Our Fuel, Our Planet, Our Responsibility

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Recommended: Effects of using fossil fuels on our environment

About eighty-five percent of our fuel comes from fossil fuels, which primary uses are electricity and fuel for cars. www.ucsusa.org. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, “Many of the environmental problems our country faces today result from our fossil fuel dependence. These impacts include global warming, air quality deterioration, oil spills, and acid rain.” Other issues such as National Security issues, protection of foreign oil sources and the reliance we have on those foreign sources. Not to mention the billions of dollars spent protecting those interests. There are other energy sources, but are they any safer? Will humanity be better off to focus its attention on conserving what we have and using all resources we already have frugally with safety in mind first? The small amount of energy produced by means other than fossil fuels bring with them other questions as well as safety issues, is addressing those issues worth more than the efforts of conserving what fuel we have? “A nuclear reactor operates somewhat like a furnace. However, instead of using such fossil fuels as coal or oil, almost all reactors use uranium. And instead of burning in the reactor, the uranium fissions—that is, its nuclei split into two or more fragments. As a nucleus splits, it releases energy that is converted largely into heat. The fission of 1 pound of uranium releases more energy than the burning of 3 million pounds (1,500 tons) of coal. Stated in metric terms, the fission of 1 kilogram of uranium releases more energy than the burning of 3 million kilograms (3,000 metric tons) of coal.” “Unlike fossil-fuel plants, nuclear plants do not release solid or chemical pollutants into the atmosphere.” Corradini, 2012 One can certainly see the... ... middle of paper ... .... World Book, 2012. Web. 15 Jan. 2012. Hamilton, Jon, (2011, March), Sizing Up Japan's Nuclear Emergency: No Chernobyl http://www.npr.org/2011/03/14/134543680/sizing-up-japan-s-nuclear-emergency-no-chernobyl Komisarenko, I., (2012, January) http://www.chernobyl-international.org/igor.html Marples, David R.,(2012, January), "Chernobyl disaster." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2012. Web. 15 Jan. 2012. Union of Concerned Scientists, (2012, January) http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/technology_and_impacts/impacts/the-hidden-cost-of-fossil.html Walker, J. Samuel., (2012, January) " Three Mile Island: A Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective; Historian, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2012. Web. 15 Jan. 2012. World Nuclear Association, (2012, January) http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf45.html#Electricity_Supply

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