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Author: Alex Epstein Publisher: Penguin ISBN: 0698175484 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 257
Book Description
Could everything we know about fossil fuels be wrong? For decades, environmentalists have told us that using fossil fuels is a self-destructive addiction that will destroy our planet. Yet at the same time, by every measure of human well-being, from life expectancy to clean water to climate safety, life has been getting better and better. How can this be? The explanation, energy expert Alex Epstein argues in The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels, is that we usually hear only one side of the story. We’re taught to think only of the negatives of fossil fuels, their risks and side effects, but not their positives—their unique ability to provide cheap, reliable energy for a world of seven billion people. And the moral significance of cheap, reliable energy, Epstein argues, is woefully underrated. Energy is our ability to improve every single aspect of life, whether economic or environmental. If we look at the big picture of fossil fuels compared with the alternatives, the overall impact of using fossil fuels is to make the world a far better place. We are morally obligated to use more fossil fuels for the sake of our economy and our environment. Drawing on original insights and cutting-edge research, Epstein argues that most of what we hear about fossil fuels is a myth. For instance . . . Myth: Fossil fuels are dirty. Truth: The environmental benefits of using fossil fuels far outweigh the risks. Fossil fuels don’t take a naturally clean environment and make it dirty; they take a naturally dirty environment and make it clean. They don’t take a naturally safe climate and make it dangerous; they take a naturally dangerous climate and make it ever safer. Myth: Fossil fuels are unsustainable, so we should strive to use “renewable” solar and wind. Truth: The sun and wind are intermittent, unreliable fuels that always need backup from a reliable source of energy—usually fossil fuels. There are huge amounts of fossil fuels left, and we have plenty of time to find something cheaper. Myth: Fossil fuels are hurting the developing world. Truth: Fossil fuels are the key to improving the quality of life for billions of people in the developing world. If we withhold them, access to clean water plummets, critical medical machines like incubators become impossible to operate, and life expectancy drops significantly. Calls to “get off fossil fuels” are calls to degrade the lives of innocent people who merely want the same opportunities we enjoy in the West. Taking everything into account, including the facts about climate change, Epstein argues that “fossil fuels are easy to misunderstand and demonize, but they are absolutely good to use. And they absolutely need to be championed. . . . Mankind’s use of fossil fuels is supremely virtuous—because human life is the standard of value and because using fossil fuels transforms our environment to make it wonderful for human life.”
Author: Alex Epstein Publisher: Penguin ISBN: 0698175484 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 257
Book Description
Could everything we know about fossil fuels be wrong? For decades, environmentalists have told us that using fossil fuels is a self-destructive addiction that will destroy our planet. Yet at the same time, by every measure of human well-being, from life expectancy to clean water to climate safety, life has been getting better and better. How can this be? The explanation, energy expert Alex Epstein argues in The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels, is that we usually hear only one side of the story. We’re taught to think only of the negatives of fossil fuels, their risks and side effects, but not their positives—their unique ability to provide cheap, reliable energy for a world of seven billion people. And the moral significance of cheap, reliable energy, Epstein argues, is woefully underrated. Energy is our ability to improve every single aspect of life, whether economic or environmental. If we look at the big picture of fossil fuels compared with the alternatives, the overall impact of using fossil fuels is to make the world a far better place. We are morally obligated to use more fossil fuels for the sake of our economy and our environment. Drawing on original insights and cutting-edge research, Epstein argues that most of what we hear about fossil fuels is a myth. For instance . . . Myth: Fossil fuels are dirty. Truth: The environmental benefits of using fossil fuels far outweigh the risks. Fossil fuels don’t take a naturally clean environment and make it dirty; they take a naturally dirty environment and make it clean. They don’t take a naturally safe climate and make it dangerous; they take a naturally dangerous climate and make it ever safer. Myth: Fossil fuels are unsustainable, so we should strive to use “renewable” solar and wind. Truth: The sun and wind are intermittent, unreliable fuels that always need backup from a reliable source of energy—usually fossil fuels. There are huge amounts of fossil fuels left, and we have plenty of time to find something cheaper. Myth: Fossil fuels are hurting the developing world. Truth: Fossil fuels are the key to improving the quality of life for billions of people in the developing world. If we withhold them, access to clean water plummets, critical medical machines like incubators become impossible to operate, and life expectancy drops significantly. Calls to “get off fossil fuels” are calls to degrade the lives of innocent people who merely want the same opportunities we enjoy in the West. Taking everything into account, including the facts about climate change, Epstein argues that “fossil fuels are easy to misunderstand and demonize, but they are absolutely good to use. And they absolutely need to be championed. . . . Mankind’s use of fossil fuels is supremely virtuous—because human life is the standard of value and because using fossil fuels transforms our environment to make it wonderful for human life.”
Author: Daniel Raimi Publisher: Columbia University Press ISBN: 0231545711 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 255
Book Description
Over roughly the past decade, oil and gas production in the United States has surged dramatically—thanks largely to technological advances such as high-volume hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as “fracking.” This rapid increase has generated widespread debate, with proponents touting economic and energy-security benefits and opponents highlighting the environmental and social risks of increased oil and gas production. Despite the heated debate, neither side has a monopoly on the facts. In this book, Daniel Raimi gives a balanced and accessible view of oil and gas development, clearly and thoroughly explaining the key issues surrounding the shale revolution. The Fracking Debate directly addresses the most common questions and concerns associated with fracking: What is fracking? Does fracking pollute the water supply? Will fracking make the United States energy independent? Does fracking cause earthquakes? How is fracking regulated? Is fracking good for the economy? Coupling a deep understanding of the scholarly research with lessons from his travels to every major U.S. oil- and gas-producing region, Raimi highlights stories of the people and communities affected by the shale revolution, for better and for worse. The Fracking Debate provides the evidence and context that have so frequently been missing from the national discussion of the future of oil and gas production, offering readers the tools to make sense of this critical issue.
