• Question: People say we are wasting fossil fuels! Some people say there are alternative resources! Why are people not acting NOW and just saying that we should change? Is it just that people care too much about the economy or what?

    Asked by to Edward, Ian, Mathew, Naomi on 25 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Ian Stephenson

      Ian Stephenson answered on 25 Jun 2014:

      Because its easy to SAY something should be done, but actually doing it is harder.

      For example I’m sure you’ll agree that organic, fair-trade chocolate is “better” than regular chocolate. So do you ALWAYS buy organic, fair-trade chocolate?

      probably not, because while its the “right” thing to do sometimes there are other factors. Would you buy the “better” chocolate every time if it was twice the price? Or would you be prepared to pay other people to eat “better” chocolate, by subsidising the price yourself? Or do you care too much about the economy?

      Also “better chocolate” is only available in small quantities, so its only available in some shops, and if everyone decided to only eat organic fair-trade chocolate there simply wouldn’t be enough.

      the good news (if you can call it that) is its the economy that will drive alternative energy. As fossil fuel prices increase, alternatives will become financially more viable, and so people will turn to them.

    • Photo: Naomi Osborne

      Naomi Osborne answered on 25 Jun 2014:

      I think it is mainly because of our economy. Fossil fuels are cheaper than alternative sources, and if we stopped using them there would be huge impacts on the economy. But we’re running out of fossil fuel – fast – so big energy companies are going to have to switch in the near future. Most of them are researching alternative energy sources, and it’s likely we’ll have a number of sources in future instead of just one. But whilst we still have fossil fuels, we’ll keep on using them.

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