Episode 10: Fossil Fuel Basics & Coal

05/27/20 • 18 min

One of the most common topics that comes up anytime anyone talks about global warming is fossil fuels and their impact on the environment. But, what is a fossil fuel? Why are they so bad? Is the talk about more than just climate change? All of these questions and more will be answered in this three part series about fossil fuels. In this episode, we discuss the basics of fossil fuels and then talk about coal, the dirtiest of the fossil fuels.
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/fossil-fuels-dirty-facts
American Gas Association (AGA)
https://www.aga.org/natural-gas/energy-education/
Union of Concerned Scientists
https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/environmental-impacts-natural-gas
Science Direct:

Fossilized Material: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/carbon-based-fuel
Groundwater: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167903186903312

Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)

Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
https://www.c2es.org/content/u-s-emissions/
Environment
https://www.environment.co.za/mining/effects-of-mining.html
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/subsidence.html
World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/soil-erosion-and-degradation
Music:
“News Theme” by Kevin MacLeod licensed under CC BY. Edited to be shorter but content was not changed.

Link to Song Profile: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4122-news-theme/

Link to Author’s Profile: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/artists/profile/9-kevin-macleod/

Link to license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode

Fossilized Material: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/carbon-based-fuel
Groundwater: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167903186903312

Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)

Link to Song Profile: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4122-news-theme/

Link to Author’s Profile: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/artists/profile/9-kevin-macleod/

Link to license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode

Previous Episode

Episode 9: COVID-19 & Climate Change

COVID-19 has run rampant around the world. Economies are suffering, public health is weakening, and panic is arising. But, has anyone stopped to ask how COVID-19 is affecting the climate? Even better, has anyone stopped to wonder what part climate change played in making COVID-19 worse? I explain this and more in this episode of Let's Talk Global Warming.

SOURCES:

China and New York Emissions (BBC):

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51944780

American Lung Association:

https://www.lung.org/clean-air/outdoors/what-makes-air-unhealthy/nitrogen-dioxide

Nitrogen Dioxide (NASA):

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/earthmatters/?p%3D7966%26src%3Deorss-blogs

Dr. Aaron Bernstein (Center for Climate, Health, and The Global Environment)

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/c-change/news/coronavirus-climate-change-and-the-environment/

US Stimulus Deal:

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/25/whats-in-stimulus-package-coronavirus-149282

New York Times:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/27/opinion/sunday/coronavirus-climate-change.html

International Energy Agency:

https://www.iea.org/commentaries/put-clean-energy-at-the-heart-of-stimulus-plans-to-counter-the-coronavirus-crisis
Music:
“News Theme” by Kevin MacLeod licensed under CC BY. Edited to be shorter but content was not changed.

Link to Song Profile: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4122-news-theme/

Link to Author’s Profile: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/artists/profile/9-kevin-macleod/

Link to license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode

Next Episode

Episode 11: Oil

Wars have been fought for it, people have made their careers finding it, and the world runs on it. Oil is one of the most sought after resources in the world, but is it good for the planet? In this episode, I talk about what oil is and why it is bad for the environment.
Fun Story: I had to many sources so my character count ran out. All of the names of the sources are hyperlinks so you should be able to click on them to get to the source's website.
Sources:
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI)
Student Energy:
Conventional Oil
Conventional Natural Gas & Oil
Unconventional Oil
Hydraulic Fracturing
Oil Sands
Oil Shale
Mayo Clinic
American Cancer Society