Fossil Fuels
A lot of people believe that fossil fuels are one of the worst energy sources, and that we should stop using them altogether. But, they are overlooking some key points and characteristics that show how efficient they can be. In fact, fossil fuels are the perfect source of energy for us because of their economic benefits, their inexpensive nature, and their easy-to-use properties.
First off, fossil fuels bring us massive economic benefits compared to other sources. In fact, over 81% of our energy comes from fossil fuels, so of course they produce the most amount of money for our economy; this industry had one of the highest GDP’s in Canada, bringing in over $84.3 billion dollars! And they bring in copious amounts of money for other industries, like mining, and have useful byproducts, like plastic, that make up many products we use everyday. Along with that, they open up countless jobs for Canada in primary, secondary, and tertiary industries; some examples would be construction, finance, administration, and many more! In total, they provide over 550,000 jobs, and this number should grow to 905,000 by 2035. However, many people believe that our economy shouldn’t be as important as our environment, therefore we should switch to other energy sources, even if they bring in less money; as well, our economy doesn’t just rely on fossil fuels, and it can grow in many other different ways. And, it is true that there are many ways for an economy to grow, but fossil fuels make up 6.8% of Canada’s GDP, which is a huge amount, so in a business perspective, the environmental cost is a very small loss compared to the gain; either way, the environmental effects they have keep getting smaller and smaller because of new technologies. So, fossil fuels are truly the best energy source when it comes to strengthening the economy, and they help make Canada a stronger country in return.
Secondly, fossil fuels are the cheapest source of energy out there. However, the actual process of extraction and refinement is expensive, but we use them for cheap because they are the most subsidized energy source (meaning more people are funding and investing in them). And more people like to invest in them because of the economic benefits I talked about before, and their easy-to-use properties. In fact, subsidies for fossil fuels amounted to about 548 billion dollars, while there was only 121 billion dollars for other energy sources. Also, we have been using fossil fuels for the longest period of time, compared to all other energy sources. So, the technology involved is the most developed and efficient, reducing the overall cost as well. On the other hand, many people would argue that fossil fuels are actually the most expensive energy source because of their environmental cost, making other energy sources better. But, as I mentioned before, the damage of fossil fuels on our earth keeps decreasing, because now we understand more about the problem, and are taking m...
