Introduction
Do you ever think about how our world might deplete our coal or oil resources? Fossil fuels, which are made of coal or natural gas, and oil have all supplied a majority of our energy. Fossil fuels burn carbon fuels such as; oil, coal, and gas to create steam to have large turbines generate electricity. Fossil fuels provided more than 80% of America’s energy in 2017. Those sources have been providing our country since the industrial revolution, but their production, limitation, and use have significant health and environmental impacts, environmental degradation, and global warming. Wind power in Illinois provided 5.7% of the state's electrical power in 2016. The issue I focused on resolving was finding renewable ways of generating
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“U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis.”Chinese Coal-Fired Electricity Generation Expected to Flatten as Mix Shifts to Renewables - Today in Energy - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/.
Whiting, Jeff, et al. “Wind Energy Pros and Cons.” Energy Informative, energyinformative.org/wind-energy-pros-and-cons/.
Malvik, et al. “Hydroelectric Energy Pros and Cons.” Energy Informative, energyinformative.org/hydroelectric-energy-pros-and-cons/.
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“How Hydroelectric Energy Works.” Union of Concerned Scientists, www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/how-hydroelectric-energy.html#.WvtkHUgvzrc.
“The End of Fossil Fuels.” Ecotricity,
Radioactive Waste One of the most talked about opposition to nuclear fission is the radioactive waste it produces. Radioactive waste is what is left behind after using a reactor to make electricity. There are two levels of waste, low and high, but both are regulated by the Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. High level waste is made up of fuel that’s been used directly in the reactor, which is highly radioactive but can still be disposed of. Low-level waste is the contaminated items that have been exposed to radiation.
The fact that the United States resolved to drop an atomic bomb over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan shocked many people, including U.S. citizens. The U.S. chose a brutal weapon when choosing the atomic bomb, as proven by the thousands of deaths it caused. Today, some people still question the motives for such a ruthless choice of weaponry. The atomic bomb, however destructive and questionable, seemed to be the only way to ensure “unconditional surrender” of the Japanese. The atomic bomb was, in fact, “a clear step designated to force Japan’s unconditional surrender;” however, this statement fails to give attention to the larger picture that influenced the U.S.’s decision to use the atomic bomb. By using the atomic bomb before any other nation
On August 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped the world’s first atomic bomb over Hiroshima. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. On August 15th, the Japan announced unconditional surrender in World War II. To this day historians still discuss why the U.S. decided to use the atomic bombs. Orthodox historians argue that the decision to drop the bombs was a military one designed purely to defeat the Japanese. Revisionist historians argue that the bombs were not needed to defeat Japan; the bombs were meant to shape the peace by intimidating the Soviets. After analyzing the documents in The Manhattan Project it has become clear that the U.S. used the bombs during WWII not only to defeat the Japanese, but also to intimidate the Soviet Union
Over the past years, planet Earth has been warming up. According to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, average temperatures have risen around1.4 degrees Fahrenheit/0.8 degrees Celsius since 1880. In fact, the rate of warming is increasing. It was reported by a number of climate studies that the last two decades were the hottest in 400 years. Global warming is a major threat to the planet. It is agreed that humans have caused most of the past century's warming by releasing greenhouse gasses, as we power our electronic lives. The “greenhouse effect” is performed when the gasses let out into Earth’s atmosphere trap heat from the sun. Through the burning of fossil fuels, humans are enhancing the greenhouse effect and increasing the temperatures of the planet. Although the greenhouse effect is what keeps the planet warm, thereby supporting life, too much would also result in severe issues. Now, with the increasing rate of greenhouse gases emissions, frozen glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, and wildlife is scrambling to keep up with the fast pace. Above that, weather can also become more and more extreme. Something has to be done.
