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Everyday we hear about how dangerous it is using fossil fuels is for our environment. So why don’t we do something about it? According to Professor Mark Z. Jacobson and University of California- Davis researcher Mark Delucchi the world could shift to 100 percent clean renewable energy as soon as 2030. The technology already exist to aid in this shift. The issue that the world faces is implementing these technologies. Converting to complete renewable energy is expensive. The upfront cost will be a large sum but in the end it will pay for its self and even provide a profit.
Delucchi and Jacobson believe that instead of using fossil fuels we need to utilized wind, water and solar energy options. Both scholars evaluated each energy source for public attention, potential to produce enough energy, health effects and even how secure each source was. Shifting from fossil fuels to clean renewable energy would require a lot of construction. “In order to convert to wind, water and solar, the world would have to build winds turbines; solar photovoltaic and concentrated solar arrays(solar panels); and geothermal, tidal, wave and hydroelectric power sources to generate the electricity,” Jacobson states. There would also have to be transmission lines to carry this energy to the users.
One major reason that the world is adverse to this shift is due to the competing energy companies that dominate political lobbying for available financial resources. By switching over from fossil fuels to renewable energy countries also face a large economic issue. Oil, gas and coal companies are large contributors to some countries economies. Taking away this money maker could drastically hurt their economy not to mention put many out of a job. Delucchi and Jacobson argue that by replacing the fossil fuels and switching to clean renewable energy will undoubtedly be better.
Their calculations concluded that when gasoline is used to power a vehicle it wastes 80% of the energy on heat. Using a clean energy source like electricity would have the opposite effect. From here they also discovered that approximately 16.9 terawatts could be the global demand of eagerly at any given moment in 2030. When researching the hypothesis of using electricity as the main source of power the demand would only be 11.5 terawatts. That means that only 2/3rds of the energy would be needed if fossil fuels were still in the mix.
Converting to clean renewable gingery is a possibility. It will take money, space and time but the world can convert to it. By using fossil fuels the way we are now carbon is being emitting is large droves into our air. Global temperature increase is evidence of this. Jacobson says that global temperature and health problems will only continue to increase as we use fossil fuels. Many countries like Suriname and Brazil are utilizing some clean renewable energies like hydroelectric power. The technologies are out there to make a difference its it the world acted. It is possible to have all clean renewable energy by 2030.
Corn is taking over and is doing so because of its economical implications. The U.S. has nearly 80 million acres across the countryside devoted solely to the harvesting and production of corn. Corn has become over the last decades domesticated like that of the apple, or tulip. Zea Mayz( Which is the bottanical name for sweet and feed corn) has become so widely used, that the seeds have become modified to allow its growth in many different environmental climates all over the globe. In north America especially, corn has become ingrained into our society, our food processing, landscape, and our federal budget. President Bush, when in office, signed a 190$ billion dollar farm bill, surprise surprise. Michael Pollan, the author of “when a Crop Becomes King” says it best when he states that these corn subsidies to farmers might seem at first like a handout for farmers, when in fact its a form of welfare for the plant itself. our food supply has become so Dependant on corn and its many uses that our grocery store and the food they provide has become”cornified” without us even knowing. The food supply is where a big problem here in lies. Not all animals are menat to have corn as a regular food in the diet, but because it is one of the cheapest foods to feed cattle and other animals, while also making them fatter, many farmers are overlooking the problems the corn causes within the digestive systems of these animals. If an animal is fed antibiotics to help infections cause by these irregular diets, where is it you think the remnant’s of those antibiotics wind up? lets see, america is the most obese country in the world, and just so happens to provide consumers with nearly ten percent of the unwanted calories. Since the 1980’s it is no surprise to see that obesity and type 2 diabetes has inclined dramatically due to high fructose corn syrup, which can be found in nearly every every food product on the grocery shelf. Preliminary research is hinting toward the fact that not only do these corn sweeteners make us fatter but also could have harmful affects on our metabolism because they are metabolized differently than natural sugars. Research out of the University of Minnesota is showing that high levels of fructose corn syrup in a males digestive system can possibly elevate triglyceride levels, which has been linked to increase risk of obesity and heart disease.
Implication do not only lie within humans and the animals we raise, but also within he environment in which we live. Commercialized farming of these massive acreages of corn has lead to a rise in the use of conventional agricultural techniques which has been proved to cause harm to the environment. Water run off from the plots of land has degraded the quality of our water systems by pumping in massive amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and other chemicals that come from pesticides, fertilizers, etc.
If we want to stabilize the environment and not increase the damage that is being done, we need to convert to more sustainable farming techniques as well as changing our mind set about the wonderful world and uses of “King Corn”.
Pollan, Michael. “When a Crop Becomes King” Organic Consumer Association. July 18, 2002
After watching the video Food Inc. in class the other day, it got me thinking about the importance cattle has on our food industries. Beef and dairy products play a prominent role in the food industry today, and in many of our food products. I thought this article was humorous, but also showed how important cattle is to not only the food industry, but to everyone.
In a small Missouri town, people are actually stealing cows right from the pastures. Approximately 53 of these distinctive crossbred cows have been stolen, all valued at about 50,000 dollars. This is not the first time something like this has happened over the past few years. More than 5 cattle robberies have been reported in Missouri. Most people may think why steal cows? In these hard economic times, people resort to stealing cows. But if you think about it, cows are something that will always have an importance. Majority of products people rely on contain dairy and cattle products. There is a black market that is growing for the cows, and people have been auctioning them off at alarming rates. It is not only occurring in this Missouri town. It has also been reported in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana.
