Fossil Fuels: Are They Worth the Cost? Fossil fuels are a very important part of our society today. Natural gas, coal and oil are the world's largest and most important source of energy. “90% of the energy we use in this country [the United States] comes from fossil fuels.” (Source 3) Unfortunately, using these fossil fuels to run our society comes with costs. Some costs are obvious, such as the cost of labor, equipment, and supplies needed to extract, refine, and transport fossil fuels. These costs are covered by electricity bills, the price of gasoline for cars, and other government and business funding. There are many other less obvious costs. These costs represent the effects that fossil fuels have on our environment and human health. Air pollution from burning coal and oil, as well as dust in mines, is causing problems for human health. The environment is affected by acid rain, global warming and water and air pollution. Many times the costs go unpaid and go unnoticed. It is imperative that we as a society take responsibility and strive to reduce the negative effects of fossil fuels on our environment. Global warming is a serious environmental problem caused by the use of fossil fuels. When fossil fuels are burned, carbon dioxide is emitted. It captures heat in the Earth's atmosphere. What is happening is that the more carbon dioxide emitted, the warmer Earth's climate becomes. I know some may think warm weather is great! Keep global warming and carbon dioxide coming! Global warming, however, is seriously dangerous for our society, economy and environment. Global warming may cause coastal cities to go underwater due to rising sea levels from melting glaciers. Agriculture will also be severely affected. If temperatures continue to rise, farmers will face even more extreme droughts. Global warming is caused by the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and has many negative effects on the environment, our societies and our economies. Another cost of fossil fuels is air pollution.