April 22, 2014 Earth Day!
How could I have missed the date to write on this blog? It didn't skip me as I mentioned it to many people yesterday and we celebrated during our Earth-Keeping HUM 212 class with Professor Owsley.
Just a few words about the celebration it started more than twenty years ago, and in the US during the hippie 70's when a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin Gaylord Nelson founded the movement. Those years witnessed the birth of many environmental movements; as an example is the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency during the republican president office of Richard Nixon.
You can learn more about Earth Day here.
So....(belated) Happy Earth Day!!!!!
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Sunday, April 13, 2014
TriMet Inspiring Use of BioDiesel by Danielle Hunt
TriMet Sustainability Program
Environmental
Studies
Warner Pacific
College
April 5, 2014
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this analysis is to identify key
concepts of TriMet's utilization of Biodiesel and its effect on society . This
essay will establish the economic impact of public transportation and the
opportunities that TriMet took lower their carbon footprint on the earth.
In
the United States, one of the first advancements in bio-fuel is a clean burning
diesel replacement called Biodiesel. The American dream was to reduce
dependence on diesel being imported from other countries. The research and
development of biodiesel resulted in success by creating green jobs and
improving the environment. Biodiesel is made with anything from agricultural
oils, recycled cooking oil, animal fat all of which meet a certain
specification. One such company that has made this exact plunge into the future
from our hometown of Portland Oregon is TriMet. (National Biodiesel Board, 2014 )
TriMet
started their venture ten years ago in the realm of Biodiesel ten years ago and
their statistics do not disappoint. In order to conserve fuel and lower
emission impact on the environment, TriMet established Biodiesel for their
buses and Electricity for their Max line. By using improved fuel alternatives
in buses the benefits of biodiesel reduced greenhouse gases, reduced dependence
on foreign oil, moderate price swings for petroleum-based diesel and helped
build the biodiesel industry. The long term results are undeniable. The
emissions from 1988 emission levels are at 10.7 to 2010 where levels dropped to
0.01, the metrics speak for themselves. (TriMet Buisness Department, 2014)
In
my opinion, today's society is inspired by the variety of concepts used to
limit usage of our natural resources. There are those that would differ,
however as more awareness is raised and accessible for utilization on a daily
basis is the mark of a more efficient society. The challenges that we face
specifically are our very own personal vehicles. It is the single largest
contributor and the solution is accessible with the simple purchase of a five
dollar all day ticket to get you to and from your job. Other companies around
Portland that also make advancements towards a green future by supporting
TriMet's efforts contribute by charging for public and private parking. For
example, OHSU charges parking to their employees to encourage public transit,
the Portland Air National Guard base requires that members to get their DEQ
emissions check for Personally Owned vehicles, and parking downtown on a night
at the Rose Garden for a Blazer Game charges at least fifteen dollars for a
couple of hours. Ideally, the middle class will be economically savvy enough to
discover paying for parking is just not worth it when you can take the train.
Bibliography
(2014, Mar). Retrieved Mar 2014, from Ecological
Footprint: www.myfootprint.org/
Laposata, J. W.
(2014). Environmental. Glenview: Pearson.
National Biodiesel
Board. (2014 , Jan). BioDiesel America's Advanced Biofuel. Retrieved
Apr 2014, from Paratherm Corporation: http://www.biodiesel.org/
TriMet Buisness
Department. (2014, Jan). Conserving Fuel and Reducing Emissions.
Retrieved April 2014, from TriMet:
http://trimet.org/sustainable/fuel-emissions
Our Dependency on Energy Resources and The Alternatives by Larissa Ushriya
Environmental Studies
Warner
Pacific College
April
1, 2014
Our society relies heavily on many
types of energy resources. In fact according to an article written by Robert Barr
from the Associated Press, China is the world’s biggest consumer of energy,
accounting for 20.3 percent globally and the U.S. comes in closely behind them
at 19 percent (2011). That is a
lot of energy being used by the U.S.
We use these energy
sources to heat and light our homes; power our machinery; fuel our vehicles;
produce plastics, pharmaceuticals, and synthetic fibers; and provide the
comforts and conveniences to which we’ve grown accustomed in the industrial age
(Laposata & Withgott, 2014, p. 520).
