The Industrial Revolution and the technological advances of modern Western Civilization bring many benefits to humanity; however at what cost? Questions arise, such as "Are we able to sustain the growth and consumption that have now?" and "What will the true cost of decreased water and air quality be?"

More scientists, economists, and laypeople are coming to the conclusion that our levels of consumption are not sustainable. But what, exactly, is sustainability? Simply put, it is not consuming more resources than are available. Our use of fossil fuels is an example of a non-sustainable practice. Nobody is sure just how much oil there is in the ground around the planet, but we know for sure that we are using it much faster than it is produced. It takes millions of years for organic material to be converted into oil. Many experts believe that reserves now available will be depleted in just a few years.

Many countries around the world and beyond see developing sustainable energy sources as a national interests. More grants and tax breaks are distributed to those scientists and companies working on alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydro-electric power. Otherwise, we may find ourselves living back in a pre-industrial civilization.