The term fossil fuel means the hydrocarbons found in the top layer of Earth's crust. Combustible oil, natural gas, and coal are prime examples of fossil fuel. The energy costs of fossil fuels could be classified into 2 broad categories: One that we pay money for, and the other, we do not. The purchase price of any fossil fuel like petrol includes the drilling cost, labor working in refining plants, and the transport of the fuel to retail points. The hidden costs, that we do not pay for, include global warming and associated health problems.
The environmental fallout of fossil fuel use includes the many tangible negative influences that can be felt. The rapid deterioration of air quality is being felt throughout the world. Acid rain is real and happening at regular intervals. The specter of global warming is threatening the coastal territories of countries all over the globe. The hidden costs of fossil fuels are:
Water and land pollution: Transportation of liquid fossil fuels like petrol and diesel involve a high risk of leak and spillage. Gasoline (petrol) spills in water severely damages the immediate aquatic environment like rivers and seas. Animal and plant life are negatively affected by oil spills. The mining of solid fossil fuels like coal also contributes to significant water pollution. The pyrite in coal is washed away during processing to pollute rivers and streams.
Air pollution: Burning fossil fuel generates nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and sulfur oxides. Hydrocarbons are also disseminated into the air. The particulates that are suspended in air contribute to air pollution. The hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides in the air combine to form smog.
Transportation vehicles like cars and buses contribute the most to air or atmospheric pollution. Nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides are spewed by cars. Acid rain occurs when these two combine with the water vapor present in clouds.
Global warming: Carbon monoxide is the result of burning fossil fuels. The temperature of the earth has increased by approximately 1° centigrade since the 1800s. This has led to glacier melting in the Polar Regions, thus increasing the water content in the seas. This has further led to inundation of river deltas, wetlands, and coastal areas. Extreme weather is reported throughout the world.
Pollution by heat: The production of electricity by burning fossil fuels involve the generation of heat as a collateral product. The heat is released into the atmosphere. Water that is employed as a coolant also gets heated. This heated water, when returned, may disturb the aquatic ecosystem.