Part IV Reading Polluting the planet Burning fossil fuel is perhaps the greatest cause of pollution. But it is also the main way to make energy. The cheapest way to make electricity is with power plants. They burn fossil fuels such as coal, which is transported to the plant using fuel also made from fossils. Burning fossil fuels causes much of the CO2 problem that contributes to climate change. A lot of the garbage that goes into landfill sites or is burned has to be treated first so that it doesn't send toxic chemicals into the land and the air. True, new landfills are carefully built so that these toxins don't escape into the ground. In developing countries, garbage is often dumped in any spare piece of land or in landfill sites or burned without any protection for either nearby residents or the environment. This means that the ground, water, and the air can be badly polluted. Choose the correct answers. What two effects does burning fossil fuel have?