Preview

Coal as a Resource Is It Ethical

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2931 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Coal as a Resource Is It Ethical
In our modern society there is a constant give and take environment over energy. The use of fossil fuels and coal has become politically incorrect in our green-centric society. The use of media and spin is one of the most important tools being used by companies that make use of fossil fuels. There is an economic incentive for these companies to downplay the potentially harmful nature of these energy sources. While the usage of coal and other fuels is easy, it is also seen by many as environmentally and morally reprehensible. With advancing technologies there are more alternatives than ever before, which makes the ethical nature of these energy sources increasingly unscrupulous.
The United States and Japanese governments are working towards creating a greener society. Other countries such as India and China are relying more on traditional fossil fuels to help their rise in the industrialized global economy. At the forefront of the arguments is the ethics that surround this hotly debated topic. Ethics are touted on both sides. Leading the argument for sustainability and environment is the alternative energy side.
The other aspect of the argument getting rid of fossil fuels causes a fear of hurting the economy. There is also the fear of losing money and jobs in the process of transferring over to alternatives. Increased energy demands coupled with a dwindling supply of fossil fuels can only result in disaster. It is important that alternative energy sources are found and utilized. New energy sources will not only make us a greener society but will free us from dependence of foreign sources and give us a technological edge in the globalized economy.
Coal was first introduced for commercial use during the Industrial Revolution. However it had been used as a source of fuel for nearly as long as humans have inhabited the earth. The earliest usage of coal dates back three thousand years. It was in ancient China where anthropologists surmise it could have been used to

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The problem is that even we have a sense of what we are doing, we are still unwilling to change our behavior, and according to McKibben, it’s all about the money. Some companies not willing to give up their profits on fossil fuels; in addition, the existing fossil fuel infrastructures worth at least 10 trillion, which takes 10-50 years to be paid off. And again,…

    • 719 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Sci 207 Final

    • 1748 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Fist let us look at why we chose fossil fuels. The fossil fuels we largely depend on today are coal, oil and natural gas. They are called non-renewable energy sources. That description is actually another way of saying we use them faster than they form. Over 100,000 times faster to be exact! So how did we ever decide this would be the primary energy resource to power human development and progress?…

    • 1748 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Fossil fuels are currently the most widely used source of nonrenewable energy in today’s society. These sources of energy are used to generate power for both commercial and personal use in a number of different ways. “In 2005, more than 3/4 of total world energy consumption was through the use of fossil fuels.” (Environmental Literacy Council, 2008) Oil, the leading energy resource depended upon to fuel everyday functions produces 43.4 % of our world’s energy. Natural Gas, the second most relied upon resource produces 15.6 % of the world’s energy followed by coal, which produces 8.3 % of the world’s energy. Unsurprisingly, North America is the number one consumer of nonrenewable energy resources, consuming approximately 25 % of the fossil fuels extracted from the earth. (Environmental Literacy Council, 2008)…

    • 1927 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Over the last few decades our world has seen a migration or a swift transition, if you will, from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy. The book, The Great Transition, by Lester R. Brown, is an account of that very change our world has seen with respect to the global energy revolution. The book details the shift in philosophy different countries have embraced over the years, going from the conventional oil, nuclear power and coal to the less conventional and more exciting renewable energies. As the world tries to shift away from the use of fossil fuels due to the ongoing increase in pollution and impending climate changes new ways to minimize the impact on our environment are continuously being created. However, these changes cannot…

    • 1773 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In a balanced energy regime, fossil fuels should be used only in specific areas with a limited allowance each year. In the future, fossil fuels can be used in less developed area with limited exposure to high-end technology, and it can be stored in fixed quantities as a kind of back up energy sources. I have several reasons behind my proposal. As mentioned in the book, fossil fuels have several major disadvantages. As a result, it should be gradually phased out. The author mentioned that mining itself can cause damages to human beings, generate greenhouse gases and acid rains, and cause mountaintop destructions. However, comparing to clean energies, fossil fuels have their unique advantages even in a balanced energy regime. For example, just…

    • 194 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    By increasing the use of fossil fuels we are not only making this world running out of fossil fuels but also it has a negative impact on environment. Every drop of fossil fuel we use emits carbon dioxide in the environment. Increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the environment is the cause of global warming, which is one of the major problem we are facing today. This global warming results in the climate change and due to climate changes so many species are endangered today. Instead of making ourselves more and more depended on these fossil fuels, we need to focus more on alternative energy resources. Instead of getting a huge big car we should prefer to buy a small hybrid car which gives good mileage. By doing this we will not only save fossil fuel and will save our environment as well. We live in highly industrialized country in the world. This country has a higher wastage rate than the other countries in the world. It has a little or no emphasis on pollution prevention, recycling, reuse, reduction of unnecessary waste and other form of conservation. Resource consumption and energy use is highest in the US than in any other country. US has 5% of the world population and its consumption is 30% of the world's natural resources. We need to focus on this human system in…

