With easy-to-read text, full-color photos, and captivating graphics, this book examines the background, pros and cons, and future of oil, coal, and natural gas as power sources. Readers will learn how fossil fuels were formed and how they are obtained, transported, and used for energy. New technologies, the importing and exporting of fossil fuels, and the Kyoto Protocol are also discussed. Scientific beliefs about carbon dioxide emissions, pollution, and global warming are also addressed, as well as the greenhouse effect. In addition, easy ways to conserve energy are presented to readers. Informative sidebars, bold glossary terms, and an index accompany engaging text and interactive graphic elements.