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FUELS &
THE ENVIRONMENT

The generation of energy is one of the most vital components of modern civilization. However, it has created a plethora of environmental issues that have become too wide-spread and dire to ignore. Some methods of energy production are more environmentally friendly than others, but each has its own disadvantages. After the industrial revolution, the combustion of fossil fuels became widespread to an extent that the release of carbon in the atmosphere escalated from being a minor, domestic issue to a global issue. Scientists began to realize that the Earth’s climate was beginning to shift, and this was changing the entire structure of Earth itself.

FOSSIL FUELS & THEIR EFFECTS

Despite the high energy outcome paired with the relatively low cost, there are environmental issues that arise when using fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are a scarce, non-renewable resource and their reserves are rapidly depleting. Extraction methods like mining to extract fossil fuels from resource-abundant areas has greatly impacted local ecosystems and societies. Forest environments are often rich in fossil fuels and other valuable materials and as such, are cleared for mining and excavation processes. This clearing involves deforestation and destroying natural habitats.

 

As well as this, the actual burning of fossil fuels has also played a great role in harming the environment - the combustion reaction, as mentioned above, releases carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water vapor into the atmosphere, all of which are major greenhouse gases.

 

Greenhouse gases - gases in the Earth's atmosphere which absorb and emit thermal infrared energy, essentially trapping heat within the atmosphere; greenhouse gases contribute to global warming and climate change

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Ozone layer - a region of the Earth's stratosphere which absorbs the sun's ultraviolet radiation

 

The result of climate change is immense; it harms almost every ecosystem on Earth, either by climate variations or by altering the dynamics of a certain area. Thus, it has become necessary, especially in recent times, to consider the effect of the fuels we use on the environment, so as to ensure environmental sustainability.

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Climate change - a long-term change in the earth’s climate, especially due to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature

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THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

The sudden acceleration of climate change is primarily due to decades of industrial activity. The globe has warmed significantly in the last two centuries, posing an undeniable threat to the entire planet. Although carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases (e.g. water vapor) were released into the atmosphere even before the industrial revolution, the rate at which they are being produced has skyrocketed in recent decades - the Earth's natural reparation of imbalanced ecosystems and the atmosphere can no longer keep up (Reynolds, 2010).

 

A great portion of this issue began with the Industrial Revolution (18th-19th centuries), which marked a turning point for civilization and the way humans interact with their environment. The Industrial Revolution, which began in Britain around 200 years ago, has improved our standard of living immensely, but while doing so, has also destroyed the environment. Now, different regions are experiencing great variations is over minimal time periods. This affects the health of all organisms, as well as having significant psychological, physical and emotional effects (UK Essays, 2013). In a study conducted by the University of California – Berkeley, and Princeton University, scientists found that the increase in temperature and change in overall climate has actually heightened violet urges in not only humans, but other species as well (Kaita, 2017 ).

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CLIMATE CHANGE

CAUSES

Climate variation can be credited to two causes - natural and human.

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Natural causes of climate variation include: 

  • volcanic eruptions

    • the particles (water vapor, sulfur dioxide, dust, ash etc.) released when volcanoes erupt cause a haze-like field in the atmosphere, reducing the amount of solar radiation entering the Earth, leading to a lower global temperature (Pidwirny, 2006)
       

  • oceanic currents 

    • oceanic currents play a part in controlling the concentration of carbon dioxide as they 

    • oceanic currents distribute solar energy absorbed from the equator to the poles, regulating global temperature

    • oceans also absorb carbon dioxide and it reacts with saltwater to form carbonic acid
       

  • the Earth’s orbital changes

    • at different points in the elliptical orbit of the Earth around the sun, the Earth will be exposed to more heat for a sustained period of time​

    • the axial tilt of the Earth also determines which regions are exposed to the sun 
       

  • livestock

    • cattle produce large amounts of methane, which is a major greenhouse gas - methane has 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide​

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Human causes of climate variation:

  • deforestation 

    • the reduction of forest area and trees in general means that there is less regulation of the carbon cycle and contributes to an increased amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere​
       

  • industrialization

    • the burning of fossil fuels causes harmful emissions​

    • the widespread usage of motor vehicles causes harmful emissions​
       

  • CFC usage

    • chlorofluorocarbons are chemical compounds produced by industrial processes and domestic appliances (refrigerators, air conditioners, etc.) which destroy ozone molecules - 1 chlorine molecule can destroy up to 100,000 molecules of ozone before being removed from the stratosphere​

CONSEQUENCES

Research suggests that there are three main effects of climate change.

