Alternative Energy: the Correct Response to Diminishing Fossil Fuels

Alternative Energy: The correct response to diminishing fossil fuels In 1977, the President of the United States of America, Jimmy Carter, advocated for the use of alternative energy to the American people “because we are now running out of gas and oil, we must prepare quickly to strict conservation [of fossil fuels] and to the use of coal and permanent renewable energy sources, like solar power.” More than thirty years later his announcement still rings true and is relevant. In fact, the current situation of non-renewable fuels is worse than in 1977. This is because American and global society is becoming more mobile and active, which is causing fossil fuels to be diminished at a higher rate than ever. Scientific discovery like the innovation of steam power and river power in the nineteenth century was a catalyst for meeting energy needs. Almost two hundred years later, the time to update energy solutions has arrived. Even though people disagree, alternative energy is the correct solution to the problem of diminishing fossil fuels. Therefore it is imperative that alternative energy be used more often than non-renewable resources due to their renewability, benefits to the environment and humankind, and its ability to stimulate the economy with an independent energy market. The history of alternative energy sources has been a long and tried one. Some of the most common forms of renewable resources are; steam, solar, wind, and water. Steam is commonly known for being used in locomotives and river ferries. Kendra Bolon wrote that “steam was conceived as an energy source as early as twenty-one centuries ago by a writer that went by the name of Hero” (Bolon). “Steam Power gained popularity due to human needs that couldn’t be satisfied by animal or human labor” (Bolon). It quickly became the most popular energy source. Steam became increasingly popular in the late eighteenth century and the early nineteenth century due to the Industrial revolution. Thomas Newcomen was the first to create a steam engine, but James Watt is accredited most of the fame. Kendra Bolon showed that “steam was originally used as an energy source to pump water out of mines” (Bolon). “Watt added a spate condenser to Newcomen’s design, which inherently saved up to seventy five percent more energy than before” (Bolon). Two key inventions which helped the innovation of steam power to achieve new levels of success were the Steam Boat and the Locomotive. Steam shortened the time boats and ships were in the ocean and opened up trade to the Midwest and the south, when previously that could not be done.
The invention of gas powered vehicles and trains other energy sources had to be created in accordance to steam. Water power also made a lasting impact on the world like steam did. Water, from rivers, was used to power the textile mills during the industrial revolution and in the modern world, is used to create power and electricity in the western United States. The Hoover Dam is one of the best examples of harnessing water as an energy source. As noted in The American Pageant, “the Hoover Dam project was started in 1930 under Herbert Hoover and was finished in 1936 under the supervision of President Franklin D. Roosevelt” (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 766). Water power from the dam is used to supply energy to “1.3 million people across Nevada, Arizona, and California” (US Department of Interior Bureau of Reclamation). With water being one of the foremost forms of renewable energy and the success that it had, other forms of renewable energy were sought out ushering in a new era of alternative energy.
Fossil Fuels by definition are “a hydrocarbon deposit, such as petroleum, coal, or natural gas, derived from the accumulated remains of ancient plants and animals and used as fuel” (Dictionary.com). The ancient plants and animals they came from are gone and it takes millions of years for fossil fuels to be created, so they are not easily renewable. Due to eighty five percent of current energy usage being compiled of fossil fuels (Murphy), it is becoming more important to transition to alternative energy. This transition must occur before the fossil fuels run out. In response to the fight towards renewable energy sources, others respond by saying “fossil fuels are more reliable and perform better” (Murphy). Here Tom Murphy, a physicist that teaches on energy sources, explains the views of people all across the world. He tested alternative energies to fossil fuels and found that fossil fuels performed better. Murphy is right, they do perform better. However, that is useless once they have been depleted or are so scarce that energy is unaffordable. Alternative resources like water power and solar power can be constantly used. They never run out and are harnessed using the technology available today. This renewability makes the best solution to the world’s energy demands, and is essential to the future of energy use in the world.
The environment, in recent years, has been largely disputed and fought about. Environmental awareness and the preservation is another reason that alternative energy sources are the best solution. Alternative energy sources are better for the environment than the natural gases, petroleum, and other fossil fuels. One of the primary contributions to environmental decay is fuel emissions. Newer fuel efficient vehicles, like the Chevrolet Volt, have been advertised to be better for the environment than regular automobiles. Alternative energy is the solution. Newer fuel efficient vehicles produce fewer emissions and reduce consumption of fossil fuels. Then there are hybrid vehicles [use gas and electric power] that can be plugged in and leave a smaller carbon footprint on the environment than normal vehicles. Regular automobiles produce air pollutants such as “hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and large dust and smoke particles” (Union of Concerned Scientists) that are harmful to the people as well as the environment. The concerned scientists show the dangers of fossil fuels to people. The concerned scientists specifically talk about the dangers of:
Burning fossil fuels either to produce electricity or to power transportation emits nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the air. In the presence of sunlight, nitrogen oxides combine with other chemicals to form ground-level ozone (smog). Both nitrogen oxides and ozone can irritate the lungs, cause bronchitis and pneumonia, and decrease resistance to respiratory infections. In addition, research shows that ozone may be harmful even at levels allowed by federal air standards (Union of Concerned Scientists).
It is alarming that most people in the world would not know the danger that they face every day unless they are informed about the issues. With the knowledge that the use of fossil fuels has harmful ramifications to humans and not just the environment, it has become more necessary to use alternative energy sources. Renewable energy sources are better for the environment and produce less pollution than fossil fuels. The use of solar, wind, and water power is better for the environment. These benefits are fantastic compared to the consequences of using fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources also have the potential to stimulate the economy and create an independent energy market for nations. The initial cost of using alternative energy is expensive, but over the course time the savings out way the initial cost. Solar power is a perfect example of this. The cost to put in solar panels is rather expensive, but with tax cuts, government grants, and energy savings the cost would soon be a thing of the past. “Government rebates, extra money, and increased home value are only a few of the benefits of becoming reliable on solar power more than on utility companies” (Astrumsolar.com). Wind power has the same effects that solar power has. All across the United States farms have popped up featuring giant wind mills. They catch the wind, generating energy that can be used to power cities and towns. The government, like it did for solar power, gives rebates and incentives to people that take the path towards energy efficiency. These all create an independent market from the Middle Eastern petroleum companies that use their surplus of goods to inflate the market. The stimulation of the economy will happen if the use of alternative energy sources becomes widely accepted. In the long run, the transition to the use of alternative energy is necessary in response to increasingly vacant fossil fuels. Jimmy Carter hit the bull’s eye when he promoted the advancement of alternative energy as a legitimate energy source. The use of renewable energy sources started with steam power and eventually worked its way to one of the most intricate sciences in the world today. Despite opposition to the use of alternative energy, it is the best response to the eventual demise of fossil fuels. In the end fossil fuels will eventually be gone and when that day comes only one answer will be advocated for, and it will be alternative energy sources.

Bibliography
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