Denchak, M. (2022, June 1). Fossil fuels: The dirty facts. NRDC. Retrieved August 16, 2022, from https://www.nrdc.org/stories/fossil-fuels-dirty-facts
This article addresses the reality of fossil fuels and how they are found. Fossil fuels are deep into the ground so in order to dig them up, people use different methods which can greatly affect the environment. Some of the effects of drilling and burning fossil fuels are water pollution, global warming, pollution, and ocean acidification. Considering that 80% of the U.S.’s energy needs come from the burning of fossil fuels, it is clear that relying so much on them is detrimental to the environment and the condition of the world.
People only see the energy that they use but do not think about how the environment was affected in order to receive that energy. This article outlines the effects that fossil fuels have on the environment, populations, and our own success. It continues to push us towards a more sustainable lifestyle because it lists out all the ways we are harming the environment. We have made lots of progress with renewable energy so if we continue on that path we are to begin to lessen the severity of our climate change crisis.
Tiffany- Nice first post here. You are right… so much of fossil fuel is out of our field of vision, besides filling cars at the gas station. Of course people could find out if they want to… ie. documentaries, etc. My question is how do you think we could raise awareness around fracking and coal mining for more people?… the kind that won’t investigate on their own, maybe because just aren’t thinking about it at all.
Hi thank you for your question! I think the best way to raise awareness of coal mining would be to publish more in-depth articles on the reality of its environmental impacts. A lot of this information is being censored because big corporations who rely on fossil fuels do not want this information to get out and impact their business however I believe that it is necessary if we want to combat this issue.
It’s very concerning to realize that 80% of the U.S’s energy is from fossil fuels. I agree with the fact that we are starting to lessen our tole on the climate. But are we doing it fast enough?
Hi thank you for your question! I think that if we continue with this progress we will have a chance to reverse our climate change crisis. Ideally, we would progress the speed at which these changes are being implemented, but short-term solutions tend to be less effective.
I loved reading about this article and I completely agreed with your statement that people only think about the energy they use, and not how the environment was affected in order to get that energy. What do you think is the best renewable energy resource that we can use instead of burning fossil fuels?
Hi, thank you for your question! I think the best option of renewable energy sources for electricity would be solar or wind, because they are the least environmentally demanding, and the main concerns are merely aesthetics.
The article was interesting to read and I think it is shocking that the U.S’s energy supply comes largely from oil. How do you think we can convince large amounts of people of switching to renewable sources of energy?
Hi, thank you for your question! I think the best way to convince a large number of people would to be make this sort of information more accessible, so more can be influenced to cut their fossil fuel usage.
I was actually surprised by the number of fossil fuels we burn. How can we encourage others to continue the progress toward renewable energy and stop burning fossil fuels?
Hi, thank you for your question! The best way to progress toward renewable energy sources would be to make them more accessible and cheaper. The main reason people are reluctant to switch is because of how expensive more environmentally friendly options are. If cheaper options were available, I’m sure more people would make the switch, especially considering how widespread the concern for climate change is.