The use of fossil fuels is a major point of concern and will continue to be so for a good deal of time to come. Why is there so much concern about this issue, and what can we do about it?
There is no doubt that the technological and financial success of developed nations is due almost solely to the use of cheap energy such as coal, oil and natural gas. These energy sources fire the power stations, drive the vehicles and support the manufacturing and agricultural sectors.
Why is this a cause for concern? Coal and oil have been fuel sources for thousands of years, so why has this become an issue now?
The reasons are population and lifestyle. In less than 80 years the human population has swelled from around two billion to over six billion. At the same time technology has advanced steadily so that now almost all the devices we use require electricity. Add to this the fuel cost of personal transport and the size of the energy bill starts to become clearer.
The most publicized problem with fossil fuels is pollution. We can see pollution when we’re behind a truck or bus while driving, but pollution from power stations is less obvious. Nevertheless, whenever we use an electrical device the power is being generated at a power station. It is true that there are an increasing number of alternative energy power stations coming online, but on the whole the base load is still provided by fossil fuel power plants.
Power stations burn fuel to boil water. The steam is used to turn turbines which rotate huge copper wire coils inside giant magnets, and it is these turbines that generate our electricity. This electricity is then transported to our homes by a series of power lines and substations. The burning of the fuel produces carbon dioxide which is a greenhouse gas, meaning it has the effect of trapping heat in the atmosphere.
There are many electrical devices we use on a daily basis such as televisions, computers, MP3 players, mobile phones, heaters, air conditioners and so on. If we multiply the amount of energy we use on any given day by the number of people living a similar lifestyle, we can start to understand the scale of our energy use.
Even though the problem is large there are steps we can take individually to reduce it. Using less energy is the first step. Turning off devices rather than leaving them on standby immediately reduces our energy use without having any effect on our lifestyle. This will also result in lower electricity bills.
Another thing we can do is buy our household electricity from a green energy provider. Most power utilities have a green option, though unfortunately this is usually more expensive than electricity from coal or oil.
For a more substantial investment you can have your own solar hot water or solar electricity system on your roof. These are long term investments, particularly the solar electricity. However, these do have the added benefit of increasing the value of your home. Buying an electric or hybrid vehicle is also a high up front cost, though it’s easier to see savings there because of the high and rising price of gas.
We can have an impact on our consumption of fossil fuels. By reducing our own energy use and becoming more informed on the issues associated with energy consumption we can reduce our impact on the planet.
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