As we venture further and further into the 21st century the more we realize our dependence on fossil fuels is not sustainable. Fossil fuels (coal, oil/petroleum, natural gas, bitumens, and tar sands) are finite resources, thereby impossible to create and renew. Not only that, but it is becoming increasingly obvious that the consequences of using fossil fuels heavily outweigh the positives.
We are supposed to be living like the Jetsons, not as 21st century Flintstones.
While it is true that we cannot rely on fossil fuels forever, it is equally true that we cannot immediately stop our reliance. For instance, let’s say we all traded in our gas and diesel vehicles for hybrid and electric cars. Even those cars have plastic components and plastic is made using petroleum. The stone vehicles used by Fred Flintstone were cleaner than the “clean energy” ones we have today (just don’t look at the bottom of his feet). The use of fossil fuels is woven tightly into our daily 21st century lives.
In striving to become more like the Jetsons, there are alternatives we can consider utilizing to offset our dependence on fossil fuels. A simple one is using refillable glass bottles instead of disposable plastic water bottles, many of which are found floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Another simple alternative is to use cloth bags for groceries rather than plastic bags. Or, if you have to use those plastic grocery bags, recycle them. Yet another, albeit bigger, alternative is installing a solar panel system on your house to considerably offset the reliance and use of fossil fuels for energy.
We are now in the second decade of the 21st century. It’s time to start living like it.