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Renewable vs non-renewable energy advantages and disadvantages
Advantages and disadvantages of renewable sources of energy
Effects of energy sources on the environment
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The Road to a New Economy: Why Alternative Energy is the Best Option for the Planet Carbon dioxide and other hazardous fumes in the Earth’s atmosphere are the leading causes of climate change. Alternative energy resources should be more commonly used because consumers will save money in the long run, the environment will be cleaner, and a new generation of technology will begin. “A century and a half of burning fossil fuels has released 360 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the air and shifted the global climate. Reliance on imported petroleum also threatens America’s economy and national security. These challenges could soon trigger another radical transition, this time toward renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal” (Powell 56). Numerous people don’t realize how important the environment is, therefore, they take some of nature’s features for granted. For example, the Non-renewable sources that a majority of the globe’s population makes use of. These individuals may dislike change, or worry that it is a far too expensive and a lengthy transition. But if the energy-efficient option is set as the default decision, this could greatly increase its acceptance. When it comes to grasping how this works, the Law of Supply and Demand takes its place. As production and quantity of the renewable resources increases, prices will lower and sales will increase as long as the people demand more of the product. “In the case of solar energy, it has come down 20 percent in price every time it doubles in volume” (Zweibel 58). This shows how fast and how much these type of energy sources will save money and build a profit. The National Research Council has estimated the environmental and public-health cost of burn... ... middle of paper ... ... for generations ahead, making the environment cleaner and greener. Works Cited Jacobsen, Rowan, Donovan Hohn, and Abe Streep. “Seven Ways to Save the Seas.” Popular Science May 2011: 46-51. Print. 14 Mar. 2014. Jacquot, Jeremy and Valerie Ross. “Better Biofuels” Discover July 2013: 18-19. Print. 14 Mar 2014. Laird, Frank N. Alternative Energy. Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics. Ed, Carl Mitcham. Vol. 1. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 56-59. Student Resources in Context. Web. 12. Mar. 2014. Powell, Eric. “The Road to a New Energy Economy: Earth, Wind, and Water.” Discover Nov. 2012: 50-54. Print. 14 Mar. 2014. Powell, Eric, Elizabeth Svoboda, and Gillian Conahan. “Building a Green-Collar Economy.” Discover. Sept. 2011: 54-62. Print. 14 Mar. 2014. Royte, Elizabeth. “See the Whole System” Popular Science July 2012: 52. Print. 14 Mar. 2014.
Mok, K. (2008, October 7). Book Review: The Green Collar Economy by Van Jones : TreeHugger. TreeHugger | Your source for green design & living news, commentary and advice. Retrieved October 15, 2013, from http://www.treehugger.com/culture/book-review-the-green-collar-economy-by-van-jones.html
Instilling this new way of energy usage into off-grid communities will inevitably increase the state of living for those in cities and other well-populated areas. The change to renewable energy sources could drastically lower the pollutants currently being dispersed into the atmosphere by coal mines and other harmful power options, increasing the supply of renewable energy would allow us to replace carbon-intensive energy sources and significantly reduce U.S. global warming emissions. a 25 percent by 2025 national renewable electricity standard would lower power plant CO2 emissions 277 million metric tons annually by 2025—the equivalent of the annual output from 70 typical (600 MW) new coal plants (“Benefits of Renewable Energy Use”). Electricity production accounts for more than one-third of U.S. global warming emissions, with the majority generated by coal-fired power plants.
Madrigal, Alex. Powering the Dream, The History and Promise of Green Technology. New York: Da Capo Press, 2011.
At present, there is no verifiable assessment of the costs and benefits in pursuing alternative forms of energy relative to the values of a typical citizen. This research paper will aim to reveal the favorability of individuals toward new forms of energy and attendant costs.
Energy is what makes the world go around. All of our technologies are designed and developed based on readily available resources, most common of which are fossil fuels. What happens when we run out? The technologies we so heavily rely on for generating food, shelter, and transportation will cease to function. Throughout this article, I will elucidate the importance of developing and implementing alternative energy sources, specifically those that are renewable, into everyday technologies, and the resulting positive and negative consequences that could follow .
