Greenhouse Emissions
“The EPA…declared that carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases sent off by cars and many industrialized plants “endanger public health and welfare,” setting the stage for regulating them under federal clean air laws,” (Writer, 2009). An EPA analysis confirmed that emissions of greenhouse gases are a serious problem. Science points to man-made pollution as a cause of global warming and emissions contribute to climate change.
Renewable energy comes from natural resources like sun, rain, wind, tides, and geothermal heat that renew themselves (Renewable Energy Cost). Solar power is expensive, requires regular maintenance, may work for 25-30 years, if properly maintained, and can be harmful, depending on the geographic location. It works depending on the geographic location and the light of the sun. Wind energy is less expensive than solar, can lessen electric bills by 50-90%, and don’t require much maintenance. There would be problems when there is no wind. Micro hydro, small scale hydroelectric powers do not harm the environment and requires 2 gallons of water per minute to operate. Using hydroelectric powers is the same thing as trading one resource for another because of the huge amount of water it would take to operate these systems. The large scale hydroelectric powers harm the environmental systems. Geothermal is maintenance free, lasts 25-50 years, is built underground and works on heat underground.
A World Energy Authority would need substantial funding to be on a global basis. Underdeveloped countries probably would not have the means of funding renewable energy because of it being expensive. The belief systems of the different cultures would also be a major deficit to the idea, more especially combined with the poverty levels in some countries. Renewable energy may be an alternative solution to an extent, but there is a question to whether it is really cost effective to the extent of saving money and environment. Some geographic locations do not get the right amount of sunlight, wind, and inlands do not have the advantage of the tides. The question of the maintenance of some of the systems is also a factor.
There is substantial evidence that proves that emissions of greenhouse gases are causing climate change and global warming. It is a serious problem that will need strict standards to be enforced to even begin to at least put limits on the amounts of these gases emitted into the air. Strict standards that are strongly enforced with strong consequences would help in making the emissions not worth the consequences, more especially where industrial business is concerned.
Renewable energy sources may be natural alternatives, but there are still the questions of cost effectiveness and the limitations where some geographic locations would not be able to participate. Renewable energy products would create some industrial business that would build economic conditions, but the question of the affordability with initial costs of buying the products and installing them coupled with the maintenance would be out of reach for undeveloped countries as well as many in industrialized nations, even where the governments are concerned.
Setting strict standards is a more economical approach to the problem of greenhouse emissions. By setting strict standards, it not only limits the amount of greenhouse gases into the air, but also assists in raising public awareness of the environmental problems that everybody could participate in reducing the damages being done. Where the greenhouse emissions are a major factor, the questions of land and water resources also are made aware of because the damages affect all these resources. Setting strict standards and building public awareness of these issues and what each person can do to limit them is more cost effective for society as a whole, even on a global basis.
Bibliography
Renewable Energy Cost. (n.d.). Retrieved from Renewable Energy Blog: http://www.solarpowerwindenergy.org/renewable-energy-cost/
Writer, D.N. (2009, Apr 17). In major shift: EPA citess ‘overwhelming’ evidence of greenhouse gas dangers, paving way for new laws. Retrieved from NY Daily News: http://articles.nydailynews.com/2009-04-17/news/17920962_1_clean-air-act-greenhouse-gases-climate-change
