Why Are Fossil Fuels Harmful
In our previous post, we discussed what are fossil fuels. Today we will dive deeper into the topic and understand why are fossil fuels harmful for us and the environment.
Fossil fuels are harmful for the environment due to the following reasons.
Land Degradation
Unearthing, processing, and moving underground oil, gas, and coal deposits take an enormous toll on our landscapes and ecosystems. The fossil fuel industry uses vast stretches of land which is often obtained by scraping and blasting off entire terrains, including mountaintops and forests. Resultantly, critical wildlife habitat ends up fragmented and destroyed.
Water Pollution
Coal, oil, and gas development pose a plethora of threats to our waterways. Many of these operations wash acid into streams, rivers, and lakes and dump large quantities of unwanted rock and soil into streams. Oil spills can pollute drinking water sources and jeopardize entire freshwater or ocean ecosystems.
Meanwhile, all drilling, fracking, and mining operations generate enormous volumes of wastewater, which is usually laden with pollutants and radioactive materials. This water can leak into and contaminate our water supply. These pollutants are linked to cancer, birth defects and neurological damage to name a few.
Emissions
Fossil fuels emit harmful air pollutants long before they’re burned. In fact, some 12.6 million Americans are exposed daily to toxic air pollution from active oil and gas wells and from transport and processing facilities.
Global Warming
When we burn oil, coal, and gas, we drive the current global warming. Fossil fuels produce large quantities of carbon dioxide when burned. Carbon emissions trap heat in the atmosphere and lead to climate change.
Other Forms of Air Pollution
Fossil fuels emit more than just carbon dioxide when burned. They also release dangerous mercury and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere which contribute to acid rain. Meanwhile, fossil fuel–powered vehicles are the main contributors of poisonous carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide, which produces smog (and respiratory illnesses) on hot days.
Therefore, it is essential for us to adopt more renewable energy sources and reduce our fossil fuel usage if not completely eliminate it.