Fossil Fuels Improve the Planet

This book shouldn't have been necessary to write. In a predominantly rational world, it would be obvious that the net value of fossil fuels in particular, and of industrial and technological progress in general, is overwhelmingly positive. It would be common (and commonly-cited) knowledge that, thanks to our ability to create and use energy on a large scale, the human life-span has more than doubled since our prehistoric ancestors, and that in the last century alone climate-related deaths have gone down by a staggering 98%.Fossil fuels are largely responsible for creating this energy and therefore taming this planet from a place that is hostile to humans to one that is quite hospitable. They along with other energy sources that are smeared by the environmentalist movement (chiefly nuclear and hydro-electric) have only continued to make our lives better, safer, happier.Unfortunately, our world is not predominantly rational these days. While we know that global warming is a real phenomenon, the claims that this is going to be disastrous are based on pseudo-scientific methods that don't even begin to take into account the enormous complexity of the problem. Based on these claims, we are being urged to abandon energy sources that work in favor of intermittent, diffuse sources that, with current technology, couldn't even begin to power the kind of industrial society that has improved our lives so much.The best part about this book is that, in defending our industrial way of life against the environmentalists who constantly demand that we have less of everything man-made, the author is always able to claim the moral high-ground, which is ultimately necessary to win any argument. This is a crucial battle of ideas that we must win, to which end this book is excellent intellectual ammunition.

Finally, we get the truth! Our quality of life depends on fossil fuels. I love electricity and want it to be affordable and reliable, not dependent upon the vagaries of wind or the daylight hours. So called renewable sources of energy have many problems: a big one is the quantity of energy these sources can produce. We need the dense energy of coal, gas or nuclear to power our society. A few kW from a few solar panels does not equal a Megawatt. Also, the rare earth minerals (mined in China in obscenely polluting mining operations) are certainly not renewable. Fortunately, fossil fuels almost seem to be popping up out of the earth. We keep finding more and more of these resources. And how about "dirty" oil? Practically everything we use or wear has oil in it from polyester cloth to everything plastic. Also, believe me, we could not move ourselves or the products we use without gasoline and diesel fuels. Have you ever ridden in a tiny solar or electric car on a freeway? No thank you! This thought doesn't even consider the limited speeds, limited range, total discomfort, and so forth. The "greenies" basically are homophobes. They hate people and think there are too many of us. I don't know in what category they place themselves!

Given current events......priescent.... scientifically sound...... assuming you understand the actual scientific method..... Nice work Mr Epstein..... Please be careful and keep an eye out for Hillary.

At a mere 94 pages, this book stands as the greatest argument for the defense of fossil fuels, and also against the environmentalists who want to eliminate them. Those new to the ideas Epstein presents here might take a little more than one sitting to finish this seemingly brief little book. That's because these ideas are unfortunately never heard in popular media, and (as cliché as it sounds) will really change the way you think about this subject. Having followed Epstein's work for some time, I bought this book to merely refresh my knowledge and keep these ideas in writing. Still, I found myself pausing to think after almost every chapter. No network, website, or radio show frames energy and environmental issues quite like Epstein. And the best part is that it's very easy to understand. You won't find him throwing statistic after statistic at you in order to drive home some vague sense of fear and doubt. That's the kind of fog that Epstein helps clear, demonstrating the enormous benefits of fossil fuels to human life, the intimidation and falsehoods coming from the environmentalist movement about fossil fuels, and how to effectively stand for these wonderful sources of energy in a world that demonizes them. To compare, I'd say this is equivalent to Henry Hazlitt's Economics in One Lesson with regard to Energy issues. A concise guide to a broad field without losing focus or purpose.

Why is it cool to be green? Unfortunately our education system and majority of media outlets today have painted a rosy picture about what it means to “go green.” They tell us that oil and gas companies are evil polluters of the environment and will do anything possible to maximize profits. They also tell us that coal technology is a thing of the past and we need to move forward.Alex Epstein sets the record straight and answers fundamental questions such as: what energy source charges electric car batteries, what keeps the lights on in a hospital, what powers an ambulance, how is food transported from the farm to the grocery store? After learning the answers to these questions and many more, I now understand that fossil fuels are the lifeblood of modern human civilization. Never again will I take for granted the thousands of men and women that dedicate their careers to producing abundant, affordable, reliable energy to all us so that we can live and prosper on this amazing planet.

good interesting book.more people should read this book. get to know more facts about climate change.

Again Epstein makes the moral case for not abandoning the use of fossil fuels. Here is a magnificent description of how much we get from this natural gift. To jettison these fuels and their impressive byproducts, is to impoverish the human condition in major ways that cannot be relieved by sunshine or wind. This book is a not-to-be-missed companion to his The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels.

Alex Epstein makes a compelling evidence-based case for fossil fuels.