One of the most heated discussions of our society is the topic of transitioning to a cleaner and greener earth. Politicians, lawmakers, business owners and even local businesses are building initiatives on ways we can make our earth a cleaner place. The questions are; “how do we do this,”and “what are the best economic alternatives?” These are concerns that flood our airways in debates, presidential campaign speeches, and news columns all across the country.
Dave McCurdy states, “There is no doubt that our country faces great challenges with regard to our energy future, but natural gas is one of the few energy areas where our country is positioned well. Natural gas is an abundant, reliable natural resource, that customers can depend on to heat their homes, warm their water and cook their food.” Natural gas is the most plentiful option in our country. The United States alone has access to 2.4 million miles of natural gas pipelines that are reliable and efficient. Natural gas is one of the cleanest, safest, and most useful of all energy sources.
Using natural gas reduces pollution because of its natural components, which in turn will save lives. Robert Lenzer notes, “Carbon emissions have been reduced back to the level that existed in 1990. This reduction of emissions places the U.S. far ahead of economic revival China, which was responsible for 29% of all carbon emission in the world last year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy”. Natural gas is considered a clean alternative because it is primarily comprised of methane. Methane is a molecule made of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.
The use of natural gas will be a leading contributor of bringing our national economy back to life. This alternative could spark a revival of entrepreneurialism by making changes little by little in our different industries as a whole. Changing the way we fuel our cars, generate our home energy sources and factory efficiency are all ways that America can begin implementing these changes.
Natural gas is also being used to create electricity. By doing so there will be less reliability on other countries for oil and utilizing our own resources will reduce imports from foreign oil producers. Using natural gas to create electricity also reduces the effects of emission and global warming in its overall process.
There are already sprouting attempts by companies and business to begin this transition. Natural gas utility companies have made it easy and affordable by providing budget billing for the more expensive winter months. We have already seen Shell and several other stations begin to use natural gas at their pumps to start the change. It is initiatives like these, one business and decision at a time, which will begin to make a monumental impact. Although natural gas prices have continued to rise, growing availability and better drilling technologies will stabilize prices.
What more is there to say? Natural gas is an arguable alternative in transforming our civilization into a prosperous and thriving economy. Not only saving our environment, but also increasing our investment, skills, and technologies for progressing into a better future!
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