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What We Can Do to Improve Energy Use

In the “Caffeine of the World” blog series we covered several ways we are producing energy in a world with a high demand for it. We began looking at the most used and known resource, fossil fuels. As time has gone by and research advances, people realized the many harms of fossil fuels on the environment. This knowledge began to raise the popularity of cleaner energy sources.

Biomass, solar and wind energy are a few of the common clean energy sources, and the ones we explored in the series. While digging deeper into local cases in Minnesota where clean energy is being practiced we saw how much of a necessity energy is, how people around us are trying to improve the issues, and how energy can bring communities together.

We also learned that each energy source contributes negatively in the environment someway. From damaging land, polluting the atmosphere, destroying habitats and more. The only way to reduce and minimize these issues is to take steps as individuals in limiting our own energy use and practicing our energy use efficiently.

HOW CAN I IMPROVE?

40% of the total energy in the United States is being used to generate electricity (1). The United States Environmental Protection Agency provides a couple ways in which individuals can improve their energy usage. The first way is to simply become more energy efficient-delivering the same amount of everyday services you need with less energy (1). You can do this by upgrading you lighting in your house to LED bulbs as they require less wattage and lasts longer than other types of light bulbs.

(ebay.com, 2018)

Another simple way to be more energy efficient is sealing and insulating your home. This can reduce air conditioning needs in warmer months and heating needs in the cool months (and we all know we experience both in MN!). You can also help improve environmental issues of energy use by educating yourself!

The Environmental Protection Agency started a program called, “Energy Star”, that provides many tips and resources on how you can reduce energy usage in many aspects of your life. Getting involved with programs like Energy Star can be a big help to reduce your energy use in the ways that best fit your needs.

(achrnews.com, 2018)

Thank you for viewing the Caffeine of the World blog series! I hope you enjoyed learning about the different ways energy is provided for us, the way our energy use needs impact the environment around us and start thinking about the steps you can take to be more energy efficient.

References:

1. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Energy and the Environment: Reduce the Environmental Impact of Your Energy Use. https://www.epa.gov/energy/reduce-environmental-impact-your-energy-use (accessed Nov. 6, 2018)

2. Energy Star. Energy Efficiency. https://www.energystar.gov/ (accessed Nov. 6, 2018)

November 10, 2018

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MN Wind Energy

Throughout this blog series we have explored different ways energy is produced in our world and local stories that connect us to them. In this blog we will be taking a look at the final energy producer of discussion-wind energy and specific cases in Minnesota.

ST.CLOUD, MN

Energy production cases don’t always involve the simple use of the specific energy producer, it can involve having an important part in allowing the producer to be accessible for others. In the year of 2000 Anderson Trucking Services, located in St. Cloud, MN, saw the promising potential of wind energy, so they decided to invest in transporting components of wind turbines. Vice president of Anderson Trucking commented in the documentary by The Power of Minnesota, “We saw the birth of a new industry, and we saw an industry poised to grow very rapidly, so we made strategic investments into equipment and that helped to position us to become the market leader in wind”(1).

Today 30% of Anderson Trucking Services revenue comes from wind turbine component transportation as they have hauled more than 190,000 parts (1). And they now provide ⅓ of the nations wind energy component loads (1).

(powerofmn.com, 2018)

… AND DULUTH, MN

Another important location for transporting wind energy components is the Port of Duluth. In 2011, Port of Duluth reached 1 million tons of wind turbine components shipped throughout the midwest and globally (1). Wind components are shipped into the port from European countries, and manufactured parts are shipped out to Spain, Brazil, and Chile (1).

(greatlakesseaway.org, 2018)

MAHTOMEDI, MN

In 2006, parents at a chilly soccer game in the stadium of Mahtomedi high school discussed how great it would be if there was a wind turbine taking advantage of the chilly winds and producing energy.  Not long after, a group of parents formed the Mahtomedi Area Green Initiative to advocate for the installation of a wind turbine (2).

In 2011 a 10kW, 120 ft wind turbine stood on the end of the athletic field, powering the stadium lights, and the scoreboard (2). The action of installing this turbine not only allowed the community to practice green energy, it brought the community together. There were many educational opportunities included wind turbine discussion in the K-12 Mahtomedi engineering leadership program, and science lessons began to incorporate the topic of wind energy.

(mn.gov, 2012)

COMING UP NEXT…

In our final blog we will briefly summarize the series of “Caffeine of the World”, and look at how we as individuals can help with the environmental issue of energy use.

