| Ah, the evil carbon fuels. Carbon fuels that were | | | | Other positives of carbon fuels include ease of |
| once exalted as the power source for the | | | | use. Since carbon fuels have been used as a |
| industrial revolution are now demonized because | | | | combustible energy source for centuries, most of |
| of global warming. There are, however, positive | | | | the machinery and engines that we use in |
| aspects to carbon fuels. | | | | everyday life have been developed to burn |
| Positive Aspects of Carbon Fuels | | | | carbon fuels. Developing machines that use |
| Carbon fuels are those fuels which come from | | | | alternative energy sources can be much more |
| the remains of ancient plants and animals. They | | | | difficult as is adapting existing machinery to use |
| include oil (petroleum), natural gas (such as | | | | different power sources. Carbon fuel run power |
| methane and propane) and coal. Much has been | | | | plants are also much easier to build and use - you |
| said about how horrible carbon fuels are because | | | | can erect one almost anywhere, as long as you |
| they tend to produce large amounts of pollution | | | | can get the carbon fuel to the plant. It is much |
| and contribute massive amounts of greenhouse | | | | harder to find a suitable location for a power plant |
| gases to the global warming problem. They are | | | | that runs off of alternative energy sources, such |
| also non-renewable, which means that once we | | | | as hydro power or wind power. |
| have used all of the carbon fuels that are stored | | | | The positive aspects to carbon fuels really boil |
| within the Earth, the proverbial tank will be empty. | | | | down to a timing element. At the current time, |
| Indeed, one can argue that control of carbon fuels | | | | we have plenty of them. At the moment, all of |
| will become the basis of many wars between | | | | our machinery from cars to power plants is |
| countries. All of this being said, there are still | | | | designed to use them. At the moment, we have |
| positive aspects to carbon fuels. | | | | developed methods to use these fuels extremely |
| The first is the availability of them at this time. | | | | efficiently whereas something like solar power is |
| Petroleum, or crude oil, is rather easy to find - | | | | only 15 percent efficient. |
| there are many stores and reservoirs of the | | | | The issues confronting us with carbon fuels, |
| black stuff hidden below the Earth's crust. The | | | | however, are also timing oriented. While the |
| same goes for natural gas, as the pockets of gas | | | | positive aspects of carbon fuels now are clear, |
| can be found and harvested just below the | | | | they disappear in the near future. How will we |
| surface of the Earth. Coal is even easier to find - | | | | deal with shortages in supplies and the resulting |
| it can be mined (sometimes strip mined) from | | | | rising costs? How will we deal with the continual |
| within caves or in shafts dug into the ground. | | | | greenhouse gases produced by our use of these |
| Carbon fuels are also relatively easily transported | | | | fuels? In short, do we worry about tomorrow or |
| from place to place in this day and age, meaning | | | | not? |
| that you don't need to use them right where | | | | While there are definitely positive aspects of |
| they are found. This is not so with other types of | | | | carbon fuels, there are also many disadvantages. |
| energy sources such as geothermal and | | | | Alas, the good news is that we can control our |
| hydropower which are restricted to the area in | | | | future in this regard. The question, of course, is |
| question and the length to which power lines can | | | | whether we will choose to do so. |
| be run. | | | | |