One of the key statements in the above
citing is ‘which we’ve grown accustomed in the industrial age’. I would agree
that in order to continue to function in society that we do need or require
more energy than in our pre-industrial years, but at the same time our society
has become so accustomed to certain practices that use energy unnecessarily.
One example is in the turning on of lights when there is plenty of natural
light to adequately see without turning on extra light. So for starters one
alternative that everyone can directly participate in is using natural light
for lighting instead of using other forms of energy to power those lights. In
some buildings it may require that natural light be directed into buildings so
that they can avoid or use less electricity to provide needed light.
Another way to cut down on electricity or
at least non-renewable electricity sources is to use solar power sources for
the majority of our power needs. “The surface of the earth receives 120,000
terawatts of solar radiation (sunlight) – 20,000 times more power than what is
needed to supply the entire world”(Maehlum, 2013). That is a lot of renewable
energy.
Solar power is environmentally friendly
and in of itself it does not cause pollution. “However there are emissions
associated with the manufacturing, transportation, and installation of solar
power systems – almost nothing compared to most conventional energy sources”
(Maehlum, 2013). That is really good news for our environment.
The biggest energy resources we use
here in the United States are fossil fuel. “In the United States, oil coal, and
natural gas together supply 82% of energy demand” (Laposata & Withgott,
2014, p. 522). While increasing our use of solar power will help reduce those
numbers we will probably need major advances in technology eliminate our fossil
fuel usage. Unfortunately there is so much money to be made in the fossil fuel
industry that it makes it hard to get the investment needed to advance
technology to bring us away from this fossil fuel era.
While hybrid cars are a step in the
right direction they are still dependent on fossil fuels. Tesla has stepped to the market
providing consumers with an electric car alternative however the expense of the
car makes it pretty much an impossibility for the average consumer. “Currently
Tesla’s cheapest car is the Model S, which retails at around $70,000” (McGregor,
2014). Tesla manufactures have plans to roll out a model in 2017 that is
affordable. “By affordable Tesla means in the region of $40,000” (McGregor,
2014). Unfortunately that is still higher than the average price of a car in
the United States. $40,000 is definitely a lot cheaper but the question is will
it be cheap enough to get its foot into the fossil fuel auto world. I hope so. This is the type of technology advances we need
to see. Not that the Tesla is the answer to all of our problems but it might be
one more step in the right direction.
References
Laposata &Withgott, (2014). Environment: The science behind the stories. (pp. 520-522) Upper Saddle River,
New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Maehlum, M. (2013). Solar
Energy Pros and Cons. Retrieved from: http://energyinformative.org/solar-energy-pros-and-cons/
McGregor, J. (2014). Tesla
to offer an ‘affordable’ car by 2017, but will it take off?. Article retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaymcgregor/2014/03/31/tesla-to-offer-affordable-cars-by-2015/
Energy Dependence by Kira McKay
March 30th,
2014
When
I think about the resources that we have and the dependency we have on other
countries it really has me wondering what if we didn’t those resources and we
had to depend on ourselves? To be honest that’s a hard question to answer.
First
of what are some of resources we depend on? The first one that comes to mind is
obviously the sun. Most of the energy we capture for use on earth originates in
the nuclear reactions powering the sun. For example coal, oil, natural gas and
even the wind and hydropower we harness to generate electricity, originally
derive their energy content from the sun. Some facts on energy resources are 40%
of U.S energy from all sources is used to generate electricity, in 2008 fossil
fuels provided almost 85% of the energy used in the United States, 20% of our
electricity was generated by nuclear fuel in 2008 and lastly, emerging
technologies is a huge one that’s happening right now and things that derive
from that is electric vehicles, biofuels and hydrogen fuel cells so as noted we
have a lot of resources that we depend greatly on to keep us moving every day.
We
depend greatly on fossil fuels along with nuclear energy supply about 93% of
the world’s energy which a lot is considering that they are non-renewable
energy sources. Renewable energy at the time is only supplying about 7% of the
world’s energy which ultimately isn’t close to being enough. I ask myself how
long would it be before the fossil fuels are depleted. Scientist predict 50 to
150 years and that isn’t long enough at all, sure it won’t happen in my life or
not even my kids’ lives but definitely will happen in my grandkids and great
grandkids lives. The biggest factor on how long fossil fuels are going to last
depend greatly on the world’s population and I don’t see that dying off anytime
soon if anything there will just be continued growth for years to come. So what
are some alternatives that we should really take advantage of that we already
have? My opinion is that we should find use out of the sources we’ve had for
millions of years which is the sun, water and wind. They don’t pollute the
earth, they’re renewable and efficient. Obviously the object is to capture and
harness their mechanical power and convert it to electricity in the most
effective and productive manner possible. There is enough renewable energy to
supply the entire world’s energy needs forever but the challenge is to develop
a method that’s effective and economically capture, store and use the energy
when needed. I believe that it can happen look at the how far they’ve come with
electric cars, the use of solar
energy and modern windmills to name a few. Another possibility of generating
energy is through the use of more dams.