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, “Renewable energy — wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, and biomass — provides substantial benefits for our climate, our health, and our economy.” One major benefit is that there would be little to no global warming emissions. Currently, electricity production accounts for about one-third of the emissions put off by the United States, mostly due to coal-fired plants. Renewable energy sources would produce little to no emissions. “According to data aggregated by the International Panel on Climate Change, life-cycle global warming emissions associated with renewable energy—including manufacturing, installation, operation and maintenance, and dismantling and decommissioning—are minimal” When comparing renewable sources to natural gas, which emits between 0.6 and 2 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour (CO2E/kWh), renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydro-electrical power emit somewhere between .07 and .5 (CO2E/kWh). It is obvious that renewable energy is the way to go in order to solve the energy production problem. (Benefits of Renewable Energy
Oceans are such so vast that people underestimate the impact their actions —seeming so insignificant— have on them. Humans have by and large taken the oceans for granted; not considering how important a healthy ocean is to our survival. A popular mind-set is that the oceans are a bottomless supply of fish, natural resources, and an infinite waste dump. There are myriad reasons why the oceans should be saved and the most obvious one is marine life. With 71% of the Earth being covered by water, it is obvious that sea creatures are predominant form of life, making up 80% of the species of life on Earth. However, as important as marine life is, that is not the only reason why saving the oceans is crucial. The ocean floor provides natural resources such as, oil, natural gas, petroleum, minerals, medications, and ingredients for foods and products. The economic benefits of the oceans are huge and significant, as well. Fishing and fish products have provided employment to 38 million people and have generated about $124 billion in economic benefits. However, oceans are on the verge of crisis, marine life, natural resources, transportation, the economy, and important ingredients are at risk due to overfishing, pollution, and acidification. Thus, in this essay I will argue that, oceans are not impervious to human activity and threatening the health of the ocean threatens the health of humanity, since oceans key to our survival.
Solar, wind, and hydroelectricity are all great ideas, however as outlined in the recent Alternative Lie Series these alternatives still require extensive research and development (R&D) before they can be deemed as viable options to replace oil. Some of these alternate energy sources are simply too costly for the average American family, while others have components that are not safe for the environment. Until suitable energy alternatives are created, Americans can continue to depend on our established network of oil refineries and pipelines.
The Earth is currently locked in perpetuating spiral of climate change. While the global climate has unarguably been changing since the dawn of it's manifestation, the once steadied ebb and flow of climate change has become increasingly more unpredictable.The risk of rising sea levels, and drought plaguing the fresh water supply, during the time that flooding and sporadic storm conditions turn once fully inhabited regions into uninhabitable death traps. Climate change catalyzed by human's increased production of carbon dioxide, is more noticeable than ever in our recorded history (United States, 2014 National Climate Assessment). Thankfully however, with the changing weather conditions due to carbon related emissions, the change in public opinion about their personalized influence on climate change is also increasing. Kevin Liptak Jethro Mullen, and Tom Cohen note that In reaction to the most recent governmental report on climate change, even the U.S. government believes that a stronger approach needs to be taken to correct our self-generated cataclysm.
Toufexis Anastasia, Andrea Dorfman, Eugene Linden, and Edwin M. Reingold. "The Dirty Seas Threatened by Rising Pollution, the Oceans Are Sending out an SOS." Time 132.5 (1988): 1-8. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
I am certain that all have heard of the terms green house gases, fossil fuels, and global warming. Have you ever questioned what will happen if nothing is done about the environmental problems facing the world today? What if I answer you that, we can merely use the power from the sun to power up our entire planet without the use of harmful energy sources, which affect our atmosphere? The power from the sun is what we call solar power. Solar power is the energy that comes from the sun as light and heat energy, and then it is later converted into electrical energy through solar panels (Nelson, 2008). This kind of power is completely free, right? Why should we put a lot of expense on other sources of energy, when there is a complete free and healthy power? It is evident that solar energy is a healthy source of energy, which will help stop global warming all together, but it is economically efficient to switch everything to solar energy. Solar energy is capable of becoming the world's future power supply because, it is renewable, eco-friendly, and extremely efficient when strategically placed.
Bowermaster, Jon. Oceans: The Threats to Our Seas and What You Can Do to Turn the Tide: A Participant Media Guide. New York: PublicAffairs, 2010. Print.
In the search for alternatives to fossil fuels, scientists and policy makers have focused on three options: nuclear power, energy from biomass; and a combination of wind, water, and solar power. Nuclear power, however, is much more costly and runs the risk of having it fall into the wrong hands where it could be turned into a weapon of mass destruction. The third option entails wind turbines, photovoltaic power plants and rooftop systems, concentrated solar thermal power plants,...
Using fossil fuels such as coal and oil is inefficient, dangerous, and otherwise a process that is known to eventually fail as a long lasting energy source. Yet, there is hope for the future of energy, this new hope has many shapes and forms, but requires a chance to be fully implemented in our everyday life. Such energy sources like solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, and hydro power are the key to our future. These energy sources are proven to be long lasting, safe, more reliable, and the next innovation. In short, all Americans should switch to renewable energy, resulting in a safer and more efficient world.
"Eco-Friendly State Laws and Green Mandates." Black News, Opinion, Politics and Culture - The Root. Web. 14 Dec. 2011. .