Every day we use energy; whether it's walking, driving a car or even turning on the lights. but how do we get our energy? We get energy from fossil fuels. Most fossil fuels are non-renewable and we use so many of them every day that one day we will run out of them. What will we do then? We also have alternative energy sources. Some are generated by wind or even falling water. We need to conserve our sources now, renewable and non-renewable. There are many simple ways to do this. There are three main fossil fuels: oil, natural gas and coal. Coal is the largest source of energy used globally and the largest source of carbon dioxide. Coal is a generally black or brown rock that is burned, releasing energy from its heat. These are decaying plants found in swamps that have never fully decomposed due to lack of oxygen, it is also known as organic material. Coal has a complex chemical composition made up of many minerals including sulfur, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and small amounts of aluminum and zirconium. Coal is classified in three ways: by its hardness, the amount of moisture it contains, and its heat content. (Illinois Coal Association, 2013) We get coal by mining it; there are two methods to extract. The first method is surface mining, otherwise known as strip mining. Surface mines are large holes in the ground, dug up to thirty meters deep, or in any case the depth necessary to reach the coal. They use a machine called a dragline to remove dirt from the coal. The coal is then removed from smaller equipment and loaded onto trucks to be shipped to power plants or steel mines. The second method is called underground mining; they use shafts and tunnels that lead to open rooms where the coal is stored... middle of paper......up?. Retrieved from http://www.ecotechwater.com/Health/Water Consevation.htmlWorld Coal Association. (2013). Coal and energy security. Retrieved from http://www.worldcoal.org/coal-society/coal-energy-security/Ask. (2013). How long will coal last?. Retrieved from http://www.ask.com/question/how-long-will-coal-lastHerman K. Trabish. (2013). Coal Peak. Retrieved from http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Peak-Coal-Will-the-US-Run-Out-of-Coal-in-200-Years-Or-20-YearsIEA Hydropower. (2013). How much does hydroelectric energy cost?. Retrieved from http://www.ieaidro.org/What_does_idropower_cost.htmlAppropedia. (2013). Water conservation strategies. Retrieved from http://www.appropedia.org/Original:Water_conservation_strategiesBecky, S. (2013, 3 21). 20 ways to save water at home. Retrieved from http://www.care2.com/greenliving/20-ways-to-conserve-water-at-home.html