Introduction and problems of fossil
fuels
Fossil fuels are those fuels made through natural process
like anaerobic decomposition of dead buried organisms. Fossil fuel has a greater percentage of
carbon which includes petroleum, coal plus natural gas. The range starts from
volatile materials like methane to nonvolatile and liquid petroleum. Fossil
fuel is nonrenewable due to the long process in the formation. Additionally,
their reserves are getting depleted quite faster than the rate of making new
ones. Fossil fuel has remained important
because they can easily get burned and oxidized to produce noticeable amounts
of energy. Fossil fuels have various usages including generation of electricity
and as a form of feedstock for the petrochemical factories. Although it’s
cheaper to produce than many other forms of energy, fossil fuel causes a great
concern for the environment
(UNESCO,2013).
The problems associated with the production and use of
fossil fuel includes global warming, which makes the earth temperature rise.
Fossil combination produces carbonic, nitric and sulphuric acids which later
fall into the earth in the form of acid rain. Such rain affects the natural
areas and the environment. Additionally, radioactive materials get contained in
the fossil fuels. They include thorium and uranium. The harvesting of fossil
fuels impacts the environment, as well. Offshore oil drilling on the other hand
is a big hazard to the aquatic habitats. The industries produce gas into the
atmospheres causing air pollution.
To make the societal cost explicit many governments use
taxes. There are used to make the cost of pollution internal. As a result it
makes it more expensive to produce and use fossil fuels. This is done in the
move to reduce the usage of such nonrenewable sources of energy. The use of fossil
fuel may look beneficial through provision of jobs and higher living standards.
However, the usage plays a key role towards global warming which is very
dangerous for the future. The environmental pollutants emitted affect humans
for the particles in the air bring negative health effects if inhaled. The
health effects are many including acute illness, death, chronic bronchitis, and
aggravated asthma and lung infections.
For an economy to grow fast, the workforce must be good and healthy. The use of fossil fuels affects the workforce
health hence leaving them weak to produce, leading to a sluggish economy (Suzuki, 2013).
Possible solutions
A possible solution to the fossil fuel problem is the use
of renewable energy which has fewer effects on the environment, the humans and
the economy. Such types of energy include natural resources and
electricity. However, electricity is
also associated with negative effects including production of air pollutants. The production of
electricity produces a large amount of the nitrogen oxides. The emissions are
responsible for the production of acid rain and smog plus the formation of particulate
matter. Fossil fuel fired electricity
plants emit gases like carbon dioxide which contribute to climatic change. Also the industry poses negative effects to
water and water habitats. Particularly, the transmission lines and hydro dams
have critical effects on biodiversity and water (Bloomberg.com,2013).
America as the case study country
The United States holds below 5 percentage of the world’s
population. However, due to the private cars and large houses, the country uses
above a quarter of the world fossil fuel supply. In the United States, above 90%
of the gas emissions get produced from fossil fuels. The production of the
fossil energy results in emissions of other harmful gas pollutants like the
sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, heavy metals and volatile compounds.
Worldwide the US ranks 2nd in consumption of energy. Much of the
energy consumed is from the fossil fuels.
A study conducted in 2010 showed that the energy comes from coal 22%,
petroleum 25% and natural gases produced 22% ( Pielke, 2013).
The country has also experienced a vast increase in
energy consumption making them substitute with imports and other renewable
sources. Fossil fuels which include natural gases, oil and coal from the
Americans’ main source of energy meaning 85% of the fuel used currently.
Although some costs for using the fuel remains obvious, others are hidden but
later included in the consumer’s bills (Bower, 2008). Other costs which the
country will have to incur if they continue using the fossil fuel include
the human health problem resulting from
air pollution, land damage from mining of coal, acid rain, global warming,
national security expenses and water pollution.
In many nations, the concern about the fossil effects remains a major
concern. As a result, business, countries and individuals have started to focus
on ways to reduce fossil fuel utilization. However, the truth is that, the
infrastructures will have to be changed to accommodate the other sources of
energy (Fischetti).
References
- ‘Peak Fossil Fuels’ Is Closer Than You
Think: BNEF - Bloomberg. (n.d.). Bloomberg - Business, Financial &
Economic News, Stock Quotes. Retrieved May 23, 2013, from
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-24/-peak-fossil-fuels-is-closer-than-you-think.html
·
Suzuki,
D. (n.d.). Shift from fossil fuels needed | Column | Opinion | Timmins Press.
Timmins Press. Retrieved May 23, 2013, from
http://www.timminspress.com/2013/05/05/shift-from-fossil-fuels-needed
·
problem with fossil fuels. (n.d.). problem with fossil
fuels. Retrieved May 23, 2013, from www.unesco.org/education/educprog/ste/pdf_files/sourcebook/module4.pdf
·
Fossil fuel - Simple
English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved May 23,
2013, from http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_fuel
·
Problems with fossil fuels
« Joan Pye Project – Putting the Case for Nuclear Energy in the UK. (n.d.).
Joan Pye Project – Putting the Case for Nuclear Energy in the UK. Retrieved May
23, 2013, from http://joanpyeproject.org/news/problems-with-fossil-fuels/
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