Fossil Fuels

It would be nice if it would be easy to quickly and efficiently make the shift from fossil fuels to alternative energy sources, but things like that are anything but simple. While it will be difficult because fossil fuels are so deeply engrained in how we get our energy in our society, making the shift isn't just necessary, it is inevitable. Scientists have confirmed (quite a while ago) that we are going to run out of fossil fuels at some point in our lifetime. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. Because of this, I think that delving into the realm of alternative energy sources needs to happen sooner rather than later. It's uplifting to know that this is indeed happening. There are many world leaders, heads of industry, and scientists all over the world that recognize the urgency of our situation and are doing everything in their capabilities to steer us towards a better and more sustainable path. From what I can observe, we are in a transitional period in history. We are still very much entangled in the use of fossil fuels, but at the same time, most people recognize that we need to be looking for energy elsewhere. Not only is the fact that we will run out of fossil fuels at some point reason enough to look elsewhere, the fact that they are so damaging to the environment adds a whole extra level of urgency concerning the situation. It deeply saddens me to hear my presidents stance on the issue. Trump seems to think that we need to stay in the past and double down on the usage of the industries that we all well know aren't going to be around forever. Do I think we should just immediately stop using fossil fuels and kick everyone who works in that industry to the curb? Absolutely not! I think that when it comes to the matter, training all those individuals to transition into the alternative energy industry should be a top priority. Just because someone makes their living as a coal miner, that doesn't make them a bad person. I recognize that for many people, across many communities, that line of work is likely their only option. I think that we as a nation have the responsibility to help them and give them all the resources they need to transition into a new and more sustainably line of work. Unfortunately, our president doesn't seem to hold the same viewpoint. He seems to think that the fossil fuel industry is just going to magically be around forever, and that we don't need to explore other options. This isn't just a short sighted position, it's downright dangerous and harmful. We as a society need to accept the fact that fossil fuels are on their way out, and come to understand the urgency of finding other sources of energy. Obviously no energy source is without its drawbacks, but the consequences of fossil fuel usage seem to be the direst from what I can see.