The Fossil fuels we have traditionally used for our energy needs are rapidly depleting and eventually alternate sources of energy will have to be developed. In 2015, the United States alone consumed over 600 million tons of coal to generate electricity (U.S.). The United States’ demand for electricity is steadily increasing, and total usage is expected to increase by 11% in the next 20 years (National Academy). The methods in which we obtain the remaining supply of fossil fuels are as big of a concern as the limited supply. Offshore exploration for oil & gas raises the fear of another oil spill disaster like the Deep Water Horizon catastrophe. Exploration in remote wilderness areas such as Alaska requires us to run pipelines on pristine native lands. We rely too heavily on fossil fuels. In 2015, more than 75% of the sources used to generate electricity were non-renewable (Fig 1). This depletion of fossil fuels cannot continue. We must develop alternate renewable methods to generate the power we need. Fossil Fuels were never going to be a long term solution to mankind's energy needs. They are produced through the fossilization of decaying or dead plants and animals from the Carboniferous era (Various Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels). This process …show more content…
Nuclear power is a proven technology that is already contributing significant amounts of energy in the world. When done correctly nuclear energy has no emissions and is completely safe for the environment, but it does produce radioactive waste that will need to be stored for centuries. Nuclear energy also has the potential for catastrophic damage to the environment when things go wrong and can also provide weapons grade radioactive material for weapons of mass destruction, Given these horrendous drawbacks in its current state, nuclear energy is probably not yet the best solution for our power