Whether or not you believe in global warming, it's hard to deny the strain that fossil fuels have put on our planet. We need to change not only how we produce and consume energy, but also what types of energy we use.
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Whether or not you believe in global warming, it's hard to deny the strain that fossil fuels have put on our planet. We need to change not only how we produce and consume energy, but also what types of energy we use.
Of course, this leads us to alternative energy. The only problem is that every type of alternative energy has its downside. Some of the most notable are: the radiation hazard of nuclear power, and the price and unpredictability of solar and wind power.
So we've come to the point where we need to choose which type of energy has the least amount of undesireable 'negatives.' I say that fossil fuels have the highest potential for problems; not only do they create tons of pollution, but we have allowed ourselves to be tied to this non-renewable resource. On the other hand, barring any unforeseen disastrous global climate emergencies, the sun and the wind are about as certain as death and taxes.
Whether it will be one hundred or one thousand years before we run out of oil, we need to embrace alternative energies now because it will take decades for us to ween ourselves from fossil fuels. Until we can rely on clean energies for most of our consumption, we must reduce our use of oil. This starts with improving biofuel technology so that we can produce it with clean energy without net energy loss. It starts with replacing the outdated power lines that cross the United States with new high-voltage lines that carry energy from wind farms to the cities that need it. It starts with hybrid-electic cars and hydrogen fuel cells.
There's no reliable way to tell how much oil the earth has left. And if we run out, then you can just about say good-bye to plastics, among other things. We need to start the process towards alternative energies now. This requires us to buy in to alternative energies and to reduce our oil consumption.
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