Over the last decade, unprecedented spikes in oil prices have made it clear that our current dependence on polluting, non-renewable fossil fuels is no longer a viable solution to meeting our energy needs. But in the search for energy alternatives, it is sometimes difficult to get a balanced perspective on how practical, clean, or sustainable our energy alternatives really are. Many sources of information are propagated by the industries they support; other sources are promoted by those determined to nay-say every alternative energy option by blowing the drawbacks out or proportion and ignoring the advantages of these options relative to our current fossil fuel dependence. Amid all the noise and competing agendas, it can be difficult to discern the true, scientific facts in their proper context.