Photo by Claus Wolf via Flickr CC
Although sea levels rise and the number of extreme weather events increase, non-renewable energy companies are fighting fiercely in an attempt to out-do their clean energy competitors.
I get it; change is hard. No one wants their company to go own the drain and lose their job; however, America is moving onto greater things.
There is a concern that the loss of jobs due to coal and oil companies being pushed out will have a devastating impact on our economy. But where there is a loss there is a gain. The clean energy industry is growing rapidly as more and more people are investing in it. The clean energy industry seeks not just workers to fill new green job positions but innovative entrepreneurs who will expand the industry by building renewable energy companies and create more jobs in America. In fact, according to the article The War on Green Jobs Hurts Us All from the Huffington Post, 3.1 million Americans currently hold down a green job.
Despite the protests, I think the replacement of non-renewable energy with clean energy is inevitable. Why?
• It paves way for new, green jobs, and there are people who are currently looking for jobs
• Although the economy may suffer as people in coal and oil lose jobs, the economy will suffer from the effects of global warming (such as extreme weather disasters and health problems) if people continue to harvest non-renewable resources.
• We cannot ignore the evidence of global warming. People are witnessing and experiencing themselves the effects global warming is having on our planet.
o The effects of global warming are brought to our attention everyday
•Through the news and social media
•Directly through harmful events such as drought, hurricanes, flooding, wildfires
•Indirectly taking a toll on people’s health by contaminating the air we breathe and the water we drink
• Green living is growing in popularity. People want to help save our planet and many people like the idea of becoming self-sufficient when it comes to energy. In addition, advances in technology are making green living more convenient and many people desire the new, eco-friendly products that are coming out on the market.
If I could send a message to all non-renewable energy companies I would say don’t fight the change, roll with it. These resources you are harvesting, they are not bottomless, they will run out, and when they do, what will you do? Why wait to shift to clean energy when we actually run out? By shifting now we are better preparing ourselves for the future and improving the quality of our planet at the same time.
Change is hard, but in order to make advances we have to take some risks and make the jump. It may seem bleak but we just have to remember that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and a goal we are trying to reach, that we will reach.
Inspiration and Resources for this article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/23/climate-change-presidential-campaign_n_1907123.html?utm_hp_ref=green
http://www.energy4me.org/energy-facts/environmental-protection/environmental-impact-by-source/
http://www.inc.com/billy-parish/clean-energy-industry-growth-horizons.html