...General purpose: To persuade Specific purpose: to persuade the audience to support renewable energy Thesis: Renewable energy helps the environment and keeps people healthier than burning fossil fuels. Introduction: I. The United States is the leading consumers of fossil fuels. II. Renewable energy is energy harnessed from nature. Main points: I. The cost of oil is increasing at a very fast rate. a. The price of a barrel of crude oil has quadrupled in the past decade. b. The United States consumes 7.14 billion barrels of oil per year. c. About 57% of U.S. oil is imported from foreign countries. II. The burning of oil and other fossil fuels is harmful to the environment. d. Carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide are two harmful byproducts of burning fossil fuels. e. There are many health risks from breathing in the chemicals formed from burning fossil fuels. III. Renewable energy is much cheaper, more efficient, and cleaner to produce. f. Windmills are one of the cheapest forms of creating energy. g. The production of renewable energy seeks to harness the power of nature to convert into usable energy. h. There is no pollution formed from the creation of renewable energy. Review: I. The world’s fossil fuel supply is not infinite. II. The world is increasingly becoming more polluted from the burning of petroleum and oil. Bibliography Crude Oil FAQs. (2009, November 11). In Energy Information...
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...and broad to summarize it in several sentences. Some people believe that environmental policy refers only to human relationships to nature; they understand that much environmental policy deals with human health concerns (Kraft & Furlong, 2009, p.341). Putting environmental policy even at a broader context, it can be defined as government actions that affect environmental quality and the use of natural resources (Kraft & Furlong, 2009, p.342). There is no doubt that environmental issues are global issues. Entire world is facing important environmental problems that need to be addressed at both state level and collaborative international level. United States alone is “the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels” (www.cia.gov). Besides that air pollution in the United States resulting in acid rains; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and...
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...Fossil Fuel Dependency and Americans Deanna C. Rodeo SOC 120 September 30, 2012 Nada Feldman When the first Industrial Revolution came about in the late18th century, it started in the United Kingdom, and then spread through Europe, North America, and eventually everywhere. Nobody could have known the unseen consequences that the new found technology would use. The Industrial Revolution allowed us to change the way manufacturing, agriculture, mining, transportation and technology were all handled. When the replacement of organic fuels (that were based on wood), changed to the use of fossil fuels (based on coal) during the second Industrial Revolution, no one could have known the devastating effects it would have later. What they did not know was that with the continual use of fossil fuels we would endanger nature, the wildlife that lives in it, and our environment that we live in as well. They also failed to think that we would ever run out and now that our society is built around the use of fossil fuels, we need to come together to devise a plan that will keep our engines running, and the lights on for our children and our grandchildren. Fossil fuels are a non-renewable resource that can take millions of years to form, and the reserves are being used faster than new ones are having time to formulate. Fossil fuels that we mainly rely on would include; coal, natural gas, and most importantly, petroleum. With that said, this paper is going to talk about how our society...
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...hotmail2008 Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 3 Wind Energy Data 5 Analysis 6 Conclusion 8 Bibliography 9 Executive Summary The majority of our nation’s energy is highly dependent on finite fossil energy sources, like coal and oil. Using fossil fuels to create electricity creates emissions that are both harmful to the environment and our health. Renewable energy sources provide a clean and viable long term alternative to fossil fuels. Renewable energy is energy generated by natural resources in the form of solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and tidal waves. Among the diversity of renewable energy, wind energy is the fastest growing power technology in the world. According to the U.S. government Energy Information Administration, the production of wind energy will be at least 20% by the year 2030. This report will prove the validity of this statement by using hypothesis analysis. Hypothesis analysis will reject the null hypothesis that wind energy production will be less then 20% in favor of the alternate hypothesis that states wind energy production will be at least 20% or greater. Introduction The majority of our nation’s energy is produced from the burning of fossil fuels, like coal, oil, and natural gas. Life as we know it and our economy revolves around these finite resources. Unfortunately, with our great demand for energy, especially gasoline, world production of oil has already reached its maximum capacity and seems to...
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...provides a profile of a major wind power company in Canada. Problem Electricity generation produces more pollution than virtually any other single industry in Canada. Pollution, air quality, acid rain, nuclear waste and global warming are the unwanted side effects of traditional power production that endanger the environment. Every day, many fossil fuel consuming contraptions spew out gases that pollute the environment. However, when the fuel supplies for these devices run out, they will grind to a halt. To prevent this, Canada needs to find an alternative to unstable and polluting energy sources. Purpose The purpose of this report is to examine wind energy as alternative energy source and effectiveness at reducing emissions by replacing power generated from fossil fuels. Scope The report will examine wind power as an alternative energy source and nonmarket issues. Wind power usage in Canada has been growing at a significant rate in the past few years and has generated considerable interest in industry, government and the public. Introduction As a renewable energy source, wind power is gaining popularity as an alternative to fossil fuel, nuclear and hydro power generation. In Canada, provinces are required to achieve 15% of their energy consumption from wind by 2012 as provinces...
