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>.

Water Pollution

Water is something that every human being needs to survive. It is very essential for human life; we cannot live very long without drinking water. Dehydration is actually much worse than food starvation; lack of water will kill organisms much faster. Not only do we need water to drink but also to bathe, cook, and many other things. But if this water we need is polluted it can be very dangerous to us and other species.

Water pollution is a serious issue that is affecting the world. 1.2 trillion Gallons of untreated sewage, storm water, and industrial waste is put into U.S water every year ("npg.org").  This is a lot of junk going into the water that we need to use daily. With the population increasing the demand for water will increase as well. Sixty percent of the most endangered rivers are in states that are experiencing increased population growth that is higher than the nations average ("npg.org") .Those states will eventually develop a huge water crisis. The water pollution is getting so bad that in some areas it is not safe for people or fish to swim. 39% of rivers, 46% of lakes, and 51% of estuaries are too populated for use ("npg.org").

Water pollution is very dangerous for all species.  We need water to live but that same water can harm us. In 2002/2003 pollution in rivers and streams killed 3.5 million fish just in Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri ("npg.org").  People become infected with waterborne germs and parasites each year, an estimated 7.1 million mild to severe cases in the U.S. ("npg.org").  In extreme cases water borne diseases can even cause death. 1.8 million deaths annually are due to water borne diseases ("Wikipedia"). “In regions in which over population is an issue and there is a lack of proper sanitation and sewage systems many contract and die from waterborne diseases such as cholera and e coli hence, boiling or not boiling water is the difference between life and death” ("Overpopulation"). Water is something we all need but we must be aware of the dangers of pollution.

Water pollution is something we all can try to control and minimize. The water pollution is due to human actions. Companies, farmers, factories ect. put their waste into the water making it very unhealthy to use. We should all take actions to try to stop the water pollution by letting these companies know the danger they are causing and take actions within ourselves. Water pollution has an effect on all living organisms. As the population increases so will the demand for water. The water we all want and need should be clean and sanitized.

 

 

 

 

Citations

"Effects of Overpopulation: Water and Air Pollution." npg.org. Negative Population Growth. Web. 8 Nov 2012. <http://www.npg.org/factsheets/waterair.pdf>.

"Water Pollution." Overpopulation. Blogger, n. d. Web. Web. 8 Nov. 2012. <http://overpopulationrisks.blogspot.com/p/water-pollution.html>.

 "Waterborne diseases." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 08 2012. Web. 8 Nov 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterborne_diseases>.

Air Pollution and Climate Change

 

Many things we do affect the air we breathe and the climate we live in. it is very important to have clean air, with polluted air it can cause many problems to organisms. Our actions have something to do with the climate change as well.   We are creating problems that can be avoided with better decisions to protect our environment and ourselves.

Air pollution is very serious because it can affect the health of many. It increases lung cancer, asthma, and particles coated with chemicals in the body(Wooldridge 1-3).  So what can possibly cause air pollution? The burning of fossil fuels which includes natural gases and gasoline. Cars, planes, trains and power plants are all contributors to air pollution("National Geographics" 1-2).  Millions of homes burn wood, oil and natural gas that get into the air as well(eoed). As the world becomes more over populated the more air pollution will increase. More people will add to the pollution, their will be more drives, home owners ect. The people are creating the pollution in the air that will cause health problems for the people. “ Your health stands at risk with every breath  because you breathe thousands of toxic particles everyday” (Wooldridge 1-3).  Air pollution effect can physical health can can little effect to some and an extreme to another.  it can be as simple as an eye irritation to a birth defect to a child (Wooldridge 1-3).

   Over the years the climate has slowly changed.  Some people enjoy the warmer weather but is it good for the climate to change? One of the main components to our climate change is carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that is warming the earth("National Geographics" 1-2).  A study done in 2009 determined each child born in the United States will add about 9,441 metric tons of carbon dioxide ("Biological Diversity") .  “the US greenhouse gas contribution is driven by a disastrous combination of high population, significant growth, and massive consumption levels and this far, Lack of political will to end our fossil fuel addiction” ("Biological Diversity").   Overpopulation affects the climate change as well more people are creating greenhouse gases.

In conclusion air pollution and the climate change is mainly caused by us. We are creating the pollution and greenhouse gases. Many of the items that create pollution is how we make it from one location to another. Alternatives for this would be hard but not impossible. Burning wood, oil and natural gases in the home can be reduced also. All it takes is a person that cares enough to make the change.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Citations

"Air Pollution." National Geographics. n.d. 1-2. Web. 1 Nov. 2012. http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/pollution-overview/

. "Overpopulation and Climate Change." Biological Diversity. N.p.. Web. 1 Nov 2012. <http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/overpopulation/climate/index.html>.

Wooldridge, Frosty. "Over-Population Exponentially Increases Air Pollution." OpEdNews 26 Feb 2007, 1-3. Web. 1 Nov. 2012.< http://www.opednews.com/articles/life_a_frosty_w_070223_air_pollution_nation.htm>.