One argument often cited for fossil fuels is that they drove economic growth, leaving most people better off. But this perspective is increasingly limited. The 2008 economic crisis highlighted the high costs of this growth, in the form of extreme weather events and rising sea levels. Today, we have better alternatives: cleaner, greener solutions that promise long-term benefits. In 2013, the metaphor of 'opening scissors' illustrated this shift. For decades, GDP growth and carbon emissions were closely linked. The idea was to decouple them, allowing growth without the environmental costs. Sweden provided an early example, seeing its carbon emissions decline while GDP continued to grow. Since 1996, its GDP has nearly doubled, while emissions have dropped by a third from their peak. This Swedish model raised a larger question: was it applicable elsewhere? Sweden's success was due to its substantial hydropower and nuclear resources, and a more focused economy. For the diverse U.S. economy, the path to greener growth is likely to be more complex. The lesson from 2008 is clear: the costs of fossil fuels are mounting, and the future belongs to those who find sustainable ways to power economic growth.