Burning fossil fuels such as oil and coal are changing the climate and making thousands of Americans sick. Coal burning power plants are poisoning the air and water. “Fossil fuels account for more than 80% of US global warming” (Jon Van, 1988). Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide in the air, creating a greenhouse effect that traps heat in the atmosphere making the Earth heat up.
“Each year, an average of 24,000 Americans die as a result of pollution from coal burning power plants” (Greepeace, 2010). Mercury and other toxic compounds are being released into the air and eater. Acid rain caused mostly by coal burning costs $10 billion a year in crop damages (Jon Van, 1988). Oil is the most used form of energy and accounts for 38% of the global energy source. 30% of carbon dioxide emissions in the air is caused by oil burning (MSc, 2003). Oil spills such as the BP Deep water Horizon leaked thousands of gallons of crude oil in the sea, contaminating water, beaches, wetlands, and destroying sea life. BP was burning oil from the surface, which released poisonous gasses into the air causing people to get sick. Sea life has also been heavily impacted and the full effects of the damage to the eco-system will not be known for years. People have an obligation to find and use alternative energy sources. We need to stop putting people, animals, and the environment in danger. With the continued use of coal and oil, we are heating up our plant, depleting and destroying our land and contamination the air and water.
Some of the issues our local community is dealing with as a result of the BP Deep water Horizon oil spill are a drop in tourism, which affects our already troubled economy. The beaches have been contaminated with oil. It has also impacted the fishing industries in the Gulf and the food we consume, the sea grasses have been contaminated and coated with oil which is a food source for fish. Hundreds of dead fish, dolphins, and turtles have been washed ashore due to the spill. Over 1,000 birds with visible oil on the have been pulled from the Gulf waters and beaches. (Pappas, 2010)
Alternative forms of energy need to be developed and implemented so our planet can be saved for future generations. The problem is not that the technology for alternatives does not exist, the problem is the cost of alternate energy sources. People, animals, and our planet should not be condemned to die simply because we are too cheap to change our habits.

Works Cited
Greepeace. (2010). Stop Global Warning. Retrieved from Greenpeace: http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/The-Problem/
Jon Van, S. w. (1988). BURNING FOSSIL FUELS: IS IT WORTH THE PRICE? Chicago Tribune Co., 1.
MSc, S. E. (2003). Fossil Fuels. Retrieved from Lenntech: http://www.lenntech.com/greenhouse-effect/fossil-fuels.htm
Pappas, S. (2010, July 2). Gulf oil spill update. Retrieved from MSNBC.com: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38063264/ns/technology_and_science-science/