Over the past two centuries, humanity has become increasingly dependent on fossil fuels. Over time, the consequences of the constant burning of fossil fuels have accumulated to pose a threat to industrialized cities. The burning of fossil fuels causes acid rain on cities and ecosystems around the world, tormenting their inhabitants. Increasingly deadly pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels has killed many people around the world by causing respiratory problems. Not only has pollution worsened, but the supply of fossil fuels is not unlimited: as humanity's dependence increases, supply decreases, and that is all the more reason to end humanity's dependence on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels must be replaced with cleaner alternatives because they pose environmental risks, are non-renewable and are harmful to human health. Since the start of the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century, fossil fuels have been in constant use, slowly changing the planet's atmosphere. According to Mann, “the pre-industrial level of CO2 was 280 parts per million (ppm)” (N. pag). He predicts that at current rates we will reach 560 ppm by the end of the 21st century. To make matters worse, Mann says 450 ppm is dangerous because it will cause Earth's average temperature to increase by 2 degrees Celsius. It recommends taking measures to keep CO2 below 405 ppm (N. pag). Mann notes that in 2013 the value managed to reach 400 ppm (N. pag). It goes without saying that the point of no return is upon us. Unfortunately, the effects of pollution are already being felt all over the world. Pollution can lead to many health problems and damage several organs of the body. When people think...... middle of paper......i. “Environmental pathways to potential human health impacts of oil and gas development in northeastern British Columbia, Canada.” Environmental Reviews 20.2 (2012): 122-134. Academic research completed. Internet. April 3, 2014. Liu, Tingwu et al. “A combined proteomic and transcriptomic analysis on sulfur metabolism pathways of Arabidopsis Thaliana under simulated acid rain.” Plos ONE 9.3 (2014): 1-11. Academic research completed. Internet. May 16, 2014. Mann, Michael E. “False Hope.” Scientific American 310.4 (2014): 78-81. Academic research completed. Internet. May 9, 2014.Smil, Vaclav. “The long, slow rise of solar and wind.” Scientific American 310.1 (2014): 52-57. Academic research completed. Internet. May 16, 2014. United States. Energy Information Administration. “Electric Power Monthly with data for February 2014” eia.gov. U.S. Energy Information Administration, April 22, 2014. Web. May 8 2014.