The Hidden Price of Climate Change: Crash Course Climate & Energy #11

Ditching fossil fuels is the most important thing we can do to combat climate change, but it can feel like wandering through a labyrinth to try to do so. In this episode of Crash Course Climate and Energy, we'll explore why it's so hard for us to break up with fossil fuels and the ways governments and fuel companies affect our relationship with them.

Chapters:
Introduction: Ditching Fossil Fuels 00:00
Why Fossil Fuels Are Everywhere 1:00
Fossil Fuel Subsidies 2:20
Fossil Fuels & The Economy 5:40
Cuba's Special Period 6:54
Fossil Fuels' Global Impacts 8:29
Fuel Companies & Misinformation 9:18
Review & Credits 12:20

Sources:

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[tayzonday]

I read the thumbnail as “Quitting COAL Turkey” 😮

[MonkeyChessify]

If only the worlds govts had started listening to scientists 3 decades ago we would've had a very gentle transition. Instead, we're still "debating" (in quotes because its a distraction) the need to quit fossil fuels while still doing nothing but making pledges for another administration.

[DM-mqhx]

I get the feeling that the problem with climate change isnt so much with pollution or technology, as it is (like everything else) with economy. I feel like countries cannot afford to not pollute, or not go to war. They do these things to keep the economy propped up. Factories today are making sp much completely useless junk w no shelf life, to be shipped around the globe. And almost nothing is done about garbage. Im not so enthusiastic about it

[louise]

As a non-american, I can clearly see how this video didn't really explore the deep-rooted problems of this topic. For example, when Cuba was used as an example, there were no mentions of the US embargo on Cuba - and this fact alone had a great influence on the situation of the country during those awful years.

I know the background historical part wasn't the focus here, but either way, I just think that the video could've done a better job using more accurate and concise information.

(Great video nonetheless)

[Argacyan]

The embargo on Cuba, the longest lasting naval blockade in human history, played a role in the period mentioned here.

[ahronrichards]

Thank you, as always, M and the CrashCourse team for the amazing content! You guys always hit the nail on the head as it relates to climate change. But the global switch from fossil fuels to cleaner energy will be very difficult, especially for smaller countries that would not be able to afford such a large scale switchover. Fossil fuels will sadly be cheaper for the reasons that you outlined, unless we take steps to make cleaner energy cheaper for all. Fingers crossed that we achieve it before 2050.

[moontzu]

Feels illegal to be this early. This'll be definitely a good 10 minutes though

[jeffmonterde]

Hi there! I just stumbled upon your YouTube channel and I have to say, I'm really impressed! Your content is so engaging and informative, and I can tell you put a lot of effort into creating each video. I especially love how you approach your topics with a fresh perspective and always manage to bring something new to the table. Your channel is definitely one of my new favorites, and I can't wait to see what you come up with next. Keep up the amazing work

[CamiloSantana]

need to ditch oil and oil products from investment portfolios otherwise all subjects are moot.

[ziploc]

We're getting solar panels in about a month, should make us grid-free for electricity, but it's a multi-year investment to pay back. In terms of carbon emissions, it balances out in about a year and they we're saving emissions for 20+ years. But most US households can't make that kind of investment commitment, even if they have the roof space to house the panels.
What we need is clean energy investment higher up the ladder, at a suburb or city level. They have the funds and the space to plan for a multi-decade payback period.

[angelicadonelan]

will you ever make a college version of crash course with more in depth information

[Superunknown]

The whole thing makes me sick. Of course they knew, and rather than transition to greener energy, or god forbid lose some money, they gaslit the world. I love capitalism.

[StayPrimal]

Thank you so much for fighting for such a good cause

[ray]

This is so important!! I've been watching thus series from the start and I think it should be shown everywhere! This knowledge is crucial

[thearchitects]

transitioning from fossil fuels is very important, but there are some other very important factors to account for. when we think abt the fossil fuel industry, we also have to think abt the automobile industry and how it’s structured our society. cars make our society less sustainable. lastly we need to understand which countries are doing the most polluting and which countries have and will be harmed from climate change. climate change will disproportionately hurt ppl of color and low income folk.

[WilliamWallace]

The explanation given for fuel price increases after Russia invaded Ukraine doesn't mention or explain why the fossil fuel companies made record profits.

[kodiakbear]

Fossil fuels. By the way, I have difficulty communicating because I had a stroke in Broca’s area, the part of the brain that controls speech. 2/8/2021 but I lived again. (My wife helped me compose this.)

[falsificationism]

Doesn't this all mean that fossil fuels are only a small part of emissions that we can actually control?

Other factors such as agriculture seem much more tractable (we already know how to farm without using fossil fuels). We'd just have to roll back meat, dairy, egg, and fish subsidies (and the corn and soy subsidies that prop up the industry).

[paulsnow]

Gas is energy rich, as pointed out in the video. But you can just stand in the wind and you dont die. You can walk in the sun and not die. Wind and solar are not concentrated. So lots and lots of land is required.

But burning gas is something you have to stay away from or you burn up. It is massively energy rich.

And the energy they produce is not mobile. You can just pour gas into your tank.

You can't just "pour" wind and/or solar into a battery. On average, transmission losses are 6%, and batteries lose another 10% to 20% of the power. Then batteries dont store power over long periods. The power drains on the battery over time if you don't need the power right away.

The point is that gas/oil/coal can be refined, stored, transported, and distributed with simple and existing infrastructure. Then such fuel is converted into energy directly at the point of use and on demand when the power is needed.

Solar and wind and even nuclear just isn't so flexible, transportable, easily stored, quickly delivered in concentrated forms.

Hence, the transition from fossil fuels is a dream, maybe even a goal, but isn't going to happen without some kind of innovation on the scale the cotten gin was for cotton.

But be careful. The cotten gin caused slavery in the US to explode. We still may face unintended consequences in this quest to end fossil fuels.

[AlterMunoz]

I would have liked it if the embargo the US placed in Cuba was at the very least mentioned here. It was too significant a reason for what happened that not aknowleging it makes this a dishonest recount of the facts.