Why do some people think we urgently need to stop using fossil fuels?

Question

There are still hundreds of years of oil left in the ground at our current rate of consumption. Why give it all up and change to something else? Is it because Al Gore said to in his global warming info.?

Answer 1

Probably some of them at least think we should because it is over $4.00 at the pump and it is breaking our back economically and costing American lives, plus we are hostages to our suppliers.  Well, it pollutes, too.

Answer 2

Mostly its because it is too expensive.  World demand is rapidly increasing as more nations get closer to American usage levels.  We are probably at peak production right now meaning the increasing demand will continue to cause the price to increase.  

Remember the good old days when you could buy a gallon for just $4.  Those days are gone.

Answer 3

They are brainwashed,,,,,,they say that stuff, then drive to Starbucks for a latte.

Answer 4

They are leftist.  They don't like fossil fuels, nuclear, wind mills (when they are in thier neighborhood), hydroelectric, etc.  Clearly alternatives would be nice if they were economically viable.  That way we wouldn't be paying for the Ahmadinajad and Chavezes of the world.  The environmentalists restrict our oil production and pretend that we have reached peak oil.  That is nonsense.  It does take some time to increase production and India and China put a strain on production which the left seeks to limit in everyway they can.  It is more about lack of will than lack of oil.  We should gain energy independence but the left cannot be relied on.  They have proven to be miserable on energy.

Answer 5

Mobility = Freedom

Limited Mobility = Slavery

Answer 6

bECAUSE THE ONLY ONES that have power..are invested in OIL...THEY wanna get paid....

Answer 7

Why wouldn't you have a meeting in a closed garage with the car running? The emissions will kill you. Emissions are toxic to us and are ending up in your water, food and air.

How does a baby that has never taken a breath have banned pesticides, mercury, incinerated garbage, vehicle emissions and 100s more toxins inside them? Mom is drinking them, eating them and breathing them.

Al Gore isn't a scientist and is blind to the cause of climate change, however the problem is very real. Go to http://www.thermoguy.com/globalwarming-h... and see the cause of man made heat. Go to the following link and scroll down to the picture of the fetus, click on the link and see the study on polluted newborns. The toxicity ratio in the unborn was 100%, how is that for incentive to burn less fossil fuels. The babies don't have an immune system and it means cancers, reproductive problems(if they live) as well as other complications. http://www.thermoguy.com

Answer 8

Because we might still have "a lot" but our population is exponentially increasing and our society is completely dependent on fossil fuels. That supply, as big as it might be, won't last us long because unfortunately, fossil fuels are depleted way quicker then they are replaced. We might be able to make it through our lives without problems but what about our children? their children? their children's children? How will people get to their jobs, schools, day care centers without gas?

People are getting more panicky about our depleting resources because they recognize the danger our community will be facing if we continue to be so dependent on fossil fuels and they decided to take a PROACTIVE step.

Answer 9

Oh let me count the ways...

1) Increased CO2 emissions are causing ocean acidification, which is bleaching coral reefs - the habitat for millions of aquatic species.

2) Most oil is concentrated under unstable political regions (national security).

3) There are other emissions associated with burning fossil fuels like particulates and NOx (public health).

4) Global warming - duh.

5) Fossil fuels are a limited resource.  If we haven't reached peak production already, we will soon.

6) Fossil fuel demand is also skyrocketing due to the development of nations like India and China.  In other words, gas prices have nowhere to go but up.

Was that enough reasons?

Answer 10

1) Horse and buggy transportation could have continued too, but it didn't.  Even without global warming, why on earth would anyone want to stick to 100 year old technology when we can easily produce much better modes of transportation now?

2) $4.50/gallon gas.

3) Electric cars are more efficient

4) The "current rate of consumption" is growing rapidly and will probably accelerate with India and China starting to produce very cheap cars

5) The U.S. trade deficit with oil producing nations, was $15.5 billion in January and much more in recent months.

6) Continuing to use oil means our entire transportation industry is dependent on a few big companies.

7) Your claim of "hundreds of years of oil left in the ground" is very suspect (especially since you provide no supporting evidence).  The closer we get to the last drop, the more expensive it is to obtain.  The cheap easy to get oil has already been used.

Answer 11

Because otherwise we will suffer massive damage (mostly economic) from global warming.  The vast majority of the world's scientists agree.  Do you think they get their science from Al Gore?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6096...

Do you think these people get their science from Al Gore?  Does anyone think they're "leftists?  Don't be silly.

"Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich challenged fellow conservatives to stop resisting scientific evidence of global warming"

"National Review (the most prestigious conservative magazine) published a cover story calling on conservatives to shake off denial and get into the climate policy debate"

"Pat Robertson (very conservative Christian leader) 'It is getting hotter and the ice caps are melting and there is a build up of carbon dioxide in the air.  We really need to do something on fossil fuels.”

"I believe there is now more than enough evidence of climate change to warrant an immediate and comprehensive - but considered - response. Anyone who disagrees is, in my view, still in denial."

Ford Motor Company CEO William Clay Ford, Jr.

"The science of global warming is clear. We know enough to act now. We must act now."

James Rogers, CEO of Charlotte-based Duke Energy.

Answer 12

Hundreds of years of Oil left???

you are kidding of course,

We have been using oil a little over 100 years and every day the demand increases, while production has already began to drop.

look at the price of Gas at the gas pumps, and what is going to bring that price down is the use of alternative fuel.

not to mention what it is doing to the environment. and to that extent let's forget about global warming, and look at what we can see,  SMOG.

Of course you might live like I do in an area where there is no smog, but I have been to many of the high population areas,

my eyes start to water every time I go into one of them.

In California you have to have your fossil fuel car, smog checked every 2 years.

Many parts of the U.S. have also instituted this policy.

Answer 13

The number one reason people should find an alternative is because it poses a national security risk.

Answer 14

Because they aren't thinking about the present or the near future they are thinking about the great great great great grandbabies.  Once we run out of fossil fuel thats it.  No more will be produced.

Answer 15

The problem here is that during his time in congress and as vice president and since he has been on of the people most responsible for killing off efficient and effective alternate power generation. He is anti nuclear, he is anti space based solar and he is anti any means of solving our energy problems that does not involve using the oil, gas and coal that he is so heavily invested in through Occidental Petroleum company! So what Al needs to do first off is jump off the big oil ship that has been feeding him all of his life and jump on the rowboat of alternative energy that he has devoted his whole life trying to sink and could not.

Because there are a couple of million other things that can be made out of that oil, coal and natural gas instead of wasting it driving two blocks to buy a quart of milk and some chips. Walk there instead and get some exercise for a change. There are better and cheaper ways to power cars and trucks than gasoline and we have known about them for at least a hundred years. Problem is the anti technology crowd who are promoting the AGW religion of going back to the population levels and general use technology of the year 750 have been fighting any real and effective alternatives for that hundred years. They even virtually wiped out urban and interurban rail commuter service 50 years ago and it has been a major effort on the part of pro technology people to even partially restore it.

I am ashamed of having Japanese and European tourists come here and see the primitive state of our rail transit service compared to the fine systems they have. Because of these Luddites who are trying to drive us into the far past while they have full use of the remaining resources for themselves. You do not see Al Gore or any of his fellow Luddites living in 800sq-ft houses do you? No they all have giant mansions and estates with servants, airplanes and yachts to enjoy themselves with.