References:

The Power of Minnesota. The Stories: Poised for Growth. https://www.powerofmn.com/stories/poisedforgrowth/ (accessed Oct 31, 2018)

Minnesota Commerce Department. Success Stories: Mahtomedi Zephyr Wind Project. https://mn.gov/commerce/media/blog/success-stories/#/detail/appId/2/id/78911

November 5, 2018

[envirocaringcara-blog]

Wind Energy

In this blog we will be going over our final energy producer, wind. Wind energy is becoming very popular in the world of energy production as it has the potential to produce significant amounts of energy without causing harm to the environment.

WHAT IS WIND ENERGY?

The American Wind Energy Association defines wind energy as, “the process of creating electricity using the wind, or air flows that occur naturally in the earth’s atmosphere”(1). There are three common forms in which wind turbines occur. The utility scale produces 100+KW that is delivered to the power grid, and eventually provided to user electric utilities. Distributed Wind produces below 100KW that is used to power small companies or individual homes. Finally, offshore wind is wind turbines that are placed in large bodies of water. This allows the turbines to be made very large, producing a lot more energy.

(fool.com, 2017)

HOW DOES WIND ENERGY WORK?

Wind turbines are most commonly made with 2-3 blades that are placed facing into the wind (upwind blades), or away from the wind (downwind blades). The blades are spun by the power of the wind on a rotor connected to a generator, creating electricity.

There are several parts that make up a wind turbine. On the inside of the rotor is a low shaft that spins 30-60 RPM, and a high shaft that spins 1000-180 RPM. Connecting these two parts is a gear box, the largest part of the wind turbine. There is also a anemometer that measures wind speeds and records data. A controller allows the wind turbine to operate during nothing less than 16mph winds, and nothing more than 55 mph winds. The wind vane measures the direction of the wind and communicate how the wind turbine should be oriented due to the wind direction. Lastly, the tower is the “base” of the whole product, the higher the tower the more the wind, resulting in more energy.

(insideclimatenews.org, 2018)

HOW WIND ENERGY RELATES TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE OF ENERGY USE

As mentioned in the beginning of the blog, wind energy has very minimal environmental impacts. The greatest environmental affect wind energy can have relates to wildlife and habitat. It causes an increase of deaths in bird, sea birds and bats due to their large height and size. The installation of wind turbines may require other components such as: service roads, transmission lines, substation, control stations, and meteorological towers (4). Through the construction of all these components there is a significant disturbance in the land surface.

(christaylorphoto.co.uk, 2016)

COMING UP NEXT…

We will explore certain cases where wind energy was used around Minnesota!

References:

1. American Wind Energy Association. Basic of Wind Energy: What is Wind Energy. https://www.awea.org/wind-101/basics-of-wind-energy (accessed Oct 30, 2018)

2. U.S. Department of Energy.  How Does a Wind Turbine Work. https://www.energy.gov/maps/how-does-wind-turbine-work (accessed Oct 30, 2018)

3. USGS: Science for a Changing World: What are the Environmental Impacts of Wind Power. https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-are-environmental-impacts-wind-power?qt-news_science_products=0#qt-news_science_products (accessed Oct 30, 2018)

4. Union of Concerned Scientist. Environmental Impacts of Wind Power. https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-energy/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-wind-power#.W9j0nRNKjBJ (accessed Oct 30, 2018)

November 2, 2018

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MN Cases of Solar Energy

When researching cases in Minnesota where solar energy is currently in use for energy production, I came across a company called “The Power of MN.” The purpose of this company is to share stories of individuals and companies who are using clean energy. They share these stories through events and screenings of a documentary that demonstrates clean energy use in communities throughout the state of Minnesota. In this blog we will be exploring two cases that were apart of The Power of MN’s documentary for using solar energy as their clean energy producer.

DULUTH, MINNESOTA

Located in the well known and beautiful city of Duluth, is an organization known as the “American Indian Community Housing Organization” (AICHO). On one of the AICHO buildings, the Dr.Robert Powless Cultural Center, is a 16-Kilowatt system of solar panels, placed underneath a mural of an Ojibwe woman.

AICHO’s arts and cultural coordinator commented on this arrangement, “There’s this idea in Anishinaabe culture of always thinking in terms of seven generations ahead and taking care of them, even though you may not meet them,”(1). AICHO acted on the opportunity to install an array of solar panels as they recently began building programs focusing on how having a resilient culture can strengthen the health of our natural environment (1). Adding to solar panels their organization would be a perfect compliment for their new visions. There rooftop now includes a garden, a rainwater collection system, and an outdoor kitchen. The solar system they now have will save them $15,000 each year for the next 30 years. The money they save from the solar panels will go to Native Americans in need throughout the city of Duluth.