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​Impact on human health & survival:

  • the melting of the permafrost will release frozen viruses and bacteria, against which there will be no effective medicines or immunity

  • major climate events (e.g. droughts, floods, etc.) will cause illness, disease, resource shortages, and more

  • world hunger will increase as a result of the effects on agriculture, fishing, cattle-farming, etc.

  • the lack of clean water will increase and threaten survival and sanitation

  • the forced consumption of unsafe materials may increase due to resource shortage, which will cause further diseases

  • warmer and wetter climate areas may foster the increased spread of infectious diseases like malaria and dengue

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Impact on biodiversity:

  • forced migration of animal species causing imbalance in ecosystems

  • drying up of freshwater bodies harming freshwater fish

  • ocean acidification harming coral reefs and other marine organisms

  • destruction of habitat of animals that live in colder regions

  • driving animals to endangerment or extinction due to lack of resources

  • desertification affecting plant species

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For example, zebra mussels, found in Canadian waters, first documented in the 1980s, have caused great distress, as they produce extremely quickly (a female mussel can produce up to a million eggs per year) which has caused a reduction in the population of algae and plankton, the food source for many native inhabitants. 

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Impact on human psychology & social behavior:

  • climate change indirectly increases poverty via resource depletion and its consequential impact on economic and political system

  • general guilt, anxiety & stress experienced by people about the climate

  • temperature variations affecting anger and happiness rates

  • population growth being affected by climate change

WHAT CAN WE DO?

  • Using clean power plants - for most nations, implementing renewable energy resources is difficult due to already-existing infrastructure and a lack of sufficient monetary and financial power

    • ​more than 20% of Americans plants built in 2013 use renewable energy sources (Biello, 2007)

    • clean energy can not only keep cities clean, but also create a more reliable source of energy

    • most renewable energy sources, although expensive, do not produce any gaseous emissions or chemical pollution
       

  • Taking action in small numbers

    • individuals can protest against unsustainable power production & pollution

    • in 2008, six states in the US launched a political effort to minimize carbon dioxide pollution in their areas - by 2014, this movement grew to nine states and 4 of those states cut greenhouse emission by nearly half (Biello, 2007)
       

  • Minimizing unnecessary transportation - â€‹in the US, transportation is the second leading source of greenhouse emissions - burning a single gallon of gas produces twenty pounds of carbon dioxide; millions of citizens commute long distances daily, creating an enormous number

    • instead, taking a bike, walking, or taking public transportation would reduce the unnecessary usage of fuel (Biello, 2007)

    • moving close to work or working in an area close to home would assist greatly in the prevention of the issue.
       

  • Cutting down on long-distance travel - aircraft emissions are relatively closer to the atmosphere and utilize a great amount of fuel; coal-powered trains are also contributors of carbon emissions

    • using public aircraft services is significantly better than using personal aircrafts

    • using electric trains or trams is a better alternative to steam-powered trains which have emissions
       

  • Discouraging consumer culture - consumer culture encourages bulk production and consumption of unnecessary products, increasing industrialization and pollution

    • ensuring one only supports eco-friendly manufacturers

    • supporting local farms and home-owned stores, as this reduces transportation/shipping emissions

    • buying bulk material can reduce wasteful packaging
       

  • Going vegetarian - cattle farming is considered to contribute 14% of greenhouse emissions from human sources

    • less product and material is used to grow crops than rear animals

    • crop farming does not produce gaseous emissions; it increases oxygen circulation
       

  • Unplug devices - the average American will use more energy with devices on standby than when in usage, due to unnecessary electricity (energy) consumption

    • the simple action of unplugging devices will reduce energy consumption

    • purchasing energy-efficient electronics will also reduce energy consumption
       

  • One child rule - overpopulation is a threat to the Earth's already depleting fuels and resources; it is estimated that in the following 50 years, the population will increase to 9B.

    • having one child per couple/pair/individual woman would reduce overpopulation and its stress on the Earth

    • family planning education and awareness programs may help to dispel social beliefs that pressure families into having more than 2-3 children

    • awareness about contraceptives would also decrease population growth

    • smaller populations will help nations reduce their carbon footprint (among other benefits)

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