In recent news, due to COVID-19, oil prices have dropped dramatically to become priced at $-30 a barrel. Yes, that's right, companies are now paying for you to come take the oil off their hands because they can't store it anywhere. With no place left to go, refiners are curtailing output and in danger of shutting down. The more refineries that shut down, but the steeper the drop in crude demand. While the US and other major countries have financial cushions, more developing countries are falling behind and are collapsing. All of this chaos made me think about how we got here in the first place and what we can do next.
It all started back in the 1800's when new energy resources became aware to the public and many companies began to capitalize and farm on those resources. It wouldn't be until many decades later when the world finally realized what environmental impacts these resources came with. Coal and Oil were among the resources used and quickly began polluting the air, water, and destroying a lot of habitats for species of all kinds. When coal is burned it releases a number of airborne toxins and pollutants. They include mercury, lead, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulates, and various other heavy metal. Oil spills in the water can destroy insulating ability of mammals, poison their drinking water, and destroy the water repelling feathers on birds.
Fossil fuels are being used at a rate millions of times faster than the rate at which they were produced, making them nonrenewable for all practical purposes. This is a serious problem because the infrastructure of industrial society is entirely dependent on oil and its derivatives. However, laws passed like the Enactment of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act creates the framework for the management of hazardous waste. The Epa has control of the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste.
With so many new regulations on fossil fuels, people began to look for other ways of cleaner and more reusable energy. Hydropower was the first source people came upon, and then came wind and solar energy with it. These renewable resources allowed us to stay further away from the need of oil or coal. In addition, many advantages come with renewable energy such as that it won't run out, numerous environmental benefits, lower reliance on foreign energy, and maintenance requirements are lower.
Now it all comes down the the advantages and disadvantages of each energy sources.
Renewable advantages:
- Doesn't run out
- Numerous environmental health benefits
- Lower reliance on foreign energy
- maintenance requirements are lower
Renewable Disadvantages
- Higher upfront cost
- low storage capabilities
- geogrpahic limitations
- Intermittency
Non-renewable Advantages
- abundant (for now)
- affordable
- easier to use
- produce more power
Non-renewable Disadvantages
- can't be revitalized or replaced
- harmful to wildlife and habitats
- dangerous and cause respiratory problems to humans
- pollution from sources destroys ozone layer
From seeing all of these advantages and disadvantages, what do you think the better option will be? why? How do you think we can sway consumers and companies over to more clean energy sources? What will happen when we run out of fossil fuels?
2 comments:
I think consumers can be swayed by education. At least us realizing early on in elementary schools that fossil fuels are unsustainable without renewable/other forms of energy is a HUGE step forward from previous generations. I think projects, such as Elon Musk's Starlink Satellite System, will be extremely beneficial to educating the WHOLE world. Developing nations need the correct information early on to avoid becoming fossil-fuel dependent as they industrialized, so something as basic as broadband internet for their people should allow for cleaner, long-term innovation. Meanwhile, 1st world countries need to do our part to develop renewable infrastructure for future generations.
Currently, it seems like the dependence on non-renewable resources stems from the fact that most appliances, vehicles, and utilities function on oil or oil. In recent years, more alternative sources of power have been introduced and now people can have more of a say if they want to use renewable or non-renewable sources to power their homes, automobiles, and other appliances. For example, solar panels have grown to become popular form of energy that many households have decided to invest in. However, because of the expense of installing these panels, many people do not have the means to switch to this form on renewable energy. I think the most important thing to do in order for renewable energy to become more prevalent is for it to become more accessible to everyone. If the prices can become manageable to middle class families, we will see a surge in use of renewable resources.
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