Coming
up with new and improved ways to generate energy is essential to us now and in
years to come because really there is no turning back when it comes to energy
sources so coming up with new ways to crucial. Our dependence upon nonrenewable
energy resources is a potential recipe for disaster.
“Our Energy Sources” http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-sources/
“Fossil Fuels vs. Renewable Energy” http://www.ecology.com/2011/09/06/fossil-fuels-vs-renewable-energy-resources/
Courtney Johnson's view on Solar Energy
Solar
Energy Paper
Environmental
Studies
Warner
Pacific College
April
4, 2014
Solar
energy is also known as “Solar photovoltaic
generation, known as PV.” Solar energy has a much greater benefit to
other such as water and wind. Wind technology is currently loud, and takes a
great amount of space to utilize the machines as well as needs a great amount
of wind with very little electrical outcome. Water energy I think is a more
effective energy source than wind due to the fact we could implement a better
dam system to utilize the dams we have already built. We unfortunately have not
as a society been able to expand on the idea of water but I know some companies
are exploring better options to utilize this resource. Solar energy however, is
in the infancy of its technology. I think as they explore better materials to
utilize the suns energy we will see more and more solar energy being utilized.
Currently, solar energy is the most effective and condensed equipment to
produce energy. “Based on comparative
life-cycle analyses of power sources, “PV electricity contributes 96 percent to
98 percent less greenhouse gases than electricity generated from 100 percent
coal and 92 percent to 96 percent less greenhouse gases than the European
electricity mix,” said Carol Olson, a researcher at the Energy Research Center
of the Netherlands. “Compared with electricity from coal, PV electricity over
its lifetime uses 86 to 89 percent less water, occupies or transforms over 80
percent less land, presents approximately 95 percent lower toxicity to humans,
contributes 92 to 97 percent less to acid rain, and 97 to 98 percent less to
marine eutrophication,” she said. Eutrophication is the discharge of excess
nutrients that causes algal blooms” (Powers,
2013). With these numbers solar energy by far is the safest and most
effective source of energy within this wave of new energy technology.
Within my past experience the only problem with solar energy
is the materials use. The solar companies are having difficulty with increasing
the battery power of the cells within the panel. They are also looking into
increasing the longevity of the solar panels themselves. As of right now solar
panels last up to 20 years before needing to be replaced. “A typical solar
panel produces around 200 watts of power. There’s a little bit of variation on
this, based on the size and efficiency of the solar panel you choose; you’ll
see panels that produce 205, 210, even 230 watts” (Llorens, 2012). This is only a fraction of you use within a day.
This is where the technology does have room to expand.
Solar energy is by far the most prospective new energy source for
society. There are growth opportunities within this technology that are limited
to wind and water. If scientist and inventors discover a new material to create
these cells than solar panels will be used by not just the few who can afford
them but by all and will help not only us as society but our environment as
well.
References
Llorens, D. (2012). How
much electricity does a solar panel produce? Retrieved from Solar Power
Rocks:
http://www.solarpowerrocks.com/solar-basics/how-much-electricity-does-a-solar-panel-produce/
Powers, D. S. (2013,
November 11). Solar Power Begins to Shine as Environmental Benefits Pay Off.
Retrieved from The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/11/business/energy-environment/solar-power-begins-to-shine-as-environmental-benefits-pay-off.html?_r=2&
SolarWorld. (2013,
January). Made in America. Retrieved from SolarWorld:
http://www.solarworld-usa.com/why-choose-solarworld/solar-panels-made-in-usa
Our Relationship With Energy Use by Craig M. Winbush
Warner Pacific College
April 5, 2014
As
I reflected on this week’s assignment regarding society’s uses of energy,
required me to do some inter-reflection on the ways I recall consuming energy
in the past. First, I must
establish a few parameters for the discussion. I am a member of large family, fourteen to be exact; as a young
child, I can remember my parents contently saying; turn off those lights, turn
off that television or turn off that radio if you are not going to be using
them. Of course, being young and
uninformed about the importance of conserving energy I did not ascertain or understand
what my parents were trying to convey to my brothers and sisters. One must
understand my dad worked for the power plant that provided the electricity for
the city in with we resided which was probably the driving force behind the
constant awareness of the importance of energy conservation; not to mention the
cost of one’s electric bill.
Although
my parents were in possession of a dryer, I can recall my mother hanging the
family’s laundry on the clothes line my dad erected in the backyard of our home
to conserve on the electricity bill. Furthermore, whenever I witness individuals
hanging their clothes outdoors on clothes their clothesline these days it takes
me right back to my childhood days when we were more energy conscience. I can
also recall when we were more incline to take public transportation than we are
today; this can be a result of one’s work schedule or the lack of coverage in one’s
area. Another point I want to address is the ability we had as children to walk
to our destinations without the risk of being abducted by some stranger looking
to do us harm, unfortunately that is not the case today. I would love to allow
my youngest daughter who is turning 14 to walk to school or a friend’s house to
enjoy a day of play; however, because of the safety concerns I have outweigh my
concerns to be energy efficient, therefore I burn the gas and drive her the few
miles to her friends residence.
I
believe the government should allow private companies to explore and develop
alternatives to fossil fuels without interference from obstructionist like the
many lobbyist that are in the pockets of certain politicians. For example, automaker Tesla is now in
a legal battle with Washington State legislators because they want the
automaker to adopt the dealership model verses allowing Tesla to work directly
with their customers. This
situation is very perplexing to me, here you have an automaker that is
providing a green vehicle to the public at a reasonable price, but yet
individuals with governmental influence is making it harder for the automaker
to provide a product without
adding additional cost to their customers. In an effort to preserve our natural resources for generations
to come, we need to continue to explore ways of offering an alternative to oil
and coal. We should also continue
to champion our recycling efforts across the nation; bringing those states like
New York and Texas onboard with the process. In closing, as we discussed in class we all must take
personal responsibility to ensure we use our natural resources wisely; our
consumption of energy must become a household discussion.
Reference
New York, NY, Pearson Benjamin Cummings.
ISBN-13:978-0-321-89742-8
Rann Moeuy's view on Conflict between Energy Dependencies.
PHS 100A
Warner Pacific College
April 2nd, 2014
This situation has led some territories
to become very dependent on others for their energy. For example, the United
States, which consumes a quarter of the world oil production, must import about
two thirds of the oil it uses.
This increasing dependence is also
fuelling more and more serious political tensions. On a global level, oil has
become a major factor in an increasing number of conflicts. In past report on the November 2009
U.S. trade deficit found that rising oil imports widened our deficit,
increasing the gap between our imports and exports. This is but one example
that our economic recovery and long-term growth is inexorably linked to our
reliance on foreign oil. The United States is spending approximately $1 billion
a day overseas on oil instead of investing the funds at home, where our economy
sorely needs it. Burning oil that exacerbates global warming also poses serious
threats to our national security and the world’s security. For these reasons we
need to kick the oil addiction by investing in clean-energy reform to reduce
oil demand, while taking steps to curb global warming.
In 2008 the United States imported oil
from 10 countries currently on the State Department’s Travel Warning List,
which lists countries that have “long-term, protracted conditions that make a
country dangerous or unstable.” These nations include Algeria, Chad, Colombia,
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Our reliance on oil from these countries could have
serious implications for our national security, economy, and environment. Further, the regimes and elites that
economically benefit from rich energy resources rarely share oil revenues with
their people, which worsens economic disparity in the countries and at times
creates resource-driven tension and crises. The State Department cites
oil-related violence in particular as a danger in Nigeria, where more than 54 national
oil workers or businesspeople have been kidnapped at oil-related facilities and
other infrastructure since January 2008. Attacks by insurgents on the U.S.
military and civilians continue to be a danger in Iraq.