    • 794 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Unfortunately, the process involved in using the fuels released fumes into the air that are harming the planet.” Since fossil fuels are not a renewable source it will eventually run out. “In 1987 the United Nations said that we should aim for sustainable energy.” Meaning countries should start developing sources of energy that will never run out or harm the planet. “Fossil fuel power plants burn oil, coal, or natural gas.“That heat produced is used to turn water into steam.” “The steam powers machines called turbines, and the turbines then power generations that produce electricity.” However burning fossil fuels also releases harmful substances into the air, such as oxides says Vic. “These oxides mix with water vapor and fall to earth as acid rain,” which is harmful to the…

    • 873 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To Drill or Not to Drill

    • 614 Words
    • 3 Pages

    For years, the nations of the world have relied on some form of energy to sustain the populace and the industrial sectors of that nation. Fossil fuels (oil, coal, and natural gas) are the backbone of the United States’ energy consumption. Fossil fuels are not an infinite source but a finite source. Scientists do not know the exact process behind the creation of fossil fuels, except that the creation takes a very long time. Because fossil fuels are not unlimited and speculation has some fossil fuels disappearing by the end of the 21st century, many individuals believe that the United States needs to look at other resources to fuel the country (“Introduction to Renewable Energy: Opposing Viewpoints,” 2009).…

    • 614 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Fossil fuels comprise 80 percent of current global primary energy demand, and the energy system is the source of approximately two thirds of global carbon dioxide emissions as of 2015 (Foster and Elzinga). For decades, people have argued about whether fossil fuels are helpful to the planet and sustainability. Although, there is no right or wrong answer because renewable and non-renewable resources have disadvantages and advantages. There are very many different variables to be considered in this argumentation. Fossil fuels make up most of Earth’s energy.…

    • 379 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Humans are creatures of greed. They take, they eat, they consume, and they use with abandon. On a subconscious level people have become accustomed to ignoring the consequences of their actions because “that is just how the system works.” When it comes to the business of energy and energy consumption, they find themselves in a situation that is more than similar. We as a race use fossil fuels daily, with at least some knowledge on its affects on the environment, and we scarcely bat an eyelash. “How else can I get around?” or “How else can cities be powered?” are common questions when confronted with the idea of living without fossil fuels, as if there is no other way. “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not any man’s greed” (Mohandas Gandhi). We have begun to trek down a dangerous path where we cannot help but rob the earth of its resources and riches without giving back. And despite the fact that there are ways to easily power this world without the assistance of these ancient carbon remains, it is not a viable option; this is because this requires much effort in the realm of change, and changing “the system” would be too costly. Before we can think of a way we can reverse this process and use this excess carbon dioxide to our advantage, people must stop it in its tracks. The human race must adopt biofuels, mainly because they neither contribute to nor take from the problem. Fuels made from Biomass will only release as much carbon dioxide as they absorb, to grow, upon combustion. If people continue on this path we will soon reach carbon-atmosphere levels equivalent to that of when dinosaurs roamed this earth; consequently, we need to stop immediately.…

    • 3749 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Coal was discovered ages ago but Thomas Newcomen discovered how to use coal. He discovered that coal is a fuel source. He discovered how to use coal in 1712. Before coal the main source…

    • 578 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Being the fact that coal can be used for a various amount of things a lot of people use it for technology and coal-fueled generators, etc. coal could either be the death of many or the on-going of our new generations.…

    • 278 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    cost. First of all, fossil fuel differ from renewable energy in their prices. The world’s…

    • 478 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    We are a plague of negative energy consumers and we will continue to remove ourselves from the reality of environmental humiliation if it means we can still enjoy our material devices, and our complicated obsession of hurting mother nature. The world’s energy consumption has escalated firmly since the industrial boom of the 1800s and will continue to rise as long as we hold a place on this planet or as long as our planet contains the ability to sustain our humanitarian pressure. Presently, the vast majority of our energy consumption is provided by coal or natural gas, but due to the limited supply of resources, the constant production has driven oil and gas prices up. With exhausted traditional natural gas sources, entrepreneurs set out to…

    • 1453 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Forms of Energy

    • 1666 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Energy is an important part of our everyday lives. Energy can come in many different types, and forms it can be used for many different purposes. Energy has many different usages and can be converted from one form of usage to another form of usage depending on what the need is. One form of energy conversion is the use of food to supply people 's bodies with energy. Another form of energy is how coal is converted into electricity. Fuel is another form of energy that can be used for many different usages as well. Fuel is used for much different reason such as allowing our cars to function and our lawnmowers to cut grass. There are many different reasons why people use energy in the many different ways that we use it. Even though people rely on energy usage, some of the forms of energy we use are very harmful to the environment and even dangerous to ourselves. The harmful and dangerous fuels that we use can be changed to alternative methods of energy usage. There are two different types of alternative energy, which is known as renewable energy. Renewable energy is very resourceful and is able to be used because it is all around us there will not be a shortage of material and it is safer on every living thing and being. Energy and fuel usage just like everything else in the world has its advantages and disadvantages about using it. We must collectivity figure out which source of energy is right for everyone but for now we will find out which is best to use in your area.…

    • 1666 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays