Essay by Katherine Koach
Green energy is what the US should use for our needs because, it is a renewable recourse, it is clean energy and it is safe to the environment. Although it has its downsides because of the amount of energy we consume and it is very costly.
Green Energy should be used for the needs of the US because it is a renewable recourse. So we can technically have an unlimited supply. For example as long as the sun is shining and the wind is blowing we are able to use solar energy and wind energy. Even on cloudy days solar energy stores its energy and it can still be used.
Although Green energy is a good reliable recourse, there are some downsides. Such as the amount of energy that is produced from green energy. For solar energy some of the energy is lost during the process of transformation. “To power the entire world with wind energy we would need at least 1% of the worlds land mass for all those windmills.” ("Debate: Does the," 2010) In hydro electric energy, if something bad were to happen we would start to run out of fresh drinking water.
Green Energy should be used for the needs of the US because it is clean energy, which means isn’t harmful to humans or the earth’s atmosphere. Fossil fuels emit air pollution and nuclear energy creates radioactive rods that are dangerous for humans. “The World Health Organization estimates that 4.6 million people die each year from causes directly attributable to air pollution.” ("Air pollution," 2013). Green energy doesn’t create air pollution and radioactive rods.
Although Green energy is a good reliable recourse, there are some downsides because it is very costly. “Government support for solar energy between 2000 and 2010 is estimated to have a total net cost of $73.2 billion US, and $28.1 billion US for wind. A similar expenditure in the US would amount to about half a trillion dollars US.” (Frondel, Ritter & Vance, 2013) That would be about $200328407 per year for just solar energy. “In 2008, the price mark-up attributable to the government’s support for “green” electricity was about 2.2 cents US per kWh. For perspective, a 2.2 cent per kWh increase here in the US would amount to an average 19.4% increase in consumer’s electricity bills.” (Frondel, Ritter & Vance, 2013)
Green Energy should be used for the needs of the US because it is good for the environment. For example solar panels don’t need to put a drill in the ground like fossil fuels and destroy animals homes. For nuclear energy the radiation from the power plants make it harder for animals or plants lo live near them. When accidents happen animals plants and humans cant thrive there.
Green energy is what the US should use for our needs because, it is a renewable recourse, it is clean energy and it is safe to the environment. Although it has its downsides because of the amount of energy we consume and it is very costly.
References
Air pollution. (2013, 1 9). Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/a/air_pollution.htm
Debate: Does the world need nuclear energy?. (2010, 6). Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/debate_does_the_world_need_nuclear_energy.html
Frondel, M. F., Ritter, N. R. & Vance, C. V. (2013, 1 8). Economic impacts from the promotion of renewable energies: The german experience. Retrieved from http://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/issues/green-jobs-resources/
Green Energy should be used for the needs of the US because it is a renewable recourse. So we can technically have an unlimited supply. For example as long as the sun is shining and the wind is blowing we are able to use solar energy and wind energy. Even on cloudy days solar energy stores its energy and it can still be used.
Although Green energy is a good reliable recourse, there are some downsides. Such as the amount of energy that is produced from green energy. For solar energy some of the energy is lost during the process of transformation. “To power the entire world with wind energy we would need at least 1% of the worlds land mass for all those windmills.” ("Debate: Does the," 2010) In hydro electric energy, if something bad were to happen we would start to run out of fresh drinking water.
Green Energy should be used for the needs of the US because it is clean energy, which means isn’t harmful to humans or the earth’s atmosphere. Fossil fuels emit air pollution and nuclear energy creates radioactive rods that are dangerous for humans. “The World Health Organization estimates that 4.6 million people die each year from causes directly attributable to air pollution.” ("Air pollution," 2013). Green energy doesn’t create air pollution and radioactive rods.
Although Green energy is a good reliable recourse, there are some downsides because it is very costly. “Government support for solar energy between 2000 and 2010 is estimated to have a total net cost of $73.2 billion US, and $28.1 billion US for wind. A similar expenditure in the US would amount to about half a trillion dollars US.” (Frondel, Ritter & Vance, 2013) That would be about $200328407 per year for just solar energy. “In 2008, the price mark-up attributable to the government’s support for “green” electricity was about 2.2 cents US per kWh. For perspective, a 2.2 cent per kWh increase here in the US would amount to an average 19.4% increase in consumer’s electricity bills.” (Frondel, Ritter & Vance, 2013)
Green Energy should be used for the needs of the US because it is good for the environment. For example solar panels don’t need to put a drill in the ground like fossil fuels and destroy animals homes. For nuclear energy the radiation from the power plants make it harder for animals or plants lo live near them. When accidents happen animals plants and humans cant thrive there.
Green energy is what the US should use for our needs because, it is a renewable recourse, it is clean energy and it is safe to the environment. Although it has its downsides because of the amount of energy we consume and it is very costly.
References
Air pollution. (2013, 1 9). Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/a/air_pollution.htm
Debate: Does the world need nuclear energy?. (2010, 6). Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/debate_does_the_world_need_nuclear_energy.html
Frondel, M. F., Ritter, N. R. & Vance, C. V. (2013, 1 8). Economic impacts from the promotion of renewable energies: The german experience. Retrieved from http://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/issues/green-jobs-resources/
Essay by Alli Pierce
The answer to energy needs for the US is Green energy (renewable energy).
Renewable energy is the best source of energy for our country to use because it creates many public benefits for the nation such as jobs, it is a much better choice than using fossil fuels, and green energy is safer than using nuclear energy. Although windmills effect the bird migration and wind patterns, and hydro projects, damns, effect stream flow and the migration of fish.
Green energy is the answer for the energy needs for the US because it creates significant regional benefits through economic development. Iowa and Massachusetts each import about 97 percent of the energy they use (Public Benefits, 2012). They also expand work indirectly in local support industries, like banks and construction. During the 1990’s, the US renewable electricity industry employed nearly 117,000 people (Public Benefits, 2012). A wind mill in 1992 employed 1,260 direct employs and 4,350 indirect employs, that is 5,610 in total (Public Benefits, 2012). “Renewable energy is an essential part of Australia's low emissions energy mix and is important to Australia’s energy security. It plays a strong role in reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions and helping Australia stay on track to meet its Kyoto target and beyond. Australian Government support for renewable energy assists industry development, reduces barriers to the national electricity market, and provides community access to renewable energy.”(Renewable energy, 2012)
Renewable green energy is a much better choice to use instead of fossil fuels or because fossil fuels both emit different tocsins into the air, land, and ocean. According to the Natural Recourses Defense Council of studies by the American Cancer Society and Harvard Medical School in 1996, some particles in the air may be responsible for as many as 64,000 deaths each year from people breathing in the tocsins causing heart and lung diseases (Benefits of, 2012). Death from pollution is a higher number than vehicle accidents, and many other serious health threats. A 500-megawatt coal plant produces energy but also produces 10,00 tons of sulfur dioxide, 10,200 tons of nitrogen oxide, 3.7 million tons of carbon dioxide (equivalent to cutting down 100 million trees), 500 tons of small particles, 220 tons of hydrocarbons, 125,000 tons of ash and 193,000 tons of sludge from smokestack scrubbers (Benefits of, 2012)
Green energy is a good source to fill the US energy needs because, like fossil fuels, nuclear power plants emit tocsins into the world and needs highly trained professionals to use. A combination of human and mechanical error could result in an accident killing several thousand people, injuring several hundred thousand others, contaminating large areas of land, and costing billions of dollars. The Chernobyl accident in 1986 showed that they can occur. When nuclear power plants are done using some of their parts, such as rods, they have to dispose of them. The US has been baring them underground which is also polluting our ground water making it radioactive. In 1995, US nuclear power plants had produced almost 32,000 metric tons of high-level radioactive waste (Benefits of, 2012). Finding a way to keep this waste out of the environment has been proven difficult.
Renewable energy is still the most logical explanation for the US energy needs although the windmills they are putting up affect the land. Not only do windmills give the US energy but it also changes wind patterns in the places they are put up. Thus effecting the migration of birds and harming them. Birds don’t know what windmills are and what they do, some birds fly right into the windmills not knowing what they did harming and sometimes killing they (Public Effects, 2012).
Renewable energy hydro projects also effect the migration of fish and other sea animals. When dams are built they block the passage way from fish to get the other side and also some dams flood the cities and countries they are by. Shakidor Dam 70 dead, February 2005, 1200 People washed out into Arabian Sea and rescued by the Pakistani military (MadMaddie, 2012). Shakidor Dam 70 dead, February 2005, 1200 People washed out into Arabian Sea and rescued by the Pakistani military (MadMaddie, 2012).
Renewable energy is the best source of energy for our country to use because it creates many public benefits for the nation such as jobs, it is a much better choice than using fossil fuels, and green energy is safer than using nuclear energy. Although windmills effect the bird migration and wind patterns, and hydro projects, damns, effect stream flow and the migration of fish.
References
Benefits of renewable energy use . (2012). Retrieved from http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-eergy/public-benefits-of-renewable.html
MadMaddie. (2012). Major renewable energy accidents: 1) banqiao, aug '75, 200,000 dead.. Retrieved from http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x244964
Public benefits fund. (2012). Retrieved from http://energy.gov/savings/public-benefits-funds-renewables-efficiency
Renewable energy - frequently asked questions. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.energymatters.com.au/faqs/renewable-energy-faq.php
Renewable energy is the best source of energy for our country to use because it creates many public benefits for the nation such as jobs, it is a much better choice than using fossil fuels, and green energy is safer than using nuclear energy. Although windmills effect the bird migration and wind patterns, and hydro projects, damns, effect stream flow and the migration of fish.
Green energy is the answer for the energy needs for the US because it creates significant regional benefits through economic development. Iowa and Massachusetts each import about 97 percent of the energy they use (Public Benefits, 2012). They also expand work indirectly in local support industries, like banks and construction. During the 1990’s, the US renewable electricity industry employed nearly 117,000 people (Public Benefits, 2012). A wind mill in 1992 employed 1,260 direct employs and 4,350 indirect employs, that is 5,610 in total (Public Benefits, 2012). “Renewable energy is an essential part of Australia's low emissions energy mix and is important to Australia’s energy security. It plays a strong role in reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions and helping Australia stay on track to meet its Kyoto target and beyond. Australian Government support for renewable energy assists industry development, reduces barriers to the national electricity market, and provides community access to renewable energy.”(Renewable energy, 2012)
Renewable green energy is a much better choice to use instead of fossil fuels or because fossil fuels both emit different tocsins into the air, land, and ocean. According to the Natural Recourses Defense Council of studies by the American Cancer Society and Harvard Medical School in 1996, some particles in the air may be responsible for as many as 64,000 deaths each year from people breathing in the tocsins causing heart and lung diseases (Benefits of, 2012). Death from pollution is a higher number than vehicle accidents, and many other serious health threats. A 500-megawatt coal plant produces energy but also produces 10,00 tons of sulfur dioxide, 10,200 tons of nitrogen oxide, 3.7 million tons of carbon dioxide (equivalent to cutting down 100 million trees), 500 tons of small particles, 220 tons of hydrocarbons, 125,000 tons of ash and 193,000 tons of sludge from smokestack scrubbers (Benefits of, 2012)
Green energy is a good source to fill the US energy needs because, like fossil fuels, nuclear power plants emit tocsins into the world and needs highly trained professionals to use. A combination of human and mechanical error could result in an accident killing several thousand people, injuring several hundred thousand others, contaminating large areas of land, and costing billions of dollars. The Chernobyl accident in 1986 showed that they can occur. When nuclear power plants are done using some of their parts, such as rods, they have to dispose of them. The US has been baring them underground which is also polluting our ground water making it radioactive. In 1995, US nuclear power plants had produced almost 32,000 metric tons of high-level radioactive waste (Benefits of, 2012). Finding a way to keep this waste out of the environment has been proven difficult.
Renewable energy is still the most logical explanation for the US energy needs although the windmills they are putting up affect the land. Not only do windmills give the US energy but it also changes wind patterns in the places they are put up. Thus effecting the migration of birds and harming them. Birds don’t know what windmills are and what they do, some birds fly right into the windmills not knowing what they did harming and sometimes killing they (Public Effects, 2012).
Renewable energy hydro projects also effect the migration of fish and other sea animals. When dams are built they block the passage way from fish to get the other side and also some dams flood the cities and countries they are by. Shakidor Dam 70 dead, February 2005, 1200 People washed out into Arabian Sea and rescued by the Pakistani military (MadMaddie, 2012). Shakidor Dam 70 dead, February 2005, 1200 People washed out into Arabian Sea and rescued by the Pakistani military (MadMaddie, 2012).
Renewable energy is the best source of energy for our country to use because it creates many public benefits for the nation such as jobs, it is a much better choice than using fossil fuels, and green energy is safer than using nuclear energy. Although windmills effect the bird migration and wind patterns, and hydro projects, damns, effect stream flow and the migration of fish.
References
Benefits of renewable energy use . (2012). Retrieved from http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-eergy/public-benefits-of-renewable.html
MadMaddie. (2012). Major renewable energy accidents: 1) banqiao, aug '75, 200,000 dead.. Retrieved from http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x244964
Public benefits fund. (2012). Retrieved from http://energy.gov/savings/public-benefits-funds-renewables-efficiency
Renewable energy - frequently asked questions. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.energymatters.com.au/faqs/renewable-energy-faq.php