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What Generates Most of Our Power Now

Large smokestacks releasing pollutants

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  Clean Energy Sources

  Polluting Energy Sources

Graphic showing renewable and nonrenewable energy sources

Energy Sources with Pollution Consequences

Coal, nuclear, oil, natural gas, and large hydropower facilities generate about 99% of our ever growing use of electric power in the U.S. today. Many of these sources of energy are much more expensive than we realize. If our monthly energy bill included all of the hidden costs that we really pay including damage to the environment and our health, security risks, and long-term storage costs, we would quickly rule that the true price of using these fuels is much too high. With higher health insurance premiums and defense expenditures, and with the depletion of natural resources that aren't renewable, we have already been paying the price for too long. More and more evidence is mounting that we can no longer afford the expensive consequences of continuing to use these polluting sources. Rather, we can chose to power our lives with renewable energy sources that are truly sustainable and cost effective.

Coal

Nuclear Power

Natural Gas

Oil

Large-Scale Hydropower

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