We have systematically worked our way through a veritable goldmine of natural resources in order to power our consumer-driven lifestyle. The amount of resources we have excavated and plundered reads like a modern-day shopping list: fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, shale gas and, of course, oil. Coal is the most polluting of all the fossil fuels.
Ever since pre-historic man discovered the benefits of fire to heat and light his cave, we have utilised our natural resources to produce some form of energy or fuel to make our lives easier and more comfortable.
The Impact of Fossil Fuels on Global Warming
We know that the polar ice-caps are melting, deforestation is wreaking havoc and impacting our fragile eco-systems and human beings in some of the poorest parts of the world are subsequently at risk from starvation and disease due to crop failure brought on by droughts and floods. Various species of flora and fauna are in danger of extinction as the planet heats by a considerable five degrees C.
Green Technology
The obvious solution to global warming is a collective undertaking to consume less of our natural resources and to find green alternatives to fossil fuel. We urgently need to invest in green technology such as solar power and wind power, because the decisions we make now will impact on our planet in the years ahead. It is possible to use thermodynamic panels and solar panels in Northern Ireland and other parts of Europe, despite the lack of seasonal sunshine.
According to the Guardian, the outcome of the climate change summit in Paris last year signals that governments are determined to put an end to the use of fossil fuels as they resolve to put in place policies to cut dangerous greenhouse gas emissions.
Alternative Energy Sources
Investing in solar panels or thermodynamic panels like those offered through distributors such as http://www.solarpanelni.com/ could be a long-term investment in the future of our planet.
Our children and their offspring will bear the brunt of our decision-making on climate change. We need to find ways to consume less fossil fuel and to create less carbon emissions for the benefit of future generations. We can each make a change now to the way we generate energy for use in the home.