Energy　has　been　one　of　the　most　important　factors　in　keeping　our　society　running　smoothly.　However,　in　the　past　few　decades,　terms　such　as　＇energy　crisis＇　and　＇green　house　gases　emission＇　have　been　brought　to　our　attention　more　frequently　than　ever.　It　is　well　recognized　that　this　world　will　be　a　different　place　in　the　future　than　it　is　today　with　shortages　in　the　energy　supply.　In　order　to　meet　the　rising　global　demand　for　energy,　rapid　development　of　conventional　fossil　fuels　(i.e.,　coal,　oil,　and　natural　gas)　have　been　experienced　by　many　nations,　bringing　dramatic　economic　benefit　and　prosperity　to　fossil-fuel　industries　as　well　as　well　being　of　human　socie　ty.　However,　various　fossil-fuel　related　activities　emit　huge　quantities　of　gaseous,　liquid,　and　solid　waste　materials,　posing　a　variety　of　impacts,　risks,　and　liabilities　to　the　environment.　Therefore,　on　the　one　hand,　control　measures　are　desired　for　eff　fectively　managing　pollution　issues;　on　the　other　hand,　it　becomes　extremely　critical　to　invest　efforts　in　finding　promising　alternative　energy　sources　as　solutions　to　the　possible　energy　shortage　crisis　in　future.　This　article　focuses　on　both　aspects　through:　(1)　a　discussion　of　waste　materials　generated　from　fossil-fuel　industries　and　waste　management　measures;　and　(2)　an　exploration　of　some　well-recognized　alternative　fuels　in　terms　of　their　nature,　availability,　production,　handling,　environmental　perf　ormances,　and　current　and　future　applications.　The　conclusion　restates　the　urgency　of　finding　replaceable　long-term　alternatives　to　the　conventional　fuels.