Energy Sustainability in the United States
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- Date Submitted: 11/08/2011 05:17 AM
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Energy Sustainability in the United States
When a switch is flipped, or a power button depressed, results are expected. Many daily activities rely on electricity. Without energy, drastic changes to human life would have to be hastily made. The electricity that is wired to our houses is taken for granted and the majority of discussions about conserving energy are stemmed from the arrival of the electric bill. People need an increased desire to change the environment to fuel changes in energy sources. Educating ourselves about energy and alternatives is the beginning step to a safer, cleaner, healthier world.
There are several problems surrounding the use of energy and the production of energy. The United States is currently consuming more energy than it produces. Therefore since 1958, according to Science Fact Finder, the United States has been importing the remainder of necessary energy. This process of purchasing extra energy lends to an increase in the cost of energy. Other methods used to obtain energy are through the use of coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power. These are non-renewable resources and there is danger of depleting these resources to an unusable point. This is detrimental to the environment and a solution is currently being demanded worldwide.
Another part of the problem is the pollution which is emitted during the production of electricity. The smoke produced when burning coal at power stations is released into the atmosphere. This increase of waste in the air is a serious contributor to reduced air quality. Air pollution is one of the most difficult pollutions to contain and reduce because the pollutants begin to spread out as soon as they are released. It is important that changes are made to protect air quality because all life on Earth needs air to survive. By reducing energy produced in plants, we will be able to dramatically reduce air pollution.
Nuclear power creates several problems for our environment. Though it is a very...
When a switch is flipped, or a power button depressed, results are expected. Many daily activities rely on electricity. Without energy, drastic changes to human life would have to be hastily made. The electricity that is wired to our houses is taken for granted and the majority of discussions about conserving energy are stemmed from the arrival of the electric bill. People need an increased desire to change the environment to fuel changes in energy sources. Educating ourselves about energy and alternatives is the beginning step to a safer, cleaner, healthier world.
There are several problems surrounding the use of energy and the production of energy. The United States is currently consuming more energy than it produces. Therefore since 1958, according to Science Fact Finder, the United States has been importing the remainder of necessary energy. This process of purchasing extra energy lends to an increase in the cost of energy. Other methods used to obtain energy are through the use of coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power. These are non-renewable resources and there is danger of depleting these resources to an unusable point. This is detrimental to the environment and a solution is currently being demanded worldwide.
Another part of the problem is the pollution which is emitted during the production of electricity. The smoke produced when burning coal at power stations is released into the atmosphere. This increase of waste in the air is a serious contributor to reduced air quality. Air pollution is one of the most difficult pollutions to contain and reduce because the pollutants begin to spread out as soon as they are released. It is important that changes are made to protect air quality because all life on Earth needs air to survive. By reducing energy produced in plants, we will be able to dramatically reduce air pollution.
Nuclear power creates several problems for our environment. Though it is a very...