The Twin Issues of Climate Change and Global Warming - Essay Example

The Twin Issues of Climate Change and Global Warming It is evident that the twin issues of climate change and global warming remain the most common issues in the contemporary world. As a result, people all over the world are realizing the importance of conserving the environment with new approaches suggested each day to lessen the effects of global warming and climate change. In my opinion, increasing of the cost of fuel is the most important aspect of dealing with these twin issues. In retrospect, my open letter to the citizens of the United States focuses on increasing of fuel costs. On the other hand, the citizens of the United States are becoming aware of the important role that they should play in ensuring that they conserve the environment and lessen the effects of global warming and climate change. In effect, it is crucial to highlight the important role that an increment in fuel prices will play towards achieving these objectives to thus crucial and important population that is aware of global warming and climate change. For this reason, I addressed this open letter to the citizens of the United States. Dear citizens of this great nation, I believe that we have all heard the adage that "desperate times calls for desperate measures." In our endeavor and the quest to satisfy the most basic of human needs, we face a momentous challenge on our environment and other essential components of human life. In line with this, we cannot live oblivious of the fact that some activities that we engaged in can bring untoward effects to our lives. In effect, such activities required urgent action in order to converse the world for future generations. You may be wondering about the motif behind this letter. However, I need to explain the intention behind this letter before I support my argument. First, how many times have we heard or read about the term global warming today on any form of media? In addition, what proactive measures were are taking to ensure that we maintain an environment that was safe for current and future living organisms? Besides, who amongst us today would not wish to experience new approaches that were safe and innovative and solved human kinds' problems? I believe your guess is as good as mine with regard to all these questions. The underlying issue in this letter regards the divisive and emotive issue surrounding increasing of fuel prices. In this case, the issue has revolved around two opposing sides with each side putting up strong arguments for their cases. On one hand, those proposing an increment in fuel prices argue about the economic, social, and environmental benefits arising from the increase. On the other hand, those arguing against the increment commonly argue on an economic perspective, which disregards all the other aspects. In effect, my argument in this letter is that the United States should increase the price of fuel in order to benefit on an economic, social, and environmental perspective. By fuel, I am talking of the gasoline in form of petrol and diesel consumed by vehicles. Perhaps the immediate implication to an increase in fuel prices will be a reduction in the traffic jams. In this case, it has become a common thing to witness endless traffic snarl-ups, more so during end month when a majority of car owners can afford to fuel their vehicles. Wolfe noted that research found that the instantaneous benefit of increased fuel prices would be a reduction of fuel prices. In line with this, I believe most of us would like to witness an end to this traffic menace. At one point of our lives, we must have been stuck in traffic, which might have us arrive late for school, work, or even to a social event. In effect, we have either cursed during the moment we were in traffic, or felt helpless to think or act in a prudent manner. Hence, I propose the importance of increasing fuel, especially gasoline, prices so that we can reduce the traffic jams we continue experiencing in our cities. In addition, reducing traffic jams also improves conserving the most important factor of time. In effect, conserving time will help improve productivity. On the other hand, a vehicle consumes a lot when it is caught in a traffic jam. In effect, increasing of the cost of fuel will ensure conservation of fuel that most vehicles would waste in a traffic jam. To support my argument, a Treasury Department report noted that Americans wasted more than $100 billion annually in traffic jams (qtd. in Stoller, n.p.). In view of this, I strongly believe that increasing the cost of fuel will inhibit on the number of people who used their vehicles as a means of transport. In effect, this will translate to very few vehicles on the road and saving the country's economy $100 billion each year. This figure is astronomical considering that the country is still smarting from the effects of the recent global financial crisis. As a result, saving that money will ensure that the money was directed to other important sectors of the economy. Another benefit that the country will accrue