(businessnorth.com, 2018)

NORTH MINNEAPOLIS

The Shilon Temple in North Minneapolis very recently installed 630 solar panels on their rooftop in the spring of 2018(2). This project allowed the temple not only to put clean energy into practice, it allowed them to play our there mission of serving underserved communities around them(2).

Shilon Temple worked with a company called IPS Solar. This company creates job opportunities for indigenous communities and people of color through the installation of solar panels. The solar panels that were placed on the rooftop of the Shilon Temple have the ability to provide energy to house of the Hennepin county along with several other neighboring counties. Similar to the case before this project has the potential to save money for many members of the community that decides to obtain the energy for their houses from the solar array of the Shilon Temple.

(ips-solar.com, 2018)

THE POWER OF SOLAR ENERGY

Through looking at these two cases in MN, it can be seen that solar energy has a positive impact on the environment and the involved communities. AICHO and The Shilon Temple both decided to incorporate solar energy into their company not just because it can benefit the environment, but it delivers opportunities and a sense of connectedness to the communities they are apart of.

COMING UP NEXT…

In the next couple blogs we will be exploring wind power as an energy producer, and where it can the success stories it has brought locally.

References:

1.The Power of Minnesota. The Stories: A Natural Fit, Duluth. https://www.powerofmn.com/stories/a-natural-fit/ (accessed Oct 29, 2018)

2.The Power of Minnesota. The Stories: Powering Neighborhoods, North Minneapolis. https://www.powerofmn.com/stories/poweringneighborhoods/ (accessed Oct 29, 2018)

October 29, 2018

[envirocaringcara-blog]

Solar Energy

In this blog series we have been going through how the world obtains it’s high demand of energy through several different sources. In the next couple posts we will be covering the energy source of solar energy: what it is, the way it relates to the environmental issue of energy use, and some local cases of people using the solar energy source.

WHAT IS SOLAR ENERGY?

National Geographic defines solar energy as technology used to harness the sun’s energy to make it useable for the demand of energy on earth (1).  You may have seen solar panels on homes or even in you hand at school on your calculator during a math class. Solar energy has become of great interest in terms of energy production. According to the Union of Concerned Scientist, just 18 days of sunshine on earth contains the same amount of energy as what is stored in all of the reserves of coal, oil, and natural gas around the globe (2).

(edx.org, 2018)

HOW DOES SOLAR ENERGY WORK?

It does seem like a crazy concept that you can capture sunlight and make energy for human use through a panel of metal. It is what’s on the inside and on top of the panels that make it all work.

Solar panels contain photovoltaic cells, or PV cells. These cells harness energy given off by the sun, known as the photoelectric effect (2). PV cells are made of silicon crystals enhanced with elements such as boron and phosphorus. These elements allow two oppositely charged conductor layers to be in place, which is needed to produce the electricity. When sunlight hits the PV cells it forces electrons to move through the oppositely charged layers-creating an energy flow in the panels(2).

There are three types of PV cells: Single crystal cells, polycrystalline cells, and thin film cells Single crystal cells  have the highest efficiency and can have the ability to convert the most energy(2). And thin film cells are interesting because they involve spreading many cells through the panel in the form of a film, instead of placing each cell individually.

PV cell. (theunitedsolar.com, 2017)

SOLAR ENERGY and the environmental issue of ENERGY USE

Solar energy is a growing source of energy production due to its many positive characteristics on the environment. It doesn’t create any air pollution, water pollution, or greenhouse gases, and allows us to away from the sources that deliver those effects(3). Solar energy is also renewable due to the fact that the sun’s energy and light will not be running out anytime soon.

However like every other energy source, solar energy does have its negative effects on the environment. The PV cells in solar panels are often made with toxic materials and chemicals, and the thermal systems within the panels can leak hazardous fluids during the transferring of heat. This can lead to contamination of the soil or water around the soil panel. In systems such as solar fields, where many panels are placed in one large area, they require a great amount of construction and clearing of the land. This can create long term effects on native plants and animals in the specific area. Solar panels often have to be cleaned for best efficiency therefore they need a large amount of water use. And lastly, the beams of light that “solar power towers” create can kill insects and birds due to the intense heat they give off(3).

Solar Panel Field. (youtube.com, Tony Lee Glenn, 2018)

COMING UP NEXT...

Next blog we will be taking a look at local cases of solar energy being used as the a main source of energy production. 

References: 

1. National Geographic. Solar Energy: What is Solar Power. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/solar-power/?user.testname=photogallery:2 (accessed Oct 25, 2018).

2. Union of Concerned Scientists. How Solar Panels Work: The Components of a PV Cell. https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-energy/renewable-energy/how-solar-panels-work#.W9HhyhNKjBJ(accessed Oct 25, 2018).

3