Arguments For Alternative Energy Sources In The United States

Alternative Energy Sources In the United States, and all over the world, fossil fuels are the primary source of energy. Fossil Fuels are made from the dead remains of plants and animals that lived on the Earth millions of years ago. We have relied upon them heavily since the day they were discovered and oil continues to be our main fuel source for transportation. However, the problem lies in the fact that fossil fuels are finite and have been known to cause irreversible harm to our environment. Because of this here has been some debate about whether we should seek out new alternatives. Environmentalists claim that switching to renewable resources such as wind turbines and solar panels to power our homes and vehicles can improve the environment

They insist that fossil fuels are polluting our oceans, polluting our air, and even causing natural disasters. All over Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Arkansas, and Ohio there are reports of an increase in earthquakes. These earthquakes have been linked to increased fracking and wastewater operations. Fracking is an oil and gas drilling method that requires pumping massive amounts of chemical saline underground. According to the US Geological Survey, “the average rate of earthquakes above 3.0 was 21 from 1967 to 2000, but it was about 100 per year between 2010 and 2012” (Casey). This is not the only instance when fossil fuels have compromised our environment, they are also responsible for global warming. When we burn fossil fuels, it releases greenhouse gases that get trapped in our atmosphere. This causes the planet to heat up which is destroying the ecosystems of animals by the poles. The Environmental Protection Agency states that, “the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in the United States is from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation” (EPA). Environmentalists believe that by switching to renewable resources we can not only improve the quality of our planet, but we will also be provided with a continual source of energy that will last us thousands of

And although they are known to be harmful to the environment, there is a reason fossil fuels are so heavily used today. Fossil fuels come with a variety of advantages including their low cost, abundant availability, large production amount, and easy set up. Their fault comes with its sustainability and how it affects our ecosystems. But like fossil fuels, renewable sources have their own limitations. They are greatly dependent on weather and any significant change in conditions can reduce the production of energy from these sources. This is one reason oil companies believe that renewable energy source are unable to meet our energy needs. An article from the New York Times states that, “Since 1973, our transportation sector’s reliance on oil has dropped by just 3 percent, to 93 percent from 96 percent” (Blair). So needless to say the switch to something other than oil would turn our entire way of life upside