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...is one of the most controversial issues as far as the use of different sources of energy and their impact on earth are concerned. Environmentalist, for a long time, have suggests that the greatest contributor to the high rates of pollution are the different energy sources with the leading pollutants resulting from the increased use of fossil fuels such as oil. Apart from environmental concerns, different sources of energy have different impact on the economy, the health of the users and they also have different efficiencies (Maugeri, 2010). For a long time, environmentalists have advocated for the adoption of natural gas as a replacement of oil. However, there are several constraints to this...
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...Causes and Solutions People and other living beings depend on natural resources for food, shelter, and protection, as well as for generating energy and all the products we manufacture. With current consumption patterns, people are using these resources at an unsustainable rate. Many resources are at risk of becoming depleted, which can be understood in a term of resource depletion. ‘Therefore, resource depletion refers to the condition when all natural resources such as fossil fuels, groundwater, forests, minerals, cropland soils, marine fisheries, and other natural resources available, have been exhausted within a region.’(Magdoff, 2013) The issue is followed up by the problems of imbalance in nature, shortage of materials, struggle for existence, and slackening of economic growth as well. So, resource depletion can severely damage ecosystems, the environment, the atmosphere, and many other important aspects of the Earth. As said in ‘2011 United Nations Environment Programme Report, humanity will demand 140 billion tons of minerals, ores, fossil fuels and biomass every year by 2050, which is far beyond what the Earth can supply’(Theworldcounts.com, n.d.). Therefore, there is a high risk that after years from now, humanity will not be able to find the resources needed for its existence, if the following problem will not be solved right now. The main causes of resource depletion include unequal distribution of resources, technological and industrial development, agricultural development...
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...that has made it difficult to sustain itself. Mankind has entered in a race against time trying to find alternatives to alleviate some the demands we have this earth and one that comes to mind is alternative energy resources. With oil at an all time high researchers have been searching for alternatives energy sources. The question is: are alternative energy sources the answer to ending human dependence on oil? Although oil has a negative impact on our environment, oil is here to stay as many countries rely on it financially. Investing time and money in alternate energy source has potential rewards for the consumer and ultimately the sustainability of our planet. The possibility of being able to replace a fossil fuel such as oil would be a turn of the century. Fossil fuels are non-renewable in which it cannot be replace or replaced a very slow rate. Once it is used it is all gone (Turk & Bensel, 2011). At the rate of oil being used it is unable to replace itself in the natural process. Not only is there so much oil that can be used, but eliminating oil would have positive impact on our planet. Emissions from our vehicles have caused global warming which in return has decreased the amount of fresh water available for survival. Alternatives for replacing oil also come with a price. For example: take into consideration the Honda Accord hybrid car (one of many hybrids available to the public). It reduces the emission released into our atmosphere and...
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...economic costs and low social acceptability. Low environmental impacts of nuclear power stem from the lack of fossil fuels it produces, nuclear is a very clean energy and the only waste products caused by it are water vapour and toxic waste from atom splitting. However this toxic waste is very dangerous due to its high radioactivity, and takes thousands of years to become non-toxic. Leakages from nuclear waste can have very serious impacts on the environment and people affected, such as in March 2014 when the only long-term geologic repository for nuclear waste in the United States suffered a radiation leak, with the initial report showing that 13 workers tested positive for radioactive contamination. However, aside from the waste, nuclear is a very clean recyclable energy as the atoms used to cause the reaction can be reused several times before they run out of energy. Nuclear power has low social acceptability partially due to the risk of leaks from toxic waste which can cause terminal illnesses such as cancer. Risk also stems from accidents or malfunctions causing meltdowns, which cause large areas to become susceptible to high radioactivity, affecting thousands, and making places un-livable. Accidents such as the 1986 Chernobyl incident in Ukraine caused an estimated 4000 deaths, although this figure is still debated over. Thirdly, many of the public worry about the risk that a terrorist attack on a nuclear power plant could have. Nuclear power has high economic costs due...
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...Gas Investment Appraise In an energy-oriented world, demand for fossil fuel is on a steady rise. The danger associated with the looming oil crisis creates the need for investment in natural gas. Current deposits of oil are dwindling, and alternatives are under scrutiny. Initial cash outlay for natural gas prospecting is high. The investments eventually pay off because the lucrative market for natural gas is booming as an alternative fuel (IAEE, 2012). Postulated figures indicate that growth in this sector of the energy market is set to hit unprecedented levels when the feasibility of oil cannot be vouched (IEA, 2012). Prospecting for energy in deep-seated seams of the earth is a costly affair; in terms of cash outlay and environmental impact. In view of this, financial appraisal is necessary to establish the viability of a project. Suitable appraisal tools applied to estimation and ascertainment of the required financial resources offer necessary effort. In order to justify the sinking of funds to a risky venture, precision is required to ensure that confidence levels guarantee the investment a healthy return. (Kalter, 1973) The difficulty involved in prospecting for energy reserves and inaccuracy of equipment involved can lead to devastating losses. This happens in sunk costs if a company fails to acquire the energy reserves it aims to drill. Feasibility studies consider the impact of several aspects on the project. The internal environment is governed...
