looking into fossil fuels. Natural resources are sources that are
found on the Earth. Fossil fuels are resources that take millions
of years to form. There are three types of fossil fuels. They are
oil, natural gas and coal. Oil is made from decomposed animals and plant matter. Natural gas forms in oil deposits. Coal is made
from pressurized plant matter. They take millions of years to form. These are important to us because it aides us in everyday life.
We need to conserve these because removing them from the Earth
will wreck the environment. Using them will also create pollution. Pollution in the air will ruin the air quality, making it harder to breathe. Open pit and deep shaft mining will create holes in the earth.
If resources were to run out, what would happen then?
When we burn fossil fuels (such as oil) in cars, we release toxic
chemicals in the air. Such pollutants include carbon dioxide and carbon
monoxide. Other chemicals that get released from factories and other
utilities are sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. Carbon monoxide is poisonous to our health. Huge loads of carbon dioxide will trap the heat that reaches the earth. This is known as the greenhouse effect. Too much heat will result in global warming. This will melt the polar ice caps, thus flooding coastal regions of the earth. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide can fuse with water vapour with sunlight to create two harmful acids; sufuric acid and nitric acid. These chemicals are part of acid rain. Acid rain can destroy trees, and wildlife. It can poison lakes as well, killing fish with it. Pollution, a result of burning fossil fuels, can really harm the environment.
Open pit and deep shaft mining leave holes in the earth. Open pit
mining can reck the landscapes. Deep shaft mining holes can collapse, making it dangerous for workers. That's why mining isn't a great method to use.
If we were to use them continuously for years, it will run out sooner or later. Oil will run out in the next 35 years due to increase in demand. Later, more oil deposits might be discovered, but how long will they last? Natural gas will run out in the next 40 years. The fact that it is cleaner might make it run out next. Coal, due to its inefficiency, will run out in 2100. If these sources were to run out, what would happen then? The result, in our opinion, could be unpredictable.
Please help conserve these fossil fuels by using them wisely. Give us your opinion about this issue.
By: Kiefer (suijin) and Manojen
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