Sustainable Energy

Sustainable energy allows us to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability for the future to meet their needs ("Sustainable Energy" ).  Sustainable energy sources include hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind energy, wave power, geothermal energy, and tidal power ("Sustainable Energy" ).  The difference between sustainable energy and conventional energy is that sustainable energy is renewable, conventional is not.  Conventional energy is bad for the environment and our health; it causes pollution and climate change. As the population increases the need for energy will as well. Overpopulation is harder on conventional energy then sustainable. With the large population the need will increase and more pollution will be put into the air with conventional energy.  As population increases with sustainable energy we are able to continuously reuse the energy without causing damage that will affect the future generation. President Barack Obama insists on the country to use sustainable energy (Cunningham and Cunningham 446-471).  He stated “we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy” (Cunningham and Cunningham 446-471).   The president realizes the damage conventional energy has caused and knows that by using sustainable energy will benefit the country. 

One state that switched over to sustainable energy is Texas. Texas has one of the world’s largest wind farms (Romm).  It actually has more wind solar, and biomass resources than any other state (Romm).  Texas did not always use renewable energy, Texas used to produce more oil than the entire Middle East (Romm).  Texas went from being a large source for conventional energy many years ago to a source for sustainable energy.  Switching to renewable energy was extremely beneficial for Texas.  Texas got a $1 billion in investment by the electric utilities and wind industry (Romm).  They used the money for the state’s school fund and rural tax base and for the farmers and ranchers that leased their land to developers for the sustainable energy (Romm).  Texas wind farms are ranked number 1 (Romm).

  Out of all the sustainable sources wind energy seems to be the best one. “Wind could meet all our energy needs” (Cunningham and Cunningham 446-471).   The benefits of a wind farm are that it has no fuel cost or air emissions (Cunningham and Cunningham 446-471).  Wind actually uses less land then coal and other technologies and provides more jobs (Cunningham and Cunningham 446-471).  Other states should move towards sustainable energy as well. The benefit sustainable energy has is unbelievable because it not only saves money but it is also better for the world.

There are many ways we can help our overpopulated country. One way is by switching from conventional energy to sustainable energy. Help come down to the government, community and the individual.  Switching to solar hot water, wind power, solar power, bicycle, etc. Can help the environment; help to save money, help citizens, and also help the future generations.

 

 

 

 

Citation

Cunningham, Mary Ann, and William Cunningham. Enviromental Science. 12th ed. Newyork: McGraw-Hill, 2012. 297-316. Print.

 

Romm, Joseph. "Conventional Energy vs Renewable Energy." Grist. Grist, 28 2008. Web. Web. 17 Nov. 2012. <http:grist.org/article/wildcatting-the-wind-in-texas/>.

 

"Sustainable Energy." 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_energy>.