Coal, oil and gas are fossil fuels, because they have been formed from the organic remains of prehistoric plants and animals. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years.

Big Bend (coal-fired) Power Station located across the bay from Tampa, Florida

Fossil fuels are limited, because they were formed only once in the Earth’s history.

Burning fossil fuels damage the environment. The main drawback of fossil fuels is pollution. Burning any fossil fuel produces carbon dioxide, which contributes to the “greenhouse effect”, warming the Earth.

Fossil fuels are not a renewable energy resource. Once we have burned them all, there is not any more. This is a particular problem for oil, because we also use it to make plastics and many other products.

Scientists work to come up with other alternatives to fossil fuels.

On the other hand, solar energy is clean and practically limitless.

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REFERENCES:

1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_fuel

2) http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/fossilfuels.htm

3) http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/fossil.htm

4) http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter08.html

IMAGE:

Name- SSPX0347
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