Our oil dependence will also be increasingly
harder and more dangerous to satisfy. In 2008 the United States consumed 23
percent of the world’s petroleum, 57 percent of which was imported. Yet the
United States holds less than 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves. Roughly 40
percent of our imports came from Canada, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia, but we can’t
continue relying on these allies. The majority of Canada’s oil lies in tar
sands, a very dirty fuel, and Mexico’s main oil fields are projected dry up
within a decade. Without reducing our dependence on oil we’ll be forced to
increasingly look to more antagonistic and volatile countries that pose direct
threats to our national security.
The unfortunate reality is that the
Middle East remains the strategic center of gravity of the global oil market-a
position that is not likely to change in the medium term. As long as radical
Islam, China, India, and Europe continue the struggle for the world's limited
oil supply in the Middle East, the region will remain unstable. If the U.S. is
to protect itself from these economic and political threats, it must reduce its
dependence on Middle Eastern oil as quickly and efficiently as possible.
References
Anjaneyulu
Yerramilli, F. T. (2013). Energy Resources, Utilization &
Technologies. CRC Press.
Gangidi, A. B. (2012). Alternative
Energy Resources. LAP Lambert Academic Publishing AG & Co. KG.
Pathak, H. (2013). Renewable Energy
Resources. CreateSpace Publishing.
Where Will We Be In 100 years? by Roxanne Wyant
Where will it end, and we know it will; this insatiable appetite
for using nonrenewable energy. If
we keep it in perspective just over a century ago there were no automobiles,
two centuries and there were no trains. The modes of transportation were horses
and buggies, wagons, or your own two feet. If we are already deep drilling for
oil because the shallow oil has been depleted what is it going to look like a
century from now.
Some would say what difference does it make I will be dead and
will not care. Thank goodness, there are also those who do care and want to
find alternative renewable methods. I for one am one of those that care about a
safe environment for my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. If we are going
to use energy, and there is no indication that we will not, we will need to
develop the renewable energy and find alternatives for our dependence on oil.
Renewable energy includes, tidal and wave energy from tides and
ocean waves, geothermal energy taken from the earth’s internal heat rising from
its core. There is biomass energy stored in plant matter from photosynthesis,
hydropower energy from running water, and solar energy that comes directly from
sunlight. Even though these are
renewable, they are still resources that if we are not careful we may harm the
environment with these also.
Hydropower, for instance, entails dams that can harm the salmon
that need to make their way up the river during spawning season. We have made
some stride in wind energy but that also has a set of problems. Farmers have
been using wind for some time now but not at the degree, we are using it now.
Scientists do not know what affect the enormous wind turbines might have on the
wildlife.
North America consumes more energy than any other nation in the
world, (Withgott & Laposata,
2014, p. 523) our dependence on oil, we love our cars, lights, heat and air
conditioning. According to
Withgott & Laposata, it takes energy to make energy the processes for
extracting it from the ground, underwater and from the air.
When looking at alternative energy we must also take into
consideration the health cost; the employees that mine for coal or work on the
oilrigs face numerous health issues. They breathe in the residue from in the
coalmines and those living in the town ingest it. We are surrounded by petroleum
products in homes everywhere we look there is products that are made from
petroleum from our stove to our toothbrush it is everywhere.
Each one of us must cut down on our consumption of energy. Some of
the ways can be, turn off the lights when you leave a room. Take the train
instead of your car one day a week. I think it would be a good idea to have a
day when no one except emergency vehicles can be on the street. It could be
illegal to drive for that one or two days every six months. It would be
interesting to know just how much emissions would not go into the air those
days.
We must continue to search for alternative energy, one that does
not hurt more resources, but will maybe restore some of the injury we have already
caused. I would like to see a better solution for garbage, dumping our garbage
in landfills and the ocean is not an answer, we are polluting our oceans and
damaging the sea life.
I personally have a certified energy home, which includes thermal
windows and thicker insulation. I also have a tankless water heater that I
highly recommend. The nice thing about a tankless water heater is it only heats
the water you use. I also wash clothes in cold water instead of hot or warm. We
must each take responsibility for what we contribute to the pollution of the
planet at this point it is the only one we have.
References
People's Independence Along The Snake River by Jordan Mura
April
5, 14
Every
year the men in my family spend a week in Huntington Oregon. Huntington is a
small town located near the Snake River on the Oregon Idaho border. We go to
the Snake River to catch catfish and stock up for the year. Huntington is a
very small town. It only has one gas station, and a small convenience store.
