Introduction
Oil and gas are the primary sources of energy for a majority of activities today. Oil is used to power industries and automobiles. Gas is also used to power specific engines in industries and for cooking. The two sources of energy are categorized as fossil fuels. Despite their widespread use, fossil fuels have significant disadvantages which should be addressed by embracing the use of renewable sources of energy.
Effects of Using Oil and Gas
Due to the fact that they are fossil fuels, oil and gas have a number of disadvantages. To begin with, they are non-renewable sources of energy. Non-renewable sources are those that are exhaustible, or those that cannot be replenished once they are used (Shafiei & Salim, 2014). Oil and gas are formed from the decomposition on organic matter below the earth’s surface.
However, while organic matter is not in short supply, it takes millions of years for them to turn into the chemical compounds that make up oil and gas (Shafiei & Salim, 2014). As a result, the two sources are considered exhaustible and cannot be replenished. This is because humanity cannot wait for millions of years for the two compounds to form once the existing reserves are depleted. Therefore, the use of oil and gas is unsustainable in the long-term since they are sources that cannot be renewed once depleted.
The second effect of using oil and gas is that they contribute towards the pollution of the environment. Oil and gas contains long chains of carbon atoms known as hydrocarbons. Apart from just having carbon, the long chains also contain other compounds, such as sulfur, in low concentrations (Stigka, Paravantis, & Mihalakakou, 2014). The other compounds are considered impurities.
However, when oil or gas is mined, or when they are burned to produce energy, the impurities burn to produce harmful gasses such as sulfur dioxide. Additionally, when the long chains of carbon are burned, they produce a hazardous gas known as carbon monoxide. Automobiles and industries that use oil or gas produce sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide on a daily basis (Stigka, Paravantis, & Mihalakakou, 2014). The gasses pollute the environment by compromising the quality of breathable air. Air pollution can significantly affect the health of people and their ability to carry out activities of daily living. Therefore, the use of oil and gas as sources of energy leads to air pollution which compromises the safety of people.
The third disadvantage of using oil and gas is that it contributes towards global warming. Global warming is the increase in the ambient temperature of the earth’s atmosphere (Cox et al., 2000). The phenomena is brought about by gasses such as methane which form a layer in the earth’s atmosphere that traps heat that comes from the sun. Global warming has been responsible for the melting of the ice caps and severe weather catastrophes which have become common in the recent past (Cox et al., 2000).
The burning of oil and gas releases carbon dioxide which is one of the gasses responsible for global warming. Global warming is said to have severe consequences for the world in the future. There will be a rise in seas level which may see islands and other lands near large bodies of water being submerged forever. (Cox et al., 2000) Additionally, the high temperatures may cause aridity in areas that are currently humid or temperate. Therefore, the use of oil and gas as sources for energy contributes to global warming which affects the life-sustaining operations of the planet.
The fourth disadvantage of using oil and gas as sources of energy is that it leads to the destruction of ecologies. To begin with, the mining of oil and gas is a highly engaging process that requires the destruction of lands and ecology (Tahvonen & Salo, 2001). For instance, oil mined in near forest or water bodies lead to the destruction of the ecology as the heavy and large equipment for mining are set up. Additionally, the oil usually has to be transported using huge pipes to where it is needed. The setting up of oil pipelines also leads to the destruction of the environment. Secondly, oil and gas mining is a dangerous activity and accidents usually occur. For instance oil spills have occurred in deep sea mining where the ocean, a habitat for fish and other animals is contaminated (Todd, Ong, & Chou, 2010). The contamination destroys the ecological balance and leads to the death of many marine life. Therefore, the use of oil and gas contributes to the destruction of the ecology through the mining activities and accidents that can happen in the process.
Lastly, the use of oil and gas is expensive in the long-term. This is due to the fact that fossil fuels are not a technology. They are a resources mined from the earth, and their prices are based on market factors where technology cannot be a mediator (Pao & Fu, 2013). This is evident in the prices of oil in the international market which have continued to rise. For instance, between 1950 and 1970, the price of oil averaged $40 a barrel (Caspi, Katzke, & Gupta, 2018). However, between 2010 and 2018, it has averaged $80 a barrel (Caspi, Katzke, & Gupta, 2018). The prices of oil and gas have historically increased since they are not a technology. However, an energy source such as solar has continued to decrease in price. This is because it is a technology, and as the technology advances, the prices go down. Therefore, oil and gas are expensive sources of energy in the long-term.
Solutions
The challenges posed by the use of oil and gas can be addressed by using renewable sources of energy. These are sources that are inexhaustible, or can be replenished once they are depleted. The most common types of renewable energy are solar power, wind power, geothermal, and bio energy. Renewable sources of energy address the challenges posed by fossil fuels in a number of ways. Firstly, they are inexhaustible and can therefore be used for eternity (Tahvonen & Salo, 2001). For instance solar power which converts energy from the sun is inexhaustible since the sun’s energy cannot be depleted. Secondly, the sources are relatively safe since they do not lead to the release of harmful gasses. Thirdly, they do not contribute towards global warming or the destruction of ecologies since their setting up does not require the destruction of the environment. Lastly, renewable sources of energy are inexpensive in the long-term. This is because they are based on technologies that continually improve. The improvements make it cheaper to develop the technologies, thereby, reducing costs in the long-term (Pao & Fu, 2013). Therefore, the use of renewable sources of energy can help address the challenges posed by using fossil fuels such as oil and gas.
Conclusion
Oil and gas are sources of energy that have gained widespread use. However, due to the fact that they are fossil fuels, they have significant shortcomings. Oil and gas are non-renewable sources that cannot be replenished once they are exhausted. They also lead to air pollution, global warming, and destruction of the environment due to mining activities. Lastly, oil and gas are expensive sources of energy in the long-term since they are not a technology. The shortcomings presented by using the two sources of energy can be addressed by addressing the use of renewable sources. Renewable sources of energy are inexhaustible. They also do not lead to the production of harmful gases that contribute to global warming or pollute the environment. Lastly, since they are a technology, they are inexpensive in the long-term. Therefore, renewable sources of energy should replace fossil fuels to achieve sustainability.