As crazy as it may sound, cattle theft has been compared to drug activity. But if you look at it from that angle, it is easy to understand where this idea may come from. People are illegally selling cattle for profits. Many western states do not have “brand laws.” Which prohibits cattle owners from being able to brand, and claim full ownership for the herds of cattle. People are falsely claiming ownership to the cattle, but there is not way for anyone to prove it. But due to the recent issues auctioneers are starting to ask for proper identification for the cows being shown. Due to recent spikes in beef products, the cattle burglary has started to occur more often. I guess we never realized the importance of our beef products until they start to disappear.
This just shows that in times of need, people will resort to anything they can possibly do to earn money. Due to recent economy failures and problems, the need for money is much higher than before. Since food has such a powerful impact on our world and society, cows are something that are very important to our food sources. We will always have a use and need for cattle in our world, no matter what the product is. Amazing how cows have such a strong tie to our society, and once they disappear it becomes a serious issue.
Landfills. The last thing you could possibly think of that would make our air cleaner. I know that the last thing I would believe to help make cleaner air is a massive pile of trash. Many people share the same ideals as I do, but it could lead to a positive outcome.
Smokestack scrubbers eliminate majority of the sulfur emissions, that are made through the burning of coal, that go into the atmosphere. Sulfur dioxide that is emitted through the smokestacks are one of the major greenhouse gases that are affecting our atmosphere and the air we breathe. The “scrubbers” are composed of limestone. The limestone reacts with the sulfur in the atmosphere to produce gypsum, which is used in concrete. This concrete like substance can build up in the smokestacks, and the more gypsum produced, a landfill starts to form.
Although a landfill of gypsum would be the outcome of this clean air proposal, we would have a much healthier atmosphere. The air we breathe would be much more healthier for people to breathe and live in. Issues like smog, acid rain, and respiratory problems caused by our “dirty” air can be decreased dramatically. Maybe a landfill is just what we need to produce cleaner air.
Many states are starting to enforce a significant reduction in pollution from coal energy. In North Carolina, authorities are issuing a major decrease in the amount of coal pollution emitted. This can contribute to cleaner air, and if the new proposal for a cleaner airway is put into effect, the two working together can contribute major positive impacts on the state of the air and environment. Think of all the great things that could happen, and how much cleaner our Earth would be if we tried the new ideas to work towards cleaner air. Cleaner air means a cleaner environment, cleaner environment means healthier people.
As many have taken note of, because our Earth and its environment are in such bad shape, we should take any new ideas or proposals for a cleaner air system that we can get. There is not much harm in testing out the ideas proposed in order to develop cleaner air. The health and quality of our air does not only effect the environment, but the health of our people as well. Cleaner air could contribute to many positives in our society. Not only does it make a healthier environment, but healthier for people, too.
When one thinks about the energy use involved in a college dormitory, the image of television sets on, lights being left on, micro-fridges running, and various other electronic gadgets being used on a daily basis comes to mind. It would seem that all of these amenities would give little reason for students to live any other way. But what if there were a group of students that would compromise most of their technology and the luxury of the easiest living style all for the sake of helping to save the environment and reduce their carbon footprint? Imagine living in a dormitory dedicated to sustainability and working with the environment. This is the concept behind the EcoDorm at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina. First proposed over a decade ago, this innovative dormitory has incorporated a number of sustainable processes to achieve one of only two of LEED’s platinum ratings for student dormitories. Building materials for the dorm were even chosen with recycling concepts in mind. The building is built out of trees from the campus that had to be cut down due to a pine-beadle infestation. Even the kitchen cabinets are made from recycled wooden fence posts. Altogether, this structure comes together to accommodate the living needs of thirty-six students from the Warren Wilson campus.
In the EcoDorm, student residents pledge positive actions towards sustaining the dorm and aiding in the quest for eco-friendliness. This means that students ditch the hair dryers and put down the electronic music devices (instead, students create their own acoustic music and develop other alternative methods to college living). In the backyard, clotheslines are filled with drying laundry, and numerous fruits, nuts, and other foods are grown in the permaculture garden for the use of the residents. The EcoDorm also incorporates low-flush toilets on the first floor, for the flushing water comes from rainwater collected in a railway tanker that they managed to salvage. The second floors hosts compost bathrooms, in which wood chips are used as a decomposer. With other factors, such as solar energy for lighting, the dormitory uses about two-thirds less energy than a normal building of the same size would.
Although the functionality and extent of sustainability that the EcoDorm at Warren Wilson College exemplifies is rarely replicated among colleges and universities across America, the trend is, however, catching on. As of now, over six hundred colleges and universities across the nation have pledged to become carbon neutral and LEED, one of the most widely accepted standards in eco-friendly designs, has certified ninety dorms. Since college settings are typically a place of high energy usage and unsustainable practices, a shift towards the eco-trend could result in vast improvements to the environment. By providing students with the knowledge and the means to live sustainable lives, they hold the key to teaching future generations the same, all in hopes of providing for a better environment and future.
Sources:
The New York Times. (2009). The renewable dorm. The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved on November 9, 2009 from http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/09/27/magazine/20090927-ecodorm-slideshow_index.html?scp=3&sq=warren%20wilson&st=cse
Wilson, C. (2009). When your dorm goes green and local. The New York Times. Retrieved on November 9, 2009 from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/magazine/27Ecodorm-t.html?scp=1&sq=warren%20wilson&st=cse
Environmental Science 