What is astounding to me is the amount of people that live along the Snake
River. From Huntington, a road follows the river on the Oregon side all the way
up to Brownlee Dam. The road is not improved, and only wide, enough in spots
that one car can pass. When we take our boat up the river, it is fascinating to
see how these people live. Most homes have solar panels, and some even have
their own wind turbines to help generate power. When I asked a local in town
why the homeowners have their own wind turbines, his response was that they could
not always count on having power from PGE. The reason is location; they are to
far out for a technician to get there in a timely manner to repair a damaged
power line. Therefore, out of necessity, these folks had to find a way to
create their own power.
I
can only remember a few times in my life when we were without power for more
then a couple hours. We have become accustom to easy energy, and we take it for
granted. Due to the easy access to power, we do not understand just how vulnerable
we really are to the loss of energy. If we lived in Portland, like the families
in Huntington, we would understand how precious energy is, and find ways to generate
it ourselves. If we were forced to generate energy ourselves, we would not take
it for granted, therefore, we would be more careful, and conserve the energy.
There
are several options to assist in each household generating its own energy.
Manufacturers now make smaller windmills that can help power a home. Huge
advances have been made in solar power technology that can help provide power
to a home. Lastly, we now have the ability to generate energy from the ground
to help heat our cool our home.
Wind
turbines are now available for private families to purchase to help provide
energy for their home or small farm. According to www.windenergyfoundation.org,
wind turbines can now be used to power your home, business, or farm while
helping to protect the environment, and are suitable for use on properties as
small as one acre. Not all homes are suited for wind turbines, individuals and
to seek the advice of a manufacturer or dealer to help determine if their
property is suited for a wind turbine. The government provides tax credits for
individuals to help lower the total cost of installing a wind system.
A
fast growing substitute to traditional energy sources is solar power. Solar
panels can be installed on your roof and help subsidize your energy costs over
the years. Solar photovoltaic technology can significantly reduce our reliance
on fossil fuels and our dependence on the grid (Crane & Kennedy, 2012). A
family living on a small farm can install solar panels and wind turbines to
help provide their own energy, and in a natural disaster, they do not have to
depend on the grid to provide power for their home.
Geothermal
energy is a system that can help provide heat or cooling for homes, and can
help eliminate their dependence on the grid. Efficient and economical,
geothermal heats, and cools and cuts fossil fuel use in homes. A ground fed
climate system can help free a family from fluctuating energy costs and
dependence on grid energy (Sawyers, 2009). Geothermal is just another
technology families can use to cut their dependence on grid power.
In
more families moved away from the grid, and made an effort to provide their
power, we would start to eliminate the need for fossil fuels, but more
importantly, would have a power source that was not dependent on the grid. This
means that in a natural disaster, the family would still have the ability to
generate its own power.
Reference:
Crane, D., & Kennedy, R. (2012,
December 12). Solar panels for every
home. Retrieved from
Sawyers, H. (2009, December 18). The guide to home geothermal energy. Retrieved
from
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/hydropower-geothermal/4331401
Wind
power your home. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.windenergyfoundation.org/wind-at-
work/wind-consumers/wind-power-your-home
Feeling Guilty and Frustrated about Energy Resources by Paul Barnum III
Energy
Resources
Paul
Barnum III
PHS
100A Environmental Studies
David
Terrell
Warner
Pacific College
April 5,
2014
Energy
Resources
In
today’s society, the consumption of the earth’s energy resources is at an all-time
high. In America, what we as a
society consider normal energy consumption would be viewed by people in less
developed countries as excessive use.
I know in my day to day life, I use energy all of the time and do not
even think about where it comes from or how much I am using. This mentality can become a real
problem moving forward into the future.
In this paper, I will discuss or society’s dependence on energy
resources as well as talk about the opportunities and challenges that
developing alternative energy sources can bring in the future.
In
today’s environment there are many different kinds of energy resources. In order to have the type of convenience
we Americans like to have, “humanity has devised many ways to harness the
renewable and nonrenewable forms of energy available on our planet” (Withgott & Laposata, 2013, p. 520) . In today’s society we use all
kinds of energy. “We use these
energy sources to heat and light our homes; power our machinery; fuel our
vehicles; produce plastics; pharmaceuticals, and synthetic fiber; and provide
the comforts and conveniences which we’ve grown accustomed to in the industrial
age” (Withgott & Laposata, 2013, p. 520) .
