The destructive consequences of Fossil Fuels

A free article on Vehicles

By: Mason Tanner

The United States is the country that leads all others in the use of fossil fuels. This is very unfortunate due to the destructive consequences of this dependence. Fossil fuels are formed in the ground over a period of millions of years formed from dead plants and animals. Oil, natural gas, and coal are fossil fuels and we use a lot of them! The technology does exist which makes this use unnecessary as it is environmentally destructive and very expensive.

The burning of fossil fuels is the number one producer of greenhouse gases that is causing more solar energy to be trapped causing temperatures, on average, to increase. To deny global warming is to deny that carbon dioxide is, in fact, a greenhouse gas which is beyond dispute at this point in time. CO2 traps heat and we produce a lot of it so this excess CO2 traps more heat. This is not complicated. The atmospheric concentration of CO2, a greenhouse gas, is increasing every day. This raises concerns that solar heat will be trapped and the average surface temperature of the Earth will rise in response. This is already happening, but most scientists think that it is not too late to make changes to prevent total destruction of the biosphere.

Fossil fuels are used to run vehicles as well as produce electricity. As was previously mentioned, fossil fuels take millions of years to form in the ground and are in no way renewable. Fossil fuels are non-renewable sources of energy, so once they are used up, they are gone. As old supplies are used up, new sources are found which causes even more problems as new drilling operations create more environmental problems.

In the United States, we use about twelve barrels of oil - the most valuable fossil fuel - per person per year. This is precisely the reason that the US as a nation is overly dependent on foreign oil. While the United States does have its own supply of oil, it doesn't compare to what the Middle East has to offer. So in order to meet the demand, we have to increase the supply. The only way to do that is to buy it from other countries - usually either Venezuela or Saudi Arabia.

As we use more and more fossil fuels, public awareness has also increased which resulted in the green movement which sought to educate people about alternative fuels and the harmful consequences of using fossil fuels. The ideas behind this movement have become popular lately as there is much cause for concern. The main reason that people are suddenly concerned about the use of oil is the recent drastic increase in price. As we enter a period of economic sluggishness, oil prices continue to rise. This puts many in an impossible situation.

If we can reduce our use of fossil fuels and start looking at alternative sources of energy, we not only improve the quality of the environment, but we also reduce our dependence on other countries for our energy resources. It is entirely possible to do this, however, sadly the U.S. government stalls progress. Reducing fossil fuel use is entirely possible and will require a grass roots movement of people all over the world demanding change. This, in itself, will reduce use and also will encourage governments to act on this important issue.

Copyright (c) 2008 Mason Tanner