Our World vs. Energy
Our world is fighting most forms of energy. Energy and the world want to help us, yet energy is
hurting our world. Most energy is producing bad things for our world; nevertheless I believe there is
another way of gaining energy from other known sources that is both efficient and health for life
everywhere. This source or sources can be fundamental for us, animals, and life. This source can be coal,
oil, natural gas, nuclear energy, wind power, hydroelectricity, solar power, geothermal energy, and
biomass.
Coal is a solid black rock made of carbon, and is a nonrenewable resource. Coal is only good in
its last stage. In any of its other stages coal creates is cheap and found easily, yet it produces massive
amounts of carbon dioxide while producing little heat. In its last stage heat produced is moderate and
burns for a long period of time without so much carbon dioxide. The bad thing about this last stage is
that it is expensive and found deep underground so big industries do not use this stage of coal. So this
fossil fuel should not be use because it produces plenty of carbon dioxide or the cost is high.
Oil or petroleum is the black liquid fossil fuel that powers most of the world which is bad. Oil
produces a lot of heat, but it produces the same amount of carbon dioxide. It is the leader of global
warming. It is also very expensive. We have to borrow money from other counties to buy oil from them.
There is also a chance of an oil spill while transporting such liquid. The BP oil spill just a few months back
destroyed the ocean wild life. Oil is nonrenewable so there will be no more oil in America until a billion
years later. So as you can see we cannot rely on oil forever.
Natural gas is the cleanness of the fossil fuels. It creates a lot of heat with a low carbon dioxide
rate. It is very flammable which means if there is too much gas in a room just one flame can destroy a
room. Natural gas is found in pockets underground which makes them a bit hard to find. It cannot be
our source because it is nonrenewable and that if we all used it would create so much carbon dioxide
that we would die of overheating.
Nuclear energy has two methods. Nuclear fission splits an atom to create a nuclear rod that
produces high amounts of heat. This heat is placed in water to create steam that turns a turbine that
turns the generator that creates electricity. This does not produce carbon dioxide, but does affect life.
The water is extremely hot as it comes out of the power plant. This water has no oxygen that the fish in
the river or stream need to survive. After the rods are used up they are nuclear until a thousand years.
Also if a meltdown occurs nuclear activity will destroy countries and affect the world. The other method
is fusion. It is the same thing, but the rods are made by the union of nuclei to produce heat. This method
is unstable and dangerous to perform. Nether method should be used because of what could happen if
these power plants start to meltdown.
Wind power is safe power. It is only 1% of the world’s energy even though it could be more and
it should. It is useful on windy days or windy places such as mountain air, ocean breezes, or in the midnorth. We should use it but only if it is windy most of the time otherwise it will only be useful some of
the time.
Hydroelectricity is a form of electricity that happens when water turns the wheel to turn the
generator to create electricity. Dams are where hydroelectricity happens. These can be used on any
flowing river, yet most have already been dammed. We should use this as another one of our sources.
Solar energy is like a plant. The sun’s energy is gathered on panels. The panels convert that
sunlight into energy that becomes electricity. Usually you can find devices such as a calculator to have it
installed on it. There are also other versions of solar energy such as letting the sun heat your house or
heat water to create steam to turn the turbines to turn the generator to create electricity. Solar energy
is useful anywhere other than caves or cloudy places. That means that we should use these forms of
energy.
Geothermal energy involves magma. When a pocket of magma is found you can send tubes
down. One tube will shot out water. When the water is close to the magma steam rises, and another
tube will collect the steam which will turn the turbine to turn the generator to produce electricity. This is
safe, yet it is found deep underground. We should use this as there are lots of them near volcanoes.
Biomass is burning garbage or plants to create be converted into other things such as ethanol or
electricity. This energy produces some carbon dioxide and produces a certain amount of the desired
outcome. This should not be used because it produces some amount of carbon dioxide and judging by
what sort of outcome you want my not be worth it.
I have stated what can be done and how fossil fuels, nuclear energy, and biomass are bad. I have
also said that wind power, hydroelectric, solar power, and geothermal power can be supportive to us,
our world, and energy.
Justin Glazman