The Effects Of Fossil Fuels On The United States

The city’s top three energy goals include increasing overall city energy efficiency by 5%, city building energy efficiency by 10%, and the renewable energy usage by 20 megawatts (City of Chicago, 2015a). Further, since 71% of carbon emissions come from the energy used by buildings in the city (City of Chicago, 2015a), it is unsurprising that government has taken notice. As stated by the City of Chicago (2015a), a goal has been set to increase renewable energy use 25% by the year 2026. Reductions in carbon emissions are not only beneficial in terms of energy efficiency, but they also reduce harm to the environment that can lead to climate change (City of Chicago, 2015a). It is also important to note that increasing energy efficiency can include building new, costly infrastructure that will pay off long-term, or can be as easy as replacing all street lights with energy efficient bulbs. In fact, updating street light energy efficiency is such a simple and cost-effective energy usage reduction tactic, it used in many of the cities we have studied this semester, such as Portland (Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, 2011). It is evident that the City of Chicago (2015a) believes that no sustainable effort is insignificant.

The federal government should work on promoting either nuclear or solar energy. Energy is important for survival on a daily basis. In fact, the development of any nation depends on the long-term availability and increase of clean and safe energy that also supports the environment. Currently, no energy source can be said to be sufficiently capable of meeting future needs that a nation requires. It is important therefore to promote any particular type of renewable energy. Promoting and enhancing solar energy would be a better move to take. It is better for the environment if the federal government work on improving solar energy usage. Installation of solar panels by Americans continues to increase with each passing day. Despite this positive progress, this avenue of power is not fully exploited because of lack of infrastructure to store solar energy. Solar energy was ranked as the third electricity-producing source after natural gas and wind energy thus accounting for fourteen percent of the total electricity produced. This significant contribution of the solar energy shows that when properly exploited, solar energy can be a major source of electricity for the country. However, there is need for the issues surrounding its maximum exploitation to be addressed. The government should subsidize infrastructure. The most important infrastructure that the federal government should look into includes connection to the power grid, conversion of the solar

In the United States and other countries, they have different fuels that people use in gas or electric. People use these fuels for the cars, help get the house warm and people use warm water to take a shower. The warm water using to wash clothes. Also, we use heat to dry our clothes in the dryer. In this paper, I am going to write about primary sources of fuels and what the similarities and difference in the fuel sources. Also, I am going how the fuel cause problems and the United States and countries can stop pollution.

Hydraulic fracturing, or hydro fracking, is a sizeable issue for many. The process includes pumping the fracking fluid, which is a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals deep below the surface to fracture the rock and free the natural gas. People are either in favor or against hydro fracking. There is no in-between. While it is highly controversial regarding the safety of hydrofracking, some argue it’s unsafe because it contaminates the ground water, facts show otherwise. Many tests have been completed and studies have shown in a majority of the cases, that it is safe. However, it questions the overall safety if not all tests were proven successful. It is the social responsibility of the community to modify hydrofracking policies in order for the complete agreement of society’s benefit from it. Hydrofracking should be allowed to take place in the United States despite the environmental concerns. Natural gas is more beneficial to society than oil and coal because it is better for the atmosphere, and the domestic economy within the United States.

Las Vegas, Nevada, is the largest city in the United States to run only on renewable resources. In 2008 the city took a vote to become a cleaner city. As of December 20th, 2015 Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman state the city achieved their goal. Since the start of the project, Las Vegas has reportedly saved $5 million a year. They achieved this by using solar energy. The city putting solar panels on top of company buildings, using geothermal plants, and creating Boulder Solar 1. Boulder Solar 1 is a solar energy company located just outside the city. Goodman did what more cities need to do. Goodman spent money to get the project started. She knew the project was going to be negative to start, but once it got going to was going to be worth the investment. In many people’s eyes, it was worth it. Homeowners took a toll for a bit. Taxes went up for a couple of years. Now that the project is complete, taxes are coming back down. Home values went up on an average of $3,000 to $5,000. Homeowners are now saving $4,000 an average each year. These small amounts add up. Over a 25 year period, a homeowner will save $100,000. With homeowners having more money to spend, the economy of the city will grow. Another benefit to this project is it created more sustainable jobs in the city. Goodman’s

Naturally the capitalistic world that we live in breeds competition, in turn leading to powerful private interests. This has resulted in powerful industrial partnerships with political figures. In order to bring our society forward we must act for change, to encourage modernization, overcoming the stacked odds. The only way to influence our country’s dependency on carbon-based energy is to make way for environmental advocates at all levels of policy. The Paris Climate Change efforts have us headed in the right direction, even though they hold no legal international clout. Individual countries are held responsible through the social pressures created by groups like the UNFCC, along with renewable industrial interests, has led to country social responsibility. Country social responsibility has been promoted by voluntary climate efforts, which resulted in ambitious goal allowing countries to claim leadership on a global issue. Our efforts would ideally result in net-zero emissions in developed and developing countries alike by 2050. The technology is available, but modernization has a social aspect as well. This is essential to promote environmental policy, in order to pressure industrial powers. We can only be successful if we change our current social patterns into virtuous environmental forms.

