(Topic Sentence) The U.S. relies heavily on fossil fuels to produce energy; in 2016, about 65% of the energy produced by the U.S. was produced through the burning of fossil fuels. This highly used form of energy production has been proven to have many downsides; one of them being that it is a limited resource. Because the U.S. acquires most of its energy through fossil fuels, we must find an alternative energy source before it runs out. Many have turned to clean renewable energy as a solution to this problem. Renewable energy is energy that comes from a source that cannot be depleted. These sources include geothermal, solar power, biomass, hydropower, and wind. Some forms of renewable energy are called “clean energy” or “green power” because these sources create very little to no pollution, or negative impacts on the environment. However, some question the reliability of renewable energy sources. Only 15% of the energy produced in the U.S. in 2016 came from renewable energy sources, and many wonder: Can renewable energy effectively replace fossil fuels as an energy source? 

The U.S. emitted a total of 6,587 million metric tons of CO2 in 2015. About 29% of all CO2 emissions came from the production of electricity through the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas. Burning fossil fuels has been proven to have many negative effects and studies have shown, “The air and water pollution emitted by coal and natural gas plants is linked to breathing problems, neurological damage, heart attacks, and cancer” (qtd. in Machol 75-80). It is estimated that health problems due to fossil fuels cost between $361.7 billion and $886.5 billion annually. The emissions from fossil fuels requires people to spend money on health care that they could be spending on other things they need, creating an economic constraint for them. The burning of fossil fuels not only distresses human health, but also the health of the planet. Global warming is described by Alina Bradford as “the gradual heating of the earth’s surface”, and is mainly caused by burning of fossil fuels that puts greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Scientists explain they are rapidly seeing the effects of global warming, which include increases in average and extreme temperatures, extreme weather events, melting of ice caps, rise in sea level, and ocean acidification. This overall increase of the earth’s average temperature has a dramatic impact on many different species all over the planet. Habitats will change, making it difficult for some species to survive and possibly making them extinct. Because of that, the food chain and ecosystems will change, which will eventually directly affect humans. Certain species will no longer be available, reducing the amount of food available for consumption, which has a domino effect on other species. Along with change in species, there will be change in weather and geographical layouts. We are already seeing some of these affects; within two weeks of each other, during 2017, there were two hurricanes that reached category 4 status which greatly affected the Caribbean and the East Coast of the United States. These hurricanes generated billions of dollars-worth of damage in the U.S. alone. Because of global warming, storms like this are becoming more common and severe. A major concern of many is the melting of the ice caps due to global warming. This not only affects the habitats and migration patterns of polar region’s animals, but causes sea levels to rise around the world. Alina Bradford and Stephanie Pappas’s article, “Effects of Global Warming”, states:

Researchers project that by 2100, average sea levels will be 2.3 feet (.7 meters) higher in New York City, 2.9 feet (0.88 m) higher at Hampton Roads, Virginia, and 3.5 feet (1.06 m) higher at Galveston, Texas, the EPA reports. According to an IPCC report, if greenhouse gas emissions remain unchecked, global sea levels could rise by as much as 3 feet (0.9 meters) by 2100. That estimate is an increase from the estimated 0.9 to 2.7 feet (0.3 to 0.8 meters) that was predicted in the 2007 IPCC report for future sea-level rise. (Bradford)

 A rise in sea levels can result in the flooding of many coastal cities worldwide, which would cause a large amount of damage or even make it so that the cities are no longer inhabitable. Further, global warming increases ocean acidity. Ocean acidity increases when large amounts of CO2 dissolve in water, creating carbonic acid. The high acidity of the water greatly affects marine life’s health. The EPA states that since the Industrial Revolution began, ocean acidity has increased by 25%.  The effects of global warming are highly apparent today and an important report released by IPCC states that scientists are around 95% certain that there is a link between human activities and global warming. It is an undeniable fact that humans have a large impact on global warming due to the amount of CO2 emitted by the U.S. in 2015 alone, but there are changes we can make to reduce the effects.

 Green energy is quickly rising in popularity around the world. The use of clean renewable sources offers a multitude of benefits; the obvious one being that there is no limited supply of the resource. We would not have to worry about running out of it, which would in turn decrease the overall cost of energy as whole. Increased use of renewable energy sources creates jobs and benefits nations economically. Small towns in Chile have benefited greatly from the creation of renewable energy power plants in their area. There has been an increase in jobs and access to reliable electricity, which helps connect them to the rest of the world via internet, and televisions, etc. Latin America already produces the world’s cleanest energy, but Chile “is on track to rely on clean sources for 90 percent of its electricity needs by 2050, up from the current 45 percent” (Londono). Renewable energy is beneficial to the economy because it costs less to produce overall. Rachel Fakhry explains “Goldman Sachs heralds wind as ‘the cheapest source of incremental power’ and notes that ‘the cost to produce solar power is reaching, and in some cases beating, the costs of fossil fuel sources’”. Focusing on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind will make it so countries like Chile can cost effectively produce more energy themselves, rather than depending on other countries for energy. Because green energy from renewable sources creates little to no pollution, renewable sources are better for overall health; “Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy has been found to reduce premature mortality and lost workdays, and it reduces overall healthcare costs” (qtd. in Machol 75-80). Sources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric do not produce any air pollutants, proving to be better for health. Further, wind and solar do not pollute water because they do not require water to operate, and never come in contact with it. This improved water and air will increase the overall health of the ecosystems, thanks to clean renewable sources. Clean renewable energy is the best option for an alternative energy source to fossil fuel, and the use of clean energy to reduce the effects of global warming is crucial to the preservation of our planet.
