Even If You Disagree Global Warming is Happening, We Should Still Move Away From Fossil Fuels
The vast majority of scientists believe that temperatures are getting hotter as an average in the world, the debate mostly comes about whether it is manmade, or a natural cycle of occurrence that we can do little to stop. I am going to purposely leave what I believe out of this article, because In my opinion it shouldn’t matter which side is right because economically cycling out fossil fuels is a better option. While it might not seem that way now, I want to explain why this is the case.
The major benefit for fossil fuels right now is the cost and the efficiency brought with that cost. As it stands gas,oil, ect are extremely cheap and the average person needs to do little to actually implement their uses in daily life. Solar which many people claim as the best alternative is still, for the most part, expensive and requires implementation of upgrades and work into modern houses to be used properly. This won’t always be the case though as we have seen with Moore’s law, which says through economies of scale, better manufacturing practices ect, new technology gets exponentially cheaper over time. While solar panels aren’t exactly new technology, the investment into companies that are creating them on a large scale is.
Companies like Tesla are purposely building large factories for solar panel and electric battery production because they believe in the long run if they can get the costs cheap enough, they can release it on a scale en masse. Doing so would not only make them a large amount of money, but they would be helping the environment as well. This is the main point I am trying to make, the greatest incentive to actually bring change to anything is money. If costs can be brought down to a level where it makes sense to replace fossil fuels with solar, it will be done. The efficiency will come in time as well. Solar isn’t the only alternative to fossil fuels either, nuclear energy is actually one of the safest and least harmful sources of power out there as well.
So why should we get rid of fossil fuels in the first place? I did say that it didn’t matter if you believe global warming is manmade or not. Fossil fuels are not bad for the environment, but they are bad for you and me, this is proven and fact. The burning of coal and oil has lead to pollution in places like China which now is seeing lung cancer on average levels far above the rest of the world. People in cities like Shenzhen, where many tech factories are located, have to see doctors on a monthly basis for sickness like bronchitis directly related to the smog. Waste from fossil fuels kill ecosystems, make land unusable and pollute our country. Many times the pollution ends up hurting the towns and families of the people around the factories that employ them.
The final point I want to make about why we should move off of fossil fuels is that doing so is simply a good hedging strategy. Say there is only a 10% chance that global warming is manmade and 90% chance that it is the cause of natural cycles. Should we move off of fossil fuels and incentivize cleaner energy for only 10%? The answer is yes because of the consequences. Even if it were a 5% chance or a 2% chance, the risk of doing nothing is that humanity dies. Short term economic loss for moving to cleaner energy is a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things. Making the change is just a good hedging strategy.
In 100 years we are suffering the effects of higher temperatures and we realize that we could have stopped it in the past by offering a bit of efficiency and money, are we going to say it wasn’t worth it? We need to look past money, politics and all the bullshit to realize that we as human beings have only one meaning, to reproduce and survive as a species. Ensuring that happens in the long term should be worth any amount of money.
It is time to change the lifestyles of people who are constantly destroying the earth. We have learned the science of renewable energy. But not fully utilized, maybe they just realized if the earth is not beautiful anymore
Tesla cars should be more cheaper.. if your talking about renewable energy. Vote if i'm right. heheheh
Animal agriculture is the biggest contributor to greenhouse emissions. Even if ALL transportation is converted to electric, which will take decades, it'll account for only 13% of all emissions. I want an electric car but becoming vegan was the most environmental impactful decision of my life, while also being the most affordable. I highly recommend the documentary Cowspiracy for everyone who cares about the future.
yup,, but dont forget this article is about the indisputable facts around health issues related to smog. Estimates put the number of deaths worldwide per year at 15 million people.. THis is insane
Which you say is a fact, I agree. But modern life requires energy, but I think that energy can be renewed. Electric cars one of them to reduce emissions.
Wow, good quote!
I believe it is a mix some man made and some earth cycles, but I have to say this is the way to tackle the problem at hand! Most of the right learners (I am a libertarian) cannot dispute the fact there is high cancer rates in more polluted areas! Cut global warming out of the discussion all together and just change the set of facts you are talking about! Good Post!
The Grand Solar Minimum! http://www.youtube.com/user/MyanmarLiving
Geologists say, that according to our planet's life cycles, minor ice age is coming.
But this doesn't really matter in this discussion. We HAVE to replace fossil fuels, that's true. But don't forget about plastic industry.
You cannot make plastics out of "environmental-friendly" things. Plastic is the biggest threat out of all.
Yes its true. Every 15000 years a ice age happens. The modern civilization born in the last 12000 years soo according to scientists dramatic climates changes should be happening soo. And plastic. By 2050 plastic in ocean's will be the biggest environmental issues of our time. Poison fish and mass extinction. 😓
well, presuming that numbers 15000 and 12000 are not really exact, deviation in 5000 years is really easy thing to have.
We cannot influence the ice age arrival, but biotechnologies with some environmental-friendly materials might be quite useful in both situations - during ice age or before that.
Global Warming is a myth -Donald Trump
"Donald Trump is a joke". Me 2017😂
There is something wrong in everything we do this days now? Mostly yes.
We need calls to action, education based call to action, otherwise we are doomed.
In addition to what you say, just the act of hammering in to, gouging, and fracking our beautiful Mother Earth is a disgrace. She feels the pain and it's showing. There is most definitely a better way.
I just hope, Mother Earth won't start to kick us out in space, one by one :)
But should look funny :)
I don't think she'd intentionally cause harm. I just think she tries to heal by shaking it off (earthquakes), letting out steam (volcanoes) and cleansing (floods).
you ever thought of, what if, humanity just disappears now! every single human being. There won't be much things left in a hundred years. Almost nothing will be left. Only loads of plastic trash floating in oceans :)
Very true! We tend to forget that our planet is actually alive and only remember it when catastrophies happen. We need to look after Mothr Earth and she will look after us
Those are words to live by! If everyone realized that there would be peace on Earth always.
I widely agree. Thanks for sharing your balanced perspective on that hotly debated issue.