Saturday, July 18, 2009

Benefits of Green Energy Sources

By Carl Ziebarth

Fossil fuels have long been crucial to American society. We use fossil fuels to heat our homes, run our cars, and create our electricity. America's appetite for fossil fuels is increasing dramatically. Consequences of our fossil fuel habit is depleting our resources and killing the planet.

Green energy sources are not a cure but they will help. Green energy sources offer many advantages. Advantages that we will not get without changing our habits. Some argue that green energy is too hard to generate. True as that might be, there are many different types of green energy sources. We just have to identify those that are viable, according to geographic location.

There are various green energy sources available such as solar, wind, wave, hydropower, and geothermal. These energy sources do not produce harmful by products or harm the environment. Results that are a 360 degrees difference from fossil fuels.

Fossil fuels release harmful carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Individually, a coal plant may not produce a large amount of carbon dioxide. Our world currently has 50,000 coal plants. Cumulatively, that is an enormous amount of carbon dioxide. We must reverse this trend before it is too later. We must cultivate sources of green energy.

Nuclear power appears to be a viable solution. Nuclear power produces the necessary energy. Nuclear power brings with it it's own set of issues. While producing energy, nuclear power produces spent fuel rods. These rods have to go somewhere. How many mountains or holes can we fill with spent fuel rods? Then there are nuclear accidents. True, there has not been one for years. Do you want to be your children's lives there will never be another one?

Every fuel source requires maintenance, including green energy. All energy production sources have maintenance costs. Ethanol production still requires corn to be refined at a refinery. Windmills are mechanical machines. They have parts that must be maintained. Even with these maintenance costs, green energy is still more attractive than fossil fuels.

Green sources have one advantage that fossil fuels cannot compete with. Green energy is renewable. We will NEVER run out of green energy. Sun's rays have hit the earth for millions of years. These rays have produced wind for millions of years. Utilizing green energy sources reduces America's dependence on fossil fuels.

Governments are only talking about replacing fossil fuels. They hold global climate change summits. They pass resolutions. They even tell us that we need to drive less and reduce our energy usage. Without viable alternatives, it is difficult to do. It is time that we realize we have viable alternatives. We have green energy.

It is easy to talk about how concerned we are about the environment but you have to ask yourself when will more solar panels or wind turbines will be erected? When will the number of coal or nuclear power plants be reduced?

Green energy sources is the solution to the environmental, political and social problems of this lifetime. By spending more on these technologies, no country will have to depend on another or even a corporation for their power needs because they are self dependent and free.

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