Raw Fossil Energy

What are the benefits of burning fossil fuels?

I know theres not much benefits on burning fossil fuels but we have to write a pros and cons essay on burning fossil fuels. Can you list 5 facts on burning fossil fuels? Thanks.... " )

Public Comments

1. 5 pros are: 1) plentiful 2) relatively cheap on the short run 3) Simple and easy to use 4) not sure if this pertains to a definite pro, but when separating fuel (gas, natural gas, and gasoline) from the tar used in plastics, the fuel is a byproduct with nowhere else to go but to be burned; so it's a use or be wasted resource 5) easy to gather/ profitable (stimulates economy)
2. There are lots of benefits of using fossil fuels. Why do you think that fossil fuels provide most of our energy today? Because, on balance, right now, they are the best we have. 1. They really saved the day when they replaced the previous main fuel-- wood. Even with the lower populations and lower energy use of yesteryear, many places in the world were facting deforestation. Fossil fuels saved the forests of the world. 2. Fossil fuels are usually the cheapest form of energy, especially if you need "portable" energy for applications like cars. 3. Fossil fuels are easy to use. Unlike nuclear energy which is a comples technology. Fossil fuels can be burned very easily. Fire is a very old technology. Fossil fuels come in solids like coal, liquids like petroleum, and gas like methane. This makes them very flexible and useful. 4. Fossil fuels exist on every continent and are readily available all over the world. Where the balance isn't right, petroleum and coal are easy to transport. 5. Liquid and solid fossil fuels are generally safer to handle and transport than many of the alternatives such as hydrogen and nuclear fuels. Remember, the reason that most energy used right now is from fossil fuels is because right now, with current technology and situation, they are the best economic choice. When we use the cheapest energy available to make things and transport things then everthing costs less.
3. I guess you have never lived with wood heating. It is messy, dangerous and requires a lot of chopping, stacking and sawing. It is also an very limited resource. A lot of places have lost their trees to people needing wood for cooking fires. Next point. Oil can be used for running the internal combustion engine and the engines of jet planes. No other fuel has the same value of handling or power yet. Bio-diesel might be a replacement but that opens the question if we should be diverting food into fuel use. Third. It is not just about burning oil and other fossil fuel for energy. The byproducts of oil processing are chemicals, plastics and fertilizers. Even if we had an instant replacement for fuel oils we would still need oils for the plastics, petrochemical and farm fertilizer production. Just look around and see that your clothes are oil, your furniture is oil some of your drugs are oil. Oil is more than just being able to drive cars around. Without oil we could not feed ourselves, clothe ourselves or cure ourselves. We would have no paved roads or rubber, no asphalt shingles on the roof over your head... you get the idea. We could not grow enough natural fibres or organic food to replace what we get by using oil byproducts. I doubt if we can even grow enough plants to replace oil as a fuel, especially if we have to eat at the same time. A farmer might be able to grow enough oil to run a tractor, but can he grow enough oil to run a city, or a country.