The Use of Fossil Fuels 1

The Usage and Consequences of Fossil Fuels

Isaenit Cerrud

ILAC – Pathway 3
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The Usage and Consequences of Fossil Fuels

The fossil fuels are causing damage in many ways. According to a study published by MIT, “air

pollution from power generation causes 52,000 premature deaths per year. Furthermore, Bureau

of Labor Statistics’ data shows that workers employed in mining, quarrying, oil and gas

extraction are nearly four times as likely to incur fatal and severe injuries than the average

worker in the U.S.” (Climate Nexus, 2017). Coal, petroleum and natural gas have been the main

source of energy for centuries, but the planet has paid a heavy price. These fossil fuels are

burned to generate energy for electricity and are also used in the transportation sector. Many

people state that the fossil fuels are helpful and will keep growing the global economy.

Nevertheless, the fossil fuels are causing a lot of damage to the planet and it is increasing the

global warming. There are many reasons for stop the usage of them such as: environmental

damage, people health and longevity of the resources. People need to be more conscious about

what is happening now days. Governments and companies should be looking for new strategies

to minimize the bad effects of the fossils fuels.

First, fossil fuels are causing more and more environmental damage every day. However,

there are people who think that fossil fuels are necessary in our life and there is not a huge

problem with them. The reality is that when these resources are extracted, transported from one

place to another or burned, the processes causes environmental damage in many ways, in the

extraction with the removal of the overlaying soil in order to have access to the coal below it
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generates the devastation of local environments, when the water trapped in geological formations

goes to the surface this water can carry heavy metals, hydrocarbons or radioactive materials that

makes it not able for humans or animals to drink, also, the huge amounts of land that are used for

drilling, processing or for pipelines clearly disturbs the wildlife population, global warming

emissions is another consequence of the usage of fossil fuels because is not only when these

resources are burned, with the emissions from drilling and pipeline transportation it is produce

methane. Methane, is the main component of natural gas, is a much more potent greenhouse gas

than carbon dioxide. Related to the transportation, the resources need to be moved from long

distance creating their own pollution or causing accidents. For example, the coal is transported

mostly by train, barges or trucks. Each one generate their one pollution because of the diesel that

produce carbon dioxide and soot, the natural gas who is transported long distance by pipelines is

highly flammable and the oil is transported by rail, truck and ocean by supertankers. In every

situation, the risk of spill is a serious damage for the environment. Spills and leaks are still a

major risk for the environment. “Examples of recent pipeline spills in the US include the 2010

Enbridge spill that released approximately 20,100 barrels into Michigan’s Kalamazoo River and

the 2011 ExxonMobil spill that released some 1,000 barrels of oil into Montana’s Yellowstone

River” (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2016). With the burning of the fossil fuels the three main

effects are the global warming emissions, the air pollution and the water use. This emissions

leads to serious problems and irreversible damage like the global warming. According to the

Union of Concerned Scientists “In 2014, approximately 78 percent of US global warming

emissions were energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide. Of this, approximately 42 percent

was from oil and other liquids, 32 percent from coal, and 27 percent from natural gas”, the air

pollution includes all the substances that are emitted by the process of burning, substances like
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sulfur dioxide who contributes with the acid rain and the formation of particular matter, nitrogen

oxide also contributes with the acid rain and ground level ozone (smog).

Secondly, in terms of affecting people health the use of fossil fuels generate controversy,

because there are people who state that is not harmful for the population but, there are some

reasons that prove that is really affecting. By the extraction, the miners present obviously a high

risk of presenting injuries, accidents or even the death. According to the Mine Safety and Health

Administration, “fatalities at underground coal mine sites in the United States totaled 77 from

2010 to 2013, including a 2010 explosion at the Upper Big Branch coal mine in West Virginia

that killed 29 miners” (Mine Safety and Health Administration, 2015). They can present black

lung disease, well known as pneumoconiosis a common disease in the miners field, as well. The

nearby communities can be affected the chemical used that can contaminates the drinking water.

Some studies relate the lung, cardiovascular, and kidney diseases such as, diabetes and

hypertension with the consequences of the transportation of coal within surrounding

communities.

To end with the final reason, the longevity of the resources is an important point because

some people argue that there are so many reserves of fossil fuels in the world and every day

more are discovered, in actuality these resources are not renewable. In other words, if people

continue to not control the usage they will deplete soon. For example, if the world keep burning

fossil fuels like they are doing now, it is estimated that all of the fossil fuels will be depleted by

2060. According to BBC News, “new reserves can be found, extending the deadline, but it is

worth remembering that if we are to limit global warming to the 'relatively' safe level of 2C by
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2050, 80% of coal, 50% of gas and 30% of oil reserves are "unburnable" ” (BBC News, 2015).

In order to minimize the effects of this situation, countries should implement the usage of

alternative energies such as, wind, solar, hydro, etc. Because, it will give a lot of benefits to the

current situation, as their name say this type of energies will not run out. In addition of the

implementation of this kind of alternative energy, developing countries should start by at least

recycling, in that way people will be more conscious about what is happening now days.

To sum up, the use of fossil fuels are decreasing people life quality, producing diseases to

workers in the sector, in communities close to factories, roads in which they are transported or

even in the extraction, burning and transportation of the resources. Many years ago, it was

thought that the fossil fuels will last for very long time, but with the high use of them some

studies and organizations are discovering that it will not least much. It is affecting humans,

animals and the environment, destroying our planet every day. Because of all the points

mentioned before, government and developed countries should start minimizing the use of them

by the implementation of alternatives energies, which are renewable and sustainable. In that way

the developing countries will follow them, starting by do recycling and being more conscious

about a global problem that is affecting every country in different way. All of this in order to

produce an efficient energy that will give to our planet more years.
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References

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KANNIAH, G. E. E. T. H. A. (n.d.). Fossil Fuels. Retrieved from

https://www.studentenergy.org/topics/fossilfuels?

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Metcalfe, T. (2019, March 17). What are fossil fuels? Retrieved from

https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/what-are-fossil-fuels-ncna983826

The Hidden Costs of Fossil Fuels. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/hidden-costs-fossil-fuels

The Localized Health Impacts of Fossil Fuels. (2019, November 14). Retrieved from

https://climatenexus.org/climate-issues/health/the-localized-health-impacts-of-fossil-

fuels/

When will fossil fuels run out? (2019, December 2). Retrieved from

https://octopus.energy/blog/when-will-fossil-fuels-run-out/