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...Thesis statement: Research shows that it would be beneficial for alternative energy sources to replace the use of fossil fuels, because they will provide a cleaner environment, are unlimited, and are more reliable. Annotated Bibliography Bhattacharjee, A. (2012). Everything You Need to Know About The Types of Renewable Energy. Retrieved January 23, 2016, from https://brainmass.com/ebooks/TypesOfRenewableEnergy The book gives the reader a clear and concise view of the alternative energy options. Each form of renewable energy is defined and talked about. The book discusses the history, current technology, and advantages as well as disadvantages of each form of renewable energy. The author, Anindita Bhattacha, has studied at the National Institute of Technology, Silchar, India as well as the New York Institute of Technology, USA. Her areas of specialty are earth sciences, engineering, and mathematics. Her education gives her credibility for this book. The book cites many professional and peer-reviewed articles and journals. These sources discuss the various forms of renewable energy and discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of many forms of renewable energy. These sources also discuss fossil fuel use, and how the use of these fuels impact our lives. The book will be used to discuss the relevant research on the benefits of renewable energy and how these sources are unlimited, and clean for the environment. Delavaripour, H., &...
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...the whole affair. California’s as well the world’s dependence upon fossil fuels, largely oil and natural gas has only contributed to the increase in carbon in the atmosphere hastening climate change and its effects. It is with this knowledge that therefore California must look towards means of alleviating its contributions to climate change as well as fighting it. The state of California along with the entire United States of America, must shift from the dependence on fossil fuel and non-renewable energy to renewable energy sources by the year 2050 to deal with the...
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...JGE236 MDG Assigment By: Saarangan Yogarasa, Nick Priore and Sarah Jeong Introduction: The planet that is home to all known life in the universe has been facing hardships since its formation almost five billion years ago. However, the rapid evolution and advancement of the human race has put the Earth through its greatest challenge yet. The last few centuries saw the Earth undergo massive irreversible damage at the hands of the human race. Although previous attempts were made at dealing with the problem of environmental damage and the non-sustainable use of resources, none were as clear-cut and globally united as the Millennium Development Goals. The Millennium Development Goals, hereafter referred to as the MDG, was signed by all 193 members of the United Nations. The MDG focuses on a wide range of human problems; from poverty and health to environmental damage and the non-sustainability of the current resource usage (Nations, 2010). This was so important because it was the first time that so many nations united together to attempt to solve the world’s biggest problems. Although a lot of the set targets were very ambitious, they were certainly within the realm of reality with proper funding and planning. The following report proposes a plan to carry out a sub-section of one of the goals in one region of the world. Although it would be a very small scale when considering all the goals of the MDG and all the regions of the world, it would provide a morale booster that shows...
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...raw material. Reduced benign emissions is process that benefits the community through reduced pollution and also increases profits for a company by waste reduction. Open communication shows a business’s transparency and investment in its stakeholders, by business being open to their operations the stakeholders feel a sense in confidence of a business’ operations. Resource efficient transportation and logistics which looks at aspects of improving air quality, using hybrid vehicles and the careful planning of positioning factories close to their customers, results in more sustainable logistical operations. Renewable Energy, with a strong prominence on photovoltaic cells, creates a long term solution to the rising costs of diminishing fossil fuels. Photovoltaic energy systems use no moving parts and convert solar energy directly into electricity, which is the most adaptable form of power also resulting in less carbon emissions in comparison to coal...
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...University of Phoenix SCI 275 May 11, 2014 Community Environmental Issue The main issue in the state of Ohio would be power plants. There is one really big power plant that my grandfather has worked at for the past 28 years of his life. He states that they have currently started changing things up so that it is more environmentally safe for our environment. This paper is about the power plant issue and how it is an environmental sustainability issue, and who it will affect, what causes the issue, and how the government can regulate or not regulate it, and the solutions that can be proposed to help with this issue. The issue is that power plants cause many additional problems to the environment just so people can have electricity. Fossil fuel-fired power plants are the nation’s largest source of carbon dioxide, the leading global warming pollutant” (Environment Ohio Research & Policy Center, 2013). “In the United States, warmer temperatures caused by global warming have already increased the frequency and severity of heat waves and heavy downpours, resulting in more intense wildfires, floods, droughts, and tropical storms and hurricanes” (Environment Ohio Research & Policy Center, 2013). “In 2011, power plants were responsible for 42 percent of all U.S. global warming pollution” (Environment Ohio Research & Policy Center, 2013). “Power plants use water for cooling, reducing the amount of water available for irrigation, wildlife, recreation or domestic use” (Environment Ohio...
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