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Posted on Feb 28, 2007
CONFIRMED: The burning of fossil fuels and coal is the cause of global warming & climate change.
   
On February 6, 2007, the Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change released a report that declared human activity as one of the main reasons for climate change. The group of international scientists were 90% percent sure of the correlation. Until this point, climate change could have been attributed to natural variations of the earth, instead of man’s influences, notably the burning of fossil fuels.
FOSSIL FUEL FACTS
•Formed by the decomposition of organisms within the earth
Non-renewable energy source –they will eventually run out
85% of the United States’ energy comes from the combustion of fossil fuels.
99% of the fuel that powers our cars, buses, and trucks is oil.
In the United States, more than 90% of greenhouse emissions come from the burning of fossil fuels.
Carbon emissions from fossil fuels is the leading causes of global warming
The Energy Information Administration estimates that the world will be emitting 43,676 million metric tons of carbon dioxide by 2030, up from 25,028 in 2003.
Emits nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, heavy metals, and even radioactive substances—these are very dangerous to our health!!!
Fossil fuels aren’t burning themselves. The world is being damaged and abused through HUMAN actions. We need to HURRY UP AND DO SOMETHING TO FIX IT.
As the truth behind fossil fuels has crystallized, the world has looked to other alternative sources for energy. This has spawned huge leaps in technology in order to find the cleanest and most efficient way to tap the earth’s resources. Some of the contenders:
Wind Power:
Created when the rotation of a turbine generates an electrical current through an electrical generator.
Clean and renewable!
Wind potential of U.S estimated at twice the amount of total electricity generated today
Wind is inconsistent—a wind turbine runs 60% to 80% of the time, in an average year, it generates only 30% to 35% percent of what it would generate if it always ran at full power.
Wind power created enough electricity within the United States in 2006 to serve more than 2.3 million homes. However, this represents only .06% of total electricity generated
Solar Power:
When sunlight is converted to electricity through solar panels.
•Zero pollution
anels can be put up in a variety of places, ocean vessels, satellites, cars, and remote locations. Check out this solar handbag!
Low operating costs
Inefficient, need lots of surface area
Hydropower:
When the movement of water turns a turbine, thus generating electricity.
•Most efficient source of energy
Renewable
Converts 90% of available energy into electricity, compared to 50% of fossil fuel plants
Hydroelectric plants created with dams, help with irrigation and flood control
Large plants damage surrounding ecosystem and river make up
China has the installed capacity for 416,700 giga-watt-hour of energy, compared to the United States’ 260,400 GWh.
Nuclear Energy:
Use of controlled nuclear reactions to produce heat and generate electricity
Clean!
Provides 20% of U.S. electricity
No greenhouse gases!
Sustainable energy source
Risk of accident (see Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant)
Creates nuclear waste, which can only be stored or reprocessed, stays radioactive for long periods of time, danger from disposal leakage
Plutonium, used in nuclear reactors, can be used to create nuclear bombs
Nuclear plants very expensive to build
High maintenance costs—security, safety measures, etc
Alternative fuels are becoming more efficient, more common, and more necessary than ever before. As technology improves, it will be easier to implement these changes in the world around us, not only for our economic benefit, but rather, more importantly, to cut carbon emissions. We know the problem. We know how we can help solve it. The facts are here – it’s no joke – now what are we going to do about it?!
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SOURCES & REFERENCES:
Global warming called 'unequivocal' - Europe - International Herald Tribune
Cleaner consumption and the low-carbon life Health & Science - International Herald Tribune
Wikipedia - Fossil Fuel
US Energy Information Administration
Department of Energy, Climate Change
The Wall Street Journal, Monday, February 12, 2007. “The new math of alternative-power sources” Rebecca Smith
Solar Power
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