By: Jonathan Tetteh-Cole aka NORJGiX
A fossil fuel is a hydrocarbon-containing material such as coal, oil, and natural gas, formed naturally in the Earth's crust from the remains of dead plants and animals that is extracted and burned as a fuel. Fossil fuels may be burned to provide heat for use directly, to power engines, or to generate electricity.
We call crude oil and petroleum fossil fuels because they are mixtures of hydrocarbons that formed from the remains of animals and plants (diatoms) that lived millions of years ago in a marine environment before dinosaurs existed. FOSSIL FUEL is synonymous with hydrocarbon deposit, nonrenewable energy, and nonrenewable fuel sources.
As a civilization emerges, we depend on fossil fuels (as we do today), because fossil fuels are so easily accessible, and they provide quite a lot of energy when compared to other sources of energy. Our current political and economic infrastructure etc. depends on it. Scientifically, we got it all wrong initially! Little did we know that it is going to impact our environment and ecosystem negatively.
Now that we know fossil fuel which contributes more than 80% of our GHG as well as land, air and water pollution while not ignoring other sources of pollutants, we see the need to embark on the transition to cleaner-and-greener energy sources.
Let’s consider these impacts due to climate change and global warming:
Unpredictable weather pattern
Draughts
Hunger strikes
Loss of arctic sea ice
Loss of species
Loss of inlands
Rising sea levels
Severe storms
Poverty and displacements
Vector-borne diseases
Wild fires
Why not consider and embark on these innovative and smart energy sources with minimal or
zero negative impact?
Bioenergy
Biofuel
Biomass
Geothermal
Hydro
Wind
Solar
Nuclear
Tidal
As we absorb climate shocks now, it is right to make collective efforts to realize our climate ambitions now and future. Starting from individual, household, industries, and governments – embark on developing and implementing green innovations to Reduce–Carbon-Footprints:
Create mitigation plan to decarbonize
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Reengineer, Repair, Refurbish
Nurture the climate self-discipline and it will become a norm
Buy only the needs to reduce wastage
Consume more fish but less meat
Consume local and seasonal organic products
Prolong products shelve life
Donate old clothes
Avoid products with excessive plastics
Buy only biodegradable plastics
Buy, borrow, rent, swap and share second-hand products
Don’t live your equipment to be overcharged
Turn off lights when unused
Take short showers
Buy only energy-efficient and RoHS ICTs
Buy from environmentally friendly companies that takes back to recycle
Bike-more-drive-less-fly-less and patronize public transportation system
Buy hybrid or electric vehicles
Develop green-road infrastructure
Embark on waste segregation and compost food waste if possible
Avoid cheap-eye-catchy and trendy fashion that rely on fossil fuels
Invest in green innovations and quality products
Embark on green-birth
Right or wrong, contextually, I believe there is the need to integrate Arts-Science-Technology-Innovation-SocioCultural-Political-Economic-Ecological-Legal norms.
Henceforth, it is our civic responsibility; moral right; and legal obligation to selflessly protect our environment and ecological system (
PlanetEarth) from warming.
