Pros And Cons Of Fossil Fuels

Human longevity relies on many factors but two of most imminent factors are the source of energy to sustain humans and the health of the planet. Since the late 1700’s the era of fossil fuels has taken over the planet as the dominating source of energy. However these fossil fuels will not last forever and extensive use of them results in high carbon emissions. Effects of global warming due to fossil fuel use are widespread, but shifting to an alternative energy based society would result in a longer lasting source of reliable energy, and keep the planet habitable for future generations. Fossil fuels are the main source of energy because they’re dense but this is due to the process for fossil fuels to form, which takes millions of years. It is easy to conclude that fossil fuels are practically non-renewable and move on, but depletion of fossil fuels is not far off. Based on data from the CIA World Factbook, fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal are estimated to be

Since consequences of using fossil fuels are gradual, there is no immediate urge for normal people to press switching to alternative energy sources. Nothing will change immediately, but the gradual conversion to cleaner energy sources will benefit humans in the long run. Switching rapidly would displace many people that work in the industry of obtaining and transforming fossil fuels. Global economic turmoil is practically guaranteed if this were to happen. The use of alternative energy is also expensive, widespread use is difficult simply due to costs of new power plants (Mother Earth News). The consistency and effectiveness of alternate energy sources are currently not stable enough to support the entire world. With these obstacles in mind, advancing research for more effective or new ways to produce alternative energy should take a higher priority