from an increase in fuel prices will be an improvement of the public transit system. In this case, increasing fuel transport will ensure that more people stopped relying on private means of transport and started using public means of transport. It is common knowledge that America is one of the developed nations whose large proportion of citizens relies on private transport. However, increasing the cost of fuel will ensure that a majority of Americans will use public transport. In line with this, the country will witness extra investment in the public system, which will make the system better and efficient. In effect, this will help the nation achieve its production goals and empower its economy, a factor recognized by the International Association of Public Transport. I do not think there is any issue, other than the concluded US presidential election that has dominated local and international media than the issue of climate change. In this case, the world has spent a lot of resources to hold conventions that discussed approaches towards lessening the effects of climate change. In effect, I propose to governments of the world to consider increasing the cost of fuel as way of lessening the effects of climate change. Reports indicate that transport by our roads accounts for around 23% of carbon emissions that pollute our environment (The Economist, n.p.). In effect, increasing the cost of fuel will reduce the number of vehicles in our roads and consequently reduce the amount of carbon emissions resulting from use of gasoline by vehicles. Siegel confirms this by noting that an increase for cost of fuel will lead to a decrease in the carbon emissions, which prevents global warming. I am sure a majority, if not each one of us, would not wish for a situation whereby our ozone layer became continually depleted. In addition, I am also sure that we would like to protect our environment and climate as it is for future generations and for posterity. Therefore, increasing the cost of fuel will be an important way of achieving these crucial objectives. While protecting the environment from the effects of global change, I want to point out the benefits of preserving the immediate environment we live in through pollution. Kevin noted that increasing the cost of fuel continues to discovery of ingenious sources of energy. In this case, humankind will turn to the best alternatives that protected the environment. These sources are the renewable sources of energy that include wind energy and solar energy. The most important aspect of these two forms of energy is their clean nature and safety while using the fuel they produced. Unlike gasoline, fuel from wind and the sun do not emit any harmful chemical substances like carbon. In effect, this makes the fuel clean and protects the environment from air pollution. However, there is a need to increase the cost of fuel in order for human beings to invest more in these clean and safe sources of energy. We have heard that necessity us the mother of invention. In line with this, I propose that increasing the cost of fuel will increase innovation as we try to identify new sources of fuel that can replace gasoline. Kevin observed that the need for clean sources of power led to the discovery of solar and wind sources of energy. In effect, I know we will use the enormous amount of research available in order to develop innovative forms of energy that were clean and safe. However, we can only achieve this if we increase the cost of fuel. I think I have convinced you with my argument towards increasing the cost of gasoline. In addition, I believe that I have answered the three questions that I asked you at the beginning of this letter. I know that we all want a future that was bright for those who will come after we leave. In this case, it is important to leave the world a better place than we found the world. In so doing, it is crucial to consider our current actions towards ensuring this future. Hence, I strongly believe that we can only achieve this future only if fuel prices were increased. This way, we will ensure innovation, conserving the environment, and saving financial resources for use in other sectors of the economy. Thank you. Works Cited International Association of Public Transport. Advocacy and Outreach. N.d. Web. 7 Nov. 2012. http://www.uitp.org/advocacy/public_transport.cfm. Kevin, James. The Pros and Cons of Higher Gas Price. 9 May 2012. Web. 7 Nov. 2012. http://www.nodebtplan.net/2011/05/03/pros-and-cons-of-higher-gas-price/ Siegel, Robin P. Fuel Energy Pros and Cons. 8 May 2012. Web. 7 Nov. 2012. http://www.triplepundit.com/2012/05/fuel-cell-energy-pros-cons/ Stoller, Gary. Road Congestion Wastes 1.9 Billion Gallons of Gas. 25 Apr. 2012. Web. 7 Nov. 2012. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/story/2012-03-25/wasted-fuel-report/53776164/1 The Economist. Seeing the Back of the Car. 22 Sep. 2012. Web. 7 Nov. 2012. http://www.economist.com/node/21563280. Wolfe, Michael. The Effects of Fuel Prices. N.d. Web. 7 Nov. 2012. http://www.ehow.com/list_6712556_effects-fuel-prices.html. Read More