Naturally the capitalistic world that we live in breeds competition, in turn leading to powerful private interests. This has resulted in powerful industrial partnerships with political figures. In order to bring our society forward, we must act for change to encourage modernization, overcoming the stacked odds. The only way to influence our country’s dependency on carbon-based energy is to make way for environmental advocates at all levels of policy. The Paris Climate Change efforts have us headed in the right direction, even though they hold no legal international clout. Individual countries are held responsible through the social pressures created by groups like the UNFCC, along with renewable industrial interests, has led to country social responsibility. Country social responsibility has been promoted by voluntary climate efforts, which resulted in ambitious goals, allowing countries to claim leadership on a global issue. Our efforts would ideally result in net-zero emissions in developed and developing countries alike by 2050. The technology is available, but modernization has a social aspect as well. This is essential to promote environmental policy, in order to pressure industrial powers. We can only be successful if we change our current social patterns into virtuous environmental forms.

Fossil fuels are fuel sources that, despite being terrible for the environment, are the most used source of electricity and transport in America, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Recently, the Spokane City Council voted to add an ordinance to the November ballot. This ordinance would tax trains transporting coal and oil through the city, but two weeks after this vote, the Council President said that they were not going to include it on the ballot. There appear to be numerous reasons for why the council changed their minds, but the most prominent reason appears to also be the most powerful, money.

The 20th century witnessed the discovery of substantial petroleum reserves in America, with domestic production peaking in the 1970s (Campbell, 2002), which serves as the primary fuel in the country. Since then, there has been a steady decline in production. However, recent economic growth has resulted in increased demand, making the United States one of the largest consumers of fuel in the world. Other fuels such as gas and coal, despite their significant domestic supplies, are also facing increased danger of exhaustion (E.W.G, 2007), necessitating the need for America to start weaning itself off these fossil fuels. In addition to these, the impact of these fuels on the environment and the atmosphere also necessitate the country to reconsider its energy sources. If we are able to decrease domestic use of fossil fuels, increase the amount of public transportation and deliver more innovation in alternative energy we could significantly decrease our dependence on fossil fuels.

What most people in our society lack to notice is how our country 's continuous use of fossil fuels is endangering to nature and the wildlife it inhabits as well as the environment that we live in. Our society seems to think that fossil fuels we use in excess today will last forever but actuality will one day be depleted to unrepairable measures, which is why we need a cleaner more environmentally friendly substitute. With that said my paper is going to underline how our society would be able to transfer from fossil fuels to cleaner energies which are beneficial to our earth and existence.

In 2010, the United States became the world’s largest natural gas producer, claiming the top spot that was formerly owned by Russia. The U.S. is now ranked as one of the world’s largest producer of oil and natural gas liquids, creating about 50 percent of its own oil in 2014. The Lone Star State produces about 35 percent of the country’s oil and 23 percent of the country’s natural gas. Texas has always been a major center for oil and natural gas companies starting from the discovery of oil in the early 1900’s. Consequently, fossil fuels play a significant role in the economic, political, and social construct of Texas. However, scientific studies have provided information highlighting the numerous environmental problems that can come from the production and use of fossil fuels. Should Texas try to eliminate the use of fossil fuels and preserve the environment or do the economic benefits that come from oil and natural gas production outway the use of cleaner energy sources? How would Texas respond to this situation socially and economically? How do fossil fuels affect the environment and is it even possible for Texas to only use renewable energy ?

America depends on fossil fuels in many different ways, from travel to large industries. What will happens when the world runs out of fossil fuels? Renewable energies have the power to save our environment and change the world as we know it. Fossil fuels are not going to last forever. America has already started to implement renewable sources of energy, such as, wind mills, dams, solar power and nuclear power. Eventually we will need to utilize these resources in areas that are dependent on fossil fuels.

Fossil Fuels such us oil, coal, and natural gas are currently the world’s primary energy resources because they originate from living things. Formed millions of years ago from the decomposition of organic materials such as plants and animal life, it is non-renewable resources that supplied U.S. and global economic development over the past century. In fact, Fossil fuel industries mine or drill for this energy resources, burn them to provide electricity. Natural gas and oil are used when it comes to heating and cooling. Oil is predominantly and most important resource responsible for transportation fuel and generate heat. Thus fossil fuels have served the mankind and are still one of the most useful tools for human existence. The world depended on Fossil fuels in which it allows us to easily live and absolutely necessary part of everyone 's daily life.

Around the world there is major controversy on the continuing support of the oil industry and fossil fuels. The production and consumption of oil affects the American citizen’s everyday life in some form or another. Many Americans have a strong view regarding the consumption and production of fossil fuels. Recently, especially on social media this particular controversial issue has been brought to the forefront due to the protests in regards to the Dakota Access Pipeline. In past major headlining news, in 2010 the Deepwater Horizon furthered the discussion of using nonrenewable resources. The youth of America is taught throughout their education how special the earth is, and the crucial role one plays in preserving the land and wildlife for the generations to come. As a society who lies heavily on the production of oil, the country needs to weigh the pros and cons of continuing their involvement in this industry, as well as considering the amount of influential pull the United States has with other powerful nations.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an environmental scan and explore issues pertaining to the scarcity of fossil fuels. It will briefly explore the transition from historical energy sources to the primary use fossil fuels. Why is this a dangerous global issue? What are the effects of said issue as it pertains to the social, economic, and political landscapes? It will also assert how Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1943) is impacted by fossil fuel depletion. Finally, some recommendations will be offered regarding fossil fuels and future exploration, implementation, and utilization of more renewable energy resources.