While
we use some of these energy resources out of necessity, a lot of the energy we
use is out of convenience and we use it in excess without even thinking about
the long term effects it might have on the environment. About four weeks ago, the garage door
opener for my garage door broke.
When my wife got home, you would have thought it was the end of the
world! She wanted me to stay home
from work the next day and get it fixed so she could park in our garage without
having to get out of the car to open the door. This is a great example of how we think we cannot live
without certain things we have grown accustomed to having in our lives and they
are all out of convenience. I am
happy to report, it has been four weeks and the garage door opener has not been
fixed and my wife is still alive and well. She can go on living even with the garage door opener
broken!
Another
good example of how we use energy in excess is the automatic engine start most
of the new cars today have. It is
amazing to me that we think we need to start our cars in our driveway 15
minutes before we have to leave so it is warm inside. What a complete waste of energy! I think in America we have taken wasting energy to a whole
new level and the main reason is out of convenience.
When
I think about what opportunities we have in the future to develop alternative
systems to satisfy our energy needs, I get really frustrated. A good example of this is the electric
car. This hybrid, electric car
technology has been around for years and it is just now becoming available in
mainstream America. Why is it so
hard to introduce new technology into society today? The answer is money.
The large gas and oil companies do not want to see electric cars on the
road as it will cut into the profits they make. Governmental red tape and special interest lobbying groups
also make it challenging to introduce new technology. Even though this new technology uses much less energy and is
also cleaner, it feels like any time ideas and technology like this are
introduced, it gets shut down before it even has a chance to be implemented
into society. It seems like it
always takes many years, just like the example of the hybrid
cars that are out today.
While
thinking about our energy consumption and the future makes me feel frustrated
and guilty all at the same time, I realize that as a society we are not going
to give up all of our comfort and convenience to conserve energy. I do however think we can be much more
conscious about what types and how much energy we use. Simple things like turning off lights
when nobody is in the room to not starting your car 15 minutes before you
actually get in it to drive to work can make a big difference. In addition, we also need to hold our
government and big businesses accountable for continuing to make it difficult
to introduce new technologies especially when these new technologies are
cleaner and more efficient types of energy. I feel that accountability and making smart decisions on how
we are consuming the energy we are so fortunate to have are the keys to
ensuring that we have energy resources to draw from now and into the future.
Reference
Withgott, J., & Laposata, M. (2013). Environment:
the science behind the stories (5th Ed.). New York: Pearson Benjamin
Cummings.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
MaKensie Keiner's view on Natural Disasters
March 22st, 2014
I personally have had a
close connection to a few natural disasters that have occurred in my lifetime.
The first things that I have a recollection of when it comes to natural
disasters, the earthquake that occurred in Portland in the 90’s, Hurricane
Katrina, and the Tsunami in Japan in 2011. As I know many, many other disasters
have happened and will continue to happen that I may never know about. These
three events are events that I, or family has been strongly effected by in my
lifetime. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina happened I was living in Louisiana. I
was living in Monroe Louisiana, and had never been exposed to the kind of
weather that they have there, let alone a hurricane. I think that for the first
time in my life I felt like I was truly witnessing this natural disaster, where
people were dying and everything was out of control.
After moving back to
Portland, in my mind I remember thinking that something like that would never
happen in Portland. In the same thought I recall thinking…if something like
that did occur here, I would be in huge trouble. When the Tsunami in Japan
happened I recall seeing it on the news, and thinking about how awful it was,
but it didn’t really hit home until I heard about how it may also hit Hawaii. I
had a VERY close friend who was in Hawaii at the time, and this was terrifying.
Thankfully, my friend called me and let me know the things that she was doing
to be sure she was safe, but it was fearful for me, hearing the sirens in the
background. Why was it that when the event in Japan happened that I wasn’t in
such fear? Am I really that self centered that I only worry about things when
they effect someone or myself I know?
After taking this class,
listening to classmates history, and reading the text I am far more aware and
truly think that I have a deeper connect with how natural disasters effect others.
Also, how there natural disaster effects our environment. I could tell you that
I was now going to store up food and things, but I honestly am not going to at
this point. I personally am going to start by having more appreciation for all
that is happening around me on earth. Through this I know that I will become
more deeply involved emotionally and mentally.
References
Fact
Monster. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0775896.html
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