With the rapid growth of our global population pouring into the next millennium, we will witness an ever-growing hunger rate around the world. That is unless we call for a revolution on the global scale. The Green Revolution which already sprouted in the early part of the century only need to add a bit more momentum and we will see a bright future for the human race, a future without hunger and starvation ¡V hopefully.It is becoming increasingly difficult for the planet to support its overwhelming population. And since the amount of arable land available is becoming scarce, we must seek ways to dramatically improve crop yields of existing cropland.
Semantically fossil fuels are a renewable source of energy, however given that it takes millions of years for the organic materials to be broken down and converted, it is wholly unrealistic to consider them as renewable. As the demand for fossil fuels increases and source diminish faster than they are replentished, the United States must work towards a renewable energy independent state using truly renable sources, both technically and in practice. With changes in the home, as consumers in buying goods and with alternative fuel sources backed by public trust and governmental involvement, the United States could drastically lessen its dependence on fossil fuels, foreign and domestic.
The natural resource that I am writing this paper on is coal. Coal is a cheap, dirty fossil fuel which we burn to create power. Coal is the most abundant in North America and in Russia, including the area around it. China also has a fairly good amount of coal in it too. Coal, like all of the other fossil fuels is nonrenewable and will eventually run out, in the not so near future. Coal is very important to many of the countries of the world. The countries that use the most coal are China, the United States, India, Russia, and Japan. These five countries “account for 76% of total global coal use.” (World Coal Association, 2014).
United States. Energy Information Administration. “Electric Power Monthly with Data for February 2014” eia.gov. US Energy Information Administration, 22 Apr. 2014. Web. 8 May 2014.
All around the world people believe in a version of a creation story. They are placed into two groups Creationism and Evolutionism. Some people believe the universe was created (creationists) by an intelligent being of some sort, and then there are those that believe the universe created itself (evolutionists). The Creation Story is a story of hope and faith. Some people want to feel that after death there is something else. The thought of once you die that it is a very sad reality that some people can’t and won’t except. People who believe in The Creation Story puts everything into faith and trust that the teaching of the bible are true. The main purpose of Genesis 1:1-23, is to let people know how the universe and everything in it was created.
Burning and mining coal for fuel is harmful to the environment but because how cheap and easy it is to find many people are unwilling to give it up as a fuel source. One of the problems with coal is that they are limited and are non-renewable so once it has been used we won’t be able to use it again.
The year is 2200. The world is going through a fossil fuel shortage. Oil reserves are almost completely consumed and it is becoming impossible to find new fossil fuel sources. Not prepared for this event to occur, The United States, has no alternative options. As a result of the oil shortage, the standard of living deteriorates. Heat in homes, supermarkets full of food, and transportation, all basic necessities taken for granted, will be depleted because fossil fuels are used to power almost everything. The key to the prevention of this future is renewable energy. Unfortunately the support for the use of renewable energy is weak and ineffective. Unless the US puts forth effort to research and promote the use of renewable energy to consumers, conversion from fossil fuels to renewable energy will no longer be an option.
Independent Statistics and Analysis . (n.d.). (Department of Energy ) Retrieved 11 21, 2013, from Energy Information Administration: http://www.eia.gov
Stopping coal fired power stations in the US is cancelled out by the ones in India China, and many other countries (Boyd)
In the search for alternatives to fossil fuels, scientists and policy makers have focused on three options: nuclear power, energy from biomass; and a combination of wind, water, and solar power. Nuclear power, however, is much more costly and runs the risk of having it fall into the wrong hands where it could be turned into a weapon of mass destruction. The third option entails wind turbines, photovoltaic power plants and rooftop systems, concentrated solar thermal power plants,...
Using fossil fuels such as coal and oil is inefficient, dangerous, and otherwise a process that is known to eventually fail as a long lasting energy source. Yet, there is hope for the future of energy, this new hope has many shapes and forms, but requires a chance to be fully implemented in our everyday life. Such energy sources like solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, and hydro power are the key to our future. These energy sources are proven to be long lasting, safe, more reliable, and the next innovation. In short, all Americans should switch to renewable energy, resulting in a safer and more efficient world.