Environmental Science
Fossil Fuels
Quick fact
Burning one gallon of gasoline releases about 19.6 pounds of carbon dioxide—the same as the weight of a small dog—into the atmosphere.
Why this is interesting
Every time you flip a light switch or fill your car’s tank, you are using energy that was, in a sense, bottled millions of years ago. But what exactly is inside that bottle, and why does using it come with such a heavy price?