that things will just fall into place without them having to make any changes that they are not comfortable with. Those like Julian Spector don’t think it 's reasonable to have an entire country run on a hundred percent renewable sources. Spector (July 10, 2015) believes that if we do choose to go one hundred percent renewable sources, then it 's most likely that we are relying on solar power, wind energy and water energy. With such energy sources there are time limits. What Spector is unaware that there are storage mechanisms to handle situations that might disallow solar panel from providing electricity 24 hours a day. For example, solar panels have batteries that store energy collected during the day, this way electricity can be provided even after the sun goes down. Solar panels provide the same electrical needs as coal, without the CO2 emission, or the
Alternative resources range from getting our energy from the sun, the wind, biomass or even water. However, new innovative thinkers have suggested using garbage as an actual energy source. While others focus more on what is available now and how we can take advantage of what we have. Whichever options we choose to follow, it times we act now for the damages we have caused to the earth is irreversible; We can however, prevent further damage. Problems At Hand Given the rate at which we are consuming fossil fuels, such as coal, petroleum and natural gas, is unknown and we do not know how much more is available. Also, the effect on the environment will also, in the long run affect us. Much of the damage being done is irreversible. According to Grant Lindsey in his book, The End Of Fossil Fuels, it 's only a matter of time before fossil fuels cease to exist. Grant focuses on how much our population has grown over the years, and how that has affected us. The current world population is at 7.4 billion and it will only continue to grow. With such a large rising population our available resources are being used up more and at a faster rate than expected. We all rely on oil, coal, natural gases and biomass in order to produce our energy. We are, however, unaware of how quickly we are using up our available resources. Also, according to The End Of Fossil Fuels, given the current circumstances, it is predicted that by 2052 our oil deposits will be gone. By 2080 we will be out of fossil fuels. Sure, they may find a few reserves, giving us a few more years, but the reality is that one day it will no longer exist. We are not aware of the effects that are left because of burning fossil fuels. We are not aware of all the water and air pollution that has accumulated over the years. We will be left with bigger issues, besides no source of energy because of how we have treated landmarks in order to retrieve the fossil fuels. We now have to work on protecting the environment, if we don’t stop now then even accessing …show more content…
When it comes to renewable energies there are economical disadvantages. One being the investments made as Ulrike Lehr Lehr (August 2012) states, renewable energy technologies crowds out investment in fossil fuel technologies such as coal fired power plants, oil fired heating systems. This substitution effect leads to profit losses in the respective economic sectors. This connects to the increasing prices of the renewable energy systems in due to its higher demand. In order to get to the benefits that come with using renewable energy it would take large investments and a structured economy to achieve the goal, because the benefits will outshadow the …show more content…
Many believe that new reservoirs will be found giving us more time. They believe that things will just fall into place without them having to make any changes that they are not comfortable with. Those like Julian Spector don’t think it 's reasonable to have an entire country run on a hundred percent renewable sources. Spector (July 10, 2015) believes that if we do choose to go one hundred percent renewable sources, then it 's most likely that we are relying on solar power, wind energy and water energy. With such energy sources there are time limits. What Spector is unaware that there are storage mechanisms to handle situations that might disallow solar panel from providing electricity 24 hours a day. For example, solar panels have batteries that store energy collected during the day, this way electricity can be provided even after the sun goes down. Solar panels provide the same electrical needs as coal, without the CO2 emission, or the