nsition will not be easy, but it will be as dramatic as the industrial revolution that escalated the problems in the first place (Flavin and Dunn 18-25).Solar Power is the fastest growing energy source used today. In 1975 solar energy cost seventy dollars per watt, but by 1997 it only cost about four dollars per watt comparatively (Bell and Strieber 202). If we could use this solar power instead of internal combustion engines and coal burning power plants we could significantly decrease the amounts of carbon released into the atmosphere. Fossil fuels account for ninety percent of the world’s commercial energy production; with coal producing more carbon dioxide per unit of energy than any other fuel (Elsom 353-354).Wind power can also be used as an alternative to fossil fuels. In 1998 wind power only cost eight hundred dollars per kilowatt, as opposed to twenty-six hundred dollars per kilowatt in 1981 (Bell and Strieber 202). The expense of alternative energy sources is decreasing, as research continues, however, it is not yet cost efficient for us to rely on any of these methods. Until alternative energy sources become a more realistic solution for our problem, we will have to focus on methods of minimizing carbon emissions (Gates 250).There are many ways to reduce the release of emissions from fossil fuels. The use of natural gas instead of coal or oil reduces emissions significantly (Verma 130). There are also emission-controlling devices found on automobiles as well as power plants. The catalytic converter helps reduce emissions from automobiles, while chemical processes help reduce emissions from power plants (Gates 250). These methods however are not cost effective or energy efficient. The burning of fossil fuels will always cause pollution. So then it is up to us as individuals to help each other make the transition away from our dependence on fossil fuels. By using public transportation and conserving energy, w...
