The Effects Of Fossil Fuels On The United States Essay

The Effects Of Fossil Fuels On The United States Essay

Length: 1054 words (3 double-spaced pages)

Rating: Better Essays

Open Document

Essay Preview

Today, the United States produces most of its electric power through the burning of fossil fuels, especially coal. The usage of these fuels is responsible for a host of environmental, economic, and social damage. Without action, the continued use of these energy generation strategies will lead to continued the degradation of the health, economic strength, and environmental stability of the United States. To combat this threat, we propose the gradual elimination of the use of fossil fuels in energy generation within the next twenty to thirty years. This plan involves considerable up-front expense, especially in the construction of infrastructure, but is necessary to ensure the continued prosperity of our nation.
The use of fossil fuels in the production of electric energy presents a variety of dangers to the United States. These dangers include not only threats to nature, but directly to the health and wellbeing of citizens. For example, the processes of actually extracting the fuels that go into energy production cause extensive harm long before they are utilized for energy. Using coal as a case study highlights these issues. Coal mining disrupts the environment even in the most controlled circumstances, with the widespread clearing of land destroying habits and separating the remainder into smaller, less efficient sub units. This greatly decreases biodiversity, an environmental quality that helps maintain natural ecosystems which provide tangible benefits to humans, such as better crop maintenance and the availability of other resources for later extraction. In addition to dividing ecosystems, mining also introduces considerable pollution into these environments, killing other important resources and introducing tox...

... middle of paper ...

...s be produced by Natural gas and renewables. By 2040, non-renewables other than natural gas should make up no more than 1/3 of energy production, with the rest split between natural gas and alternative energies. By 2050, the United States will produce a full ½ of our energy needs through the use of renewable energy sources; Natural gas may take up to another third, with the remaining fraction produced through other non-renewables.
This solution solves a fundamental problem facing environmental policy, in that the United States’ energy usage continues to increase at a rapid pace. This plan involves a continuation of that energy usage, leading to stability in quality of life. Although the up-front costs of this transition are high, the long-term payoff is substantial, made all the more significant as it is accomplished without a reduction in energy usage.

Need Writing Help?

Get feedback on grammar, clarity, concision and logic instantly.

Check your paper »

The Effects Of Fossil Fuels And The Effects Implemented Essay

- Earth, the only planet in our galaxy able to beautifully sustain life and everything attached is taken obliviously for granted. Earth, a planet that refuses to continue captivating all these dreadful chemicals let out by human generated so called “necessities” is giving up. What will be of existence if Earth finally decided to give up. Humans causing a surplus burning of fossil fuels in the United States are constraining Earth’s human tolerant time frame to run short. In just a few decades, The United States will be held accountable for about $4.7 trillion dollars due to the threats sea level rise poses (Frumhoff et al....   [tags: Carbon dioxide, Fossil fuel, Greenhouse gas]

Better Essays
1720 words (4.9 pages)

Essay on Fossil Fuels : An Source Of Energy

- Ever since the Industrial Revolution, fossil fuels have been used to power the World’s economy. When the world first discovered oil as an energy source in 1859, it seemed like an ideal source of energy. Energy that had no limits and no negative effects. It is now clear that thinking of fossil fuels as a limitless supply of free energy without any negative effects is a very foolish mindset. However, this mindset was so prevalent throughout the entire twentieth century that America and many other nations around the world have become totally dependent on fossil fuels as their main source of energy....   [tags: Fossil fuel, Energy development, Wind power]

Better Essays
1683 words (4.8 pages)

Fossil Fuels Should Not Subsidize Fossil Fuel Companies Essay

- Fossil fuels are the basis of the world economy, providing electricity and transportation for many. It is undeniable that fossil fuels have raised the standard of living and uplifted impoverished communities by providing clean water and electricity. However, it is also a known fact that burning fossil fuels endangers the health of the public, contributes to climate change, and creates unsafe habitants for marine and wildlife. Burning fossil fuels introduces more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, warming the earth, melting glaciers and the polar ice caps, acidifying the oceans, and finally raising the sea levels....   [tags: Fossil fuel, Global warming, Petroleum]

Better Essays
1283 words (3.7 pages)

The Effects Of Using Fossil Fuels On The Planet Essay

- Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, we have been using fossil fuels to power our lives, and factories. Little did we know that our miracle energy producer was destroying our planet. The burning of fossil fuels produces a byproduct called carbon dioxide. This natural occurring gas does not harm the planet in any way when released in small quantities, but at the rate we have released it, there is nowhere for it to go so it becomes trapped in the atmosphere. When the gas becomes trapped in the atmosphere, it creates a “Green House” effect....   [tags: Greenhouse gas, Carbon dioxide, Global warming]

Better Essays
1288 words (3.7 pages)

The Negative Impacts Of Fossil Fuels Essay

- The Earth has been around for a very, very long time, scientist estimate it to be some 4.6 billion years old. It has changed drastically over these billions of years and has had a couple of extinctions and ice ages. Some of our oldest civilizations, like ancient China, are dwarfed by the sheer length of our planet’s existence. One of the oldest fossils of our species was Yuanmou, who lived about 1.7 million years ago in ancient China. Through some simple arithmetic, we can see even this number hardly comes close to the age of the Earth, a meaningless .034% of Earth’s existence....   [tags: Global warming, Earth, Greenhouse gas]

Better Essays
1413 words (4 pages)

Fossil Fuels on Americas Future Essay

- It is widely accepted that the use of fossil fuels as an energy source has had disastrous effects on the environment. In America alone 73% of the energy supplied comes from the burning of oil and coal. The dependency America has on fossil fuel is wide spread; you experience it directly when you drive your car and turn on the lights to read this paper. What about the 27% of the energy used to supply the population of America (Smil 55).Some of it comes from a diverse sub-level of energy sources, called renewable energy....   [tags: environment, energy, oil, coal]

Better Essays
1318 words (3.8 pages)

The Effects of Nuclear Power and Fossil Fuels Essay example

- Energy, the ability to do work, powers the world around us. Generating of energy enables all electricity, communications, and network functions. Two methods of generating energy are through nuclear power and fossil fuels. Nuclear power and fossil fuels greatly compare regarding power production, cost of production, pollution, and imposing danger. Nuclear power plants and the burning of fossil fuels both supply significant amounts of power to the Unites States. Nuclear plants produced nineteen percent while fossil fuels produce sixty-six percent of the United State’s electricity....   [tags: power, production, cost, pollution]

Better Essays
706 words (2 pages)

The Effects Of Global Carbon Emissions From Fossil Fuels On The Global Average Temperature Increase

- The commonly debated “greenhouse effect” refers to “the global-average temperature increase that has been observed over the last one hundred years or more” (Spencer). President Barack Obama addressed the issue as an effort to highlight its severity, "We have to all shoulder the responsibility for keeping the planet habitable, or we’re going to suffer the consequences – together” (Leader). The earth’s increasing atmospheric and oceanic temperatures result in climate changes due to cumulative amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. As an outcome, researchers around the globe have established that the by-product of burning fossil fuels is the main culprit of the increasing tempera...   [tags: Fossil fuel, Carbon dioxide, Global warming]

Better Essays
830 words (2.4 pages)

Essay Replacement of Fossil Fuels with Nuclear Energy for Electricity

- Replacement of Fossil Fuels with Nuclear Energy for Electricity ABSTRACT Our nation is on the brink of an energy crisis and alternative means to produce electricity must be found. Fossil fuel resources are declining sharply and nuclear energy is the leading form of replacement. Our research shows that the advantages to this new energy source are extraordinary and that there are many ways to minimize its negative aspects. Due to the overwhelming advantages, we have concluded that nuclear energy is indeed the best solution to the nation's energy crisis and with more advanced research and technology any future problems can be solved....   [tags: Energy Power Global Warming]

Better Essays
1398 words (4 pages)

Environmental Impact of Fossil Fuels Essay

- Environmental Impact of Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels cause pollution, smog, and the greenhouse effect. Fossil fuels really do negatively impact our environment, especially when it comes to global warming, Although there is controversy over whether or not fossil fuels are causing the planet to warm, or whether it is warming naturally, there is significant research that supports the former hypothesis. When fossil fuels are burned, they emit different levels of carbon dioxide....   [tags: Environment Pollution Essays]

Better Essays
528 words (1.5 pages)