TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY • November 30, 2022
The combustion of fossil fuels — such as gasoline and diesel to transport people and goods — was the largest source of U.S. carbon-dioxide emissions in 2020, accounting for about 33 percent of total carbon-dioxide emissions and 26 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Not surprisingly, petroleum, natural gas and coal have been at the forefront of environmental policy efforts to have the nation move away from this “harmful” non-renewable energy source to renewable sources of fuel, including hydroelectric, geothermal, biomass, wind and solar. But what is often overlooked in the environmental movement’s efforts to shift America to a “Green Economy” is the fundamental importance of petroleum not only as a fuel for transportation purposes but also its other critical uses in contributing to a vibrant, innovative U.S. economy. ~ Thomas A. Hemphill, University of Michigan at Flint