Kayla Brass
Young
English AP 11
3 May 2010
Title
Recall this morning’s routine: waking up to the digital alarm clock, brushing one’s teeth, taking a shower, charging the iPhone, cooking pancakes on the stove, enjoying breakfast while watching the morning news, and finally, leaving the house for work in a 2006 Honda Civic. Plumbing, electricity, and advanced technology make mornings like these easy and efficient. Unfortunately, success is not the only factor that has risen in today’s society: consider the increasing amount of greenhouse gas emissions. The Earth is nearing a period known as Global warming due to extensive amounts of dangerous gas emissions in the air. Actions must be taken to prevent this staggering pollution, actions that are clean and safe, actions that enforce the renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and water power.
Because solar energy has positive and negative impacts on the environment which significantly results in its teetering arguments: whether or not solar power should be used as an alternative fuel source. First, to understand the impacts of solar energy consider its background. Solar power replaces electricity and fuel because energy from the sun is converted into usable forms of electricity through photovoltaic panels. Photovoltaic Panels are typically found on houses, buildings, and some “green” vehicles; the panels are liquid filled solar plates which collect solar energy to provide heat and air-conditioning in sheltering structures (Egendorf 68).
The Term Paper on Detailed Information On Solar Energy
The sun is the source of all life on earth. Thanks to the sun, there is light, warmth and food on the earth. Many kinds of energy on earth originate from and through solar radiation. Since the sun doesn’t have the same strength at all places and all times, the earth is warmed up unequally. This causes wind which can be converted into electricity by means of wind turbines. By evaporation we ...
Those that push for the use of solar energy enjoy doing the little steps that will ultimately lead to the purification of the toxins in the atmosphere. For example, the Hathaway family in Virginia made the transition, in 2001, to “green-ify” their life style; the Hathaway household built a house running on solar energy by aid of photovoltaic panels as well as driving an electric vehicle. Transitioning to photovoltaic panels, not only helps the environment, it will also reduce the cost of the energy bill. According to the Department of Energy, the energy bill for a typical household is $1, 570; the Hathaway family pays $260 a month (Egendorf 70).
Changing to solar power allows the world to receive natural energy from the sun that way global warming as the world knows today can subside for the world tomorrow.
On the other hand, those who oppose the use of solar power are heavily motivated by its cost. They believe spending $5,000 on photovoltaic panels is not worth the money with the knowledge that these panels generate no more than $160 of electricity per year (Egendorf 75).
Though the price for solar energy has gone down from the standings in 2003, 40cents compared to non-green energy sources at 9cents, to 37 cents compared to another 9cents for non-green energy, in 2005, solar energy is substantially expensive compared to non-green energy resources and does not generate enough energy for the money that owners spend. And unfortunately, the payments for photovoltaic panels do not decease. Families like the Hathaway household must pay for the maintenance, repair, and replace of the panels throughout the span of owning photovoltaic solar panels.
Another balloted renewable energy source is wind power. Wind power is generated into energy by help of wind turbines which stand 60 feet. Most wind turbines are located in “Kodak” moments. That is, wind turbines are dropped on visiting locations making the view ironic (nature versus want to be/save nature).
The Essay on Summary Of Wind Power Puffery
In the article Wind Energy puffery written by H. Sterling Burnett , one of the leaders of the National Center for Policy Analysis , Burnett discusses wind energy is not easy to exploit or benefit as environmentalists say . Build it expensive and do not provide a reason good enough to be used . Burnett believes that the benefits are often exaggerated , and its adverse effects are ignored .Burnett ...
Take, for instance, the beautiful hills on the road trips to Los Angeles and the spectacular beaches. Wind turbines need wind to function; therefore, placing turbines in such locations gives the best results for energy by way of the wind. Although, wind turbines can only generate power when winds blow at a precise speed, but when winds are too strong they must be shut off or else they will fall over- consider that these towers are on hills, imagine one tumbling onto the nearby highway. In addition, Wind turbines have recorded killing 44,000 migrating birds over the past 20 years (Egendorf 64) and According to H. Sterling Burnett, wind farms, farms which house wind turbines, make a noisy raucous disturbing the peace that was once present in melancholy locations.. Wind turbines have been proven to be a definite hazard to the animals and the public’s safety.
Wind power is the “fastest growing source of electric generation” because it can help in the world’s movement to reduce air pollution as well as gas emissions (Egendorf 55).
(Need more)
Global warming has become a devastating part of this generation’s future and cannot change with the increasing amounts of gas emissions and pollution. By using cleaner and safer sources of energy such as solar, wind, and water power, the future of this world may be farther than many conservationists and scientist are assuming. It is true that many of these renewable energy sources are expensive, take up abundance of land, and ruin the beauty of the natural environment, but it is also true that Americans may not be able to take annual trips to the beach or simply go outdoors if harmful pollutants in the air increases.
Works Cited
Egendorf, Laura, K. Energy Alternatives. Michigan: Greenhouse Press, 2006. Print.
Fredericks, Carrie. Water. Detroit, MI: Greenhaven, 2006. Print.
Naff, Clay Farris. Solar Power. Detroit, MI: Greenhaven, 2007. Print.
“Nuclear Power Pro/Con – Geothermal Energy.” Nuclear Power ProCon.org — How Practical Is
Nuclear Power Now and for the Future? Web. 03 May 2010. <http://www.nuclearpowerprocon.org/pop/geothermal.htm>.
The Essay on Wind Energy
One of the most debated issues in today’s world is that of energy sources to power an increasing global demand. Traditionally, humans have converted energy from natural resources like coal and natural gas for use. However, these sources of energy are both nonrenewable and cause large amounts of pollution. As we progress through the 21st century, renewable energy sources like solar and wind energy ...
“What Are the Different Methods of Solar Power Generation? – – ProCon.org.” Alternative
Energy. Web. 03 May 2010.
<http://alternativeenergy.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001272>.
Clarke, Lyndon Thompson and Rory J. “Renewable Energy’s Usefulness in Reducing Global Warming Is Limited.”
Opposing Viewpoints: The Environment. Ed. Louise Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing
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Independence Institute. “Renewable Energy Is Economically Costly.” Opposing Viewpoints: Renewable Energy. Ed.
Jacqueline Langwith. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale.
Pleasant Grove High School. 20 Apr. 2010
<http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVR
C&docId=EJ3010573215&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=elk44683&version=1.0>.
