Introduction
The United States, like all nations, has been heavily dependent on fossil fuels such as coal and oil since the industrial revolution, and as the global population keeps growing, consumption continues to increase. The current rate of consumption of fossil fuels can eventually lead to the depletion of resources. In recent years, however, there has been more talk about solar panels and solar winds as a form of sustainable energy. A member of Congress, Ocasio Cortez, introduced the Green New Deal, which argues for investing in clean energy and simultaneously combating some of the problems that the world is facing, including climate change (Friedman, 2019). Although the new deal does require a drastic change, many support its established goals since the problems that humanity faces require intervention in the near future or issues may become irreparable. Continuing to use fossil fuels results in the creation of problems in regard to water and air pollution. Further detriment can be caused to environmental health and may produce a variety of other challenges for the planet.
Discussion
Since the Industrial Revolution occurred in the 1800s, the demand for energy has drastically increased to meet the industries’ demands. Some machines require more energy to produce steel for tractors and pipes. However, in the 1970s, it was uncovered that the Earth has its own limited capacity for the production of these resources. At the same time, it was discovered that burning these fuels leads to pollution and has a bad effect on the environment and human health. Taking a look at the recovery of fossil fuels, for example, processing certain resources has the potential to create a variety of complications, such as incidents that occur due to malfunctioning equipment. Accidents usually manifest drastic consequences, with certain events even resulting in the loss of human lives or massive and detrimental oil spills in open waters. In 2010, there was a major accident in the Gulf of Mexico, which has been cited as “the largest oil spill” and was washed offshore causing thousands of birds, mammals, and sea turtles to be plastered with leaked oil (Weiss & Vasquez, 2011).
When it comes to the transportation aspect of fossil fuels, there are also problems that have substantial consequences for humans and nature alike. When extracting these resources underground and refining them, there is a need for them to be distributed all over the world. Even just refining as an isolated process creates a problem. Changing the chemical composition releases pollution into the air. Other problems such as combustion include unburnt hydrocarbons, sulfur, or nitrogen oxides. This combination can then create smog which has a direct impact on human health. With the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA (n.d.), people have attempted to solve some of the prevailing problems. Despite the emergence of many similar or related organizations, current efforts lack the power to reverse the detriment that has already been caused. Under the current administration and with ongoing policies, the agencies and their actions are largely ineffective.
The turn to renewable energy as a way to mitigate and reduce issues of damage to the environment is a global effort and requires the commitment of all nations, especially those that possess a higher carbon footprint. Despite this, both internal and external conflicts continue to interfere with the cohesive transition away from fossil fuels to cleaner resources. Current issues are connected to economic, societal, and political concerns. Certain nations such as Australia emphasize the importance of coal mining as an industry due to its integration into Australian society and economy (Vakulchuk et al., 2020). Similar patterns can be seen elsewhere such as in China, Germany, the U.S., Poland, and Indonesia. Current methods of energy production are too profitable or may cause negative change within societies. Essentially, nations fail to analyze ways in which renewable sources may not only be better for the environment but more profitable in terms of politics and economics.
The problems that humanity continues to face today will not stop and that is why a different approach to this problem is necessary and that approach is renewable energy such as wind power or the utilization of solar panels. Wind power had been utilized in agriculture for decades in the past. Windmills were a huge success used for pumping water on farms and ranches and the essential mechanics can be seen in modern technologies of wind turbines. Civilization has the technology to harness power from sources that are sustainable and non-harmful to the environment.
This renewable energy is generated from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, thermodynamics, or water flows (Union of Concerned Scientists, n.d.). Although there are some arguments out there stating that this move to renewable sources will create a problem for the nation in terms of the expenses and in the scenario in which the transition is successful, change in regards to the environment will be slow. Cortez stated that she only introduced the bill so that there will be some noise and that people should notice the status quo which hints at substantial issues in the future. It did catch a lot of attention, and this solution can only work if federal and state governments push for passing bills related to a translation to sustainable energy collection. Other states should follow California, by making it tax-free for those that are looking into renewable energy, and with reliable and consistent exposure the masses may adapt.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the problems that humanity is facing are the result of carelessness and inadequate use of natural resources. Specialists in the fields of renewable energy and governmental authorities should combat some of the problems that are prevalent with policies that can help the planet in the long run. In the case that such actions are not taken, there is a chance that many environmental concerns will be beyond intervention or repair. While many current issues are already worrying, there is still a chance of fostering a healthier planet if changes are made as soon as possible.
Works Cited
“EPA History.” EPA, n.d., Web.
Friedman, Lisa. “What Is the Green New Deal? A Climate Proposal, Explained.” New York Times, Web.
Vakulchuk, Roman, et al. “Renewable energy and geopolitics: A review.” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 122, no. 1, 2020. Web.
Weiss, Daniel, J., and Valeri Vasquez. “Fossil Fuels: A Legacy of Disaster.” American Progress, Web.
“Renewable energy.” Union of Concerned Scientists, n.d., Web.