Tag Archives: limit fossil fuels

The Power of Hydro Electricity

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For this blog post, I chose to present information on Hydroelectric Power. It’s one of the oldest forms of renewable energy, which began use in 1950.

Hydroelectric power’s source of power is water and plants are usually located on or near a water source. The volume of the water flow and the change or fall in elevation is often referred to as head. The head from one point to another determines the amount of available energy in moving water. The greater the water flow and the higher the head, the more electricity a hydropower plant can produce.

There are about 1,450 conventional and 40 pumped-storage hydropower plants operating in the United States. The average lifespan of a hydropower facility is 100 years.

In 2021, hydroelectricity accounted for about 6.3% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation and 31.5% of total utility-scale renewable electricity generation.

Hydroelectric energy is sustainable because it relies on and uses the environment, benefits society, and can benefit the economy. It’s an affordable form of renewable energy that is more affordable than other renewable energy sources. Another reason why it’s sustainable is it’s been used for a long time.

https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/hydropower/https://

www.energy.gov/eere/water/hydropower-basicshttps://

www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/34916.pdf

 

Carbon Dioxide Levels are Increasing Yearly

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Carbon dioxide has a heavy impact on the atmosphere of the Earth and is proven to affect climate change, global warming, and the ecosystems for the future. With the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, this is an issue to the energy imbalance which leads to the Earth’s temperature to increase; global warming. Due to human interactions and human life, there will always be carbon dioxide being released in different forms into the atmosphere, but there needs to be a way to reduce this amount of carbon dioxide for the wellbeing of the human population and the earth. If it continues to rise with the amounts of carbon dioxide, the human population and the land we inhabit will be in trouble due to temperature and destruction. What can be attested to this rise of earth’s temperature is the burning of fossil fuels: coal, oil, and gas, that all release greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. This has been studied heavily and due to the amounts of greenhouse gasses being pushed yearly, this is not normal or necessary. In a USA Today article reporting on the carbon dioxide emissions it states, “In the past 20 years, the world’s temperature has risen about two-thirds of a degree Fahrenheit,” which may not seem impactful, but this constant rising of temperatures will be detrimental without changes being made. Just hearing that global carbon dioxide emissions have reached the highest level in history, should be alarming and should incite awareness and sustainability ideas. To preserve the environment we live in and increase recycling, renewable energy sources, and reducing emission is crucial. As the world shifts back to a “normal society” after recovering from Covid-19, there needs to be a change from the Pre-Cvoid Era where human population abused the amount of fossil fuel use. There needs to be an alternative to burning coal in order to have factories, cars, and businesses be run. Coal has been the issue of 40% of the overall global carbon dioxide emissions in 2021. One idea we can look toward is electric car batteries and also the rise in use of solar panels.

 

Works Cited

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2022/03/08/global-carbon-dioxide-emissions-soar/9429433002/

Fossil Fuels and Human Health

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We talk a lot about fossil fuels, greenhouse gases, and how the impacts they have on the environment. Something that is not often talked about, however, is the impact of fossil fuels on human health. According to an article published by the NYU School of Law, the burning of fossil fuels and the inhalation of the subsequently polluted air contribute to several health conditions, including, but not limited to: asthma, cardiovascular disease, and preterm birth. What’s more, the article states that “if fossil fuels were completely eliminated, the global average life expectancy would increase by 1.1 years”. The article then goes on to describe the effects of burning fossil fuels, and different variations of pollutants. The thing that interested me most about this article was the mention of a study done in Southern California, where diminished levels of particulate matter (mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets) and nitrogen dioxide over a 21 year period lead to 20% fewer cases of childhood diagnoses of asthma. This is just one of many examples of how fossil fuels and greenhouse gases effect both the environment, the world around us, and humanity as a species.

Sources Cited:

https://www.law.nyu.edu/centers/state-impact/projects-reports/projects/climate-and-health/health-effects-of-burning-fossil-fuels

Are they worth it? Electric cars and individual carbon emissions

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Globally the temperature of the earth is increasing, these rising temperatures have been mainly caused by the emissions of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Changes need to be made both on a government and individual level to hinder the effects of climate change. More than 30% of carbon emissions come from transportation via, car, bus, and airplane one of the best ways that an individual can combat this is to purchase an electric car (EPA, 2021). The New York State Energy Research and Development Agency has out a free estimation survey, where one can put in the type of electric car and it will give you the cost and benefits of purchasing the car. When looking at an average 30,000 dollar electric car in Central New York, within the first year one would save $966 this was found by calculating the cost of gasoline ($1,243) that you would save minus the increase in your electric bill which would be around $277 to charge your car. In New York, you also get a minimum of 8,500 dollars in incentives which includes a $7,500 Plug-in vehicle federal tax credit plus a $1,000 with the Drive Clean Rebate. When looking at the cost and benefits in the future, within the first 5 years it shows that an electric car would save up to $7,867 and you would break even with the cost of the car within two years. Along with having long-term financial benefits owning an electric car reduces an individual carbon footprint by 58% per year which is equivalent to 5,977 lb of CO2. This survey is a great day to find a car that fits your budget and lifestyle while also helping you lower your carbon footprint. Cost benefits analysts are an important factor when it comes to the effectiveness of environmental action.

Survey: https://nyserda.wattplan.com/ev/

 

Work Cited:

EPA (2021) Carbon Pollution from Transportation

https://www.epa.gov/transportation-air-pollution-and-climate-change/carbon-pollution-transportation

NYSERDA (n.d) Watt Plan, Access on 4/3

https://nyserda.wattplan.com/ev/Results