Author: Justin Healey Publisher: ISBN: 9781922274083 Category : Languages : en Pages :
Book Description
Australia¿s energy system is undergoing major transformation, driven by economic, environmental and engineering factors. Consumer preferences are also changing as we seek greater independence and control over our electricity supply through smart meters, solar panels, battery storage and electric vehicles. Most of Australia¿s energy supply still heavily relies on its traditional, non-renewable resources of coal, oil and gas ¿ yet Australia has plentiful clean energy renewable resources including solar, wind, geothermal, bioenergy, wave and tidal power. We also have the world¿s largest reserves of uranium to rely on ¿ should we ever decide to choose controversial nuclear power as part of our energy mix. A secure supply of affordable, reliable and environmentally sustainable energy is essential to the nation¿s future growth and prosperity.
Author: Melanie Waldron Publisher: Capstone ISBN: 1515781674 Category : Languages : en Pages : 68
Book Description
We have been making use of different energy sources for thousands of years. But we are using more energy now than ever, and we wonder about the future. Fossil fuels may run out, and scientists are looking for other sources of energy. Will nuclear, wind, solar, water, biomass, or geothermal energy be our future? Or does the future of energy lie in a combination of sources? You decide!
Author: Isabel Thomas Publisher: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc ISBN: 9781404237414 Category : Juvenile Nonfiction Languages : en Pages : 56
Book Description
Discusses the issues surrounding solar power, including an overview of the energy crisis, the environmental consequences, and the future of solar power.
Author: Miguel Angel Rondon Segura Publisher: MARS PUBLISHING ISBN: Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 258
Book Description
Are you a climate denier or climate believer? The subject of energy and climate have become so mainstream and intertwined with politics that today’s discussion has been split into these two antagonistic buckets, leaving no middle ground. You’re boxed from the beginning! The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body responsible for assessing the science related to climate change, and in their harshest scenario they point to temperatures raising by an average of 6 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. At the same time, the goal to limit global warming below 2 degrees Celsius was picked as a consensus figure among the scientific community. The reality is that we do not know the exact impact of exceeding this target, and we can only estimate and predict what could happen to the planet based on our interpretation of how systems respond. In this scenario, what do we do? Do we destroy the entire energy system as we know it? Do we ignore the potential problem? Or do we apply a business perspective and find solutions that allow us to maintain our lifestyles without the risk of making this planet uninhabitable? This book is about trying to bring the denier and believer sides together to analyze the energy problem from a systems and business perspective, by introducing key aspects of the energy debate, defining the problem, and presenting possible solutions. In essence: more profits, less carbon!
Author: Justin Healey Publisher: ISBN: 9781921507687 Category : TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING Languages : en Pages : 60
Book Description
The debate over the introduction of nuclear power in Australia has recently become more heated in light of safety concerns over the nuclear reactor meltdown emergency in Japan. Australia has also just committed to a carbon trading scheme to address its reliance on coal-fired energy and reduce greenhouse emissions. With 40% of the world's uranium located in Australia, the economic, environmental and health considerations are significant.This book contains an overview of global nuclear energy use and production, and presents a range of current opinions debating the pros and cons of Australia's expanded involvement in the nuclear power industry.Should Australia build nuclear reactors for its domestic power supply? How environmentally sustainable is nuclear energy, what are the costs, and how safe is the storage of radioactive waste? How does nuclear power compare to alternative sources of energy? What safeguards are there to ensure nations who purchase Australian uranium use it for electricity generation and not for nuclear weapons?Also includes: Worksheets and activities; Fast facts; Glossary; Web links; Index.
Author: Andrew J. Hoffman Publisher: Stanford University Press ISBN: 0804795053 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 121
Book Description
Though the scientific community largely agrees that climate change is underway, debates about this issue remain fiercely polarized. These conversations have become a rhetorical contest, one where opposing sides try to achieve victory through playing on fear, distrust, and intolerance. At its heart, this split no longer concerns carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases, or climate modeling; rather, it is the product of contrasting, deeply entrenched worldviews. This brief examines what causes people to reject or accept the scientific consensus on climate change. Synthesizing evidence from sociology, psychology, and political science, Andrew J. Hoffman lays bare the opposing cultural lenses through which science is interpreted. He then extracts lessons from major cultural shifts in the past to engender a better understanding of the problem and motivate the public to take action. How Culture Shapes the Climate Change Debate makes a powerful case for a more scientifically literate public, a more socially engaged scientific community, and a more thoughtful mode of public discourse.
Author: Alex Epstein
Author: Alex Epstein
Author: Daniel Raimi
Author: Justin Healey
Author: Melanie Waldron
Author: Isabel Thomas
Author: Derek Ezra
Author: Miguel Angel Rondon Segura
Author: Sophie Smiley
Author: Justin Healey
Author: Andrew J. Hoffman