Environmental tobacco smoke, as it is also called, contributes to more than 50,000 deaths per year in the U.S. alone. Natural gas, which is the major constituent, is a clean fuel. Moreover, natural gas contains almost no sulfur. Unlike coal and oil, it produces little sulfur oxide when it burns, the main contributor to acid rain. Also, there are no combustion residues, such as dust and ash, and no radioactive waste to dispose of.
Natural gas is immediate and local compared to oil and nuclear energy.
A new man-made fountain opposite the Gateway Arch in St. Louis is now the world's highest geyser, at 600 feet. The geyser's is powered by three 800 hp pumps and discharges water at up to 200 feet per second. The geyser will keep 1,100 gallons of water, weighing 9,200 pounds, in the air when in operation. The 1983 eruption of Krakatoa in Indonesia was heard in Australia 2,400 miles way. Pieces of pumice from this eruption were found on beaches in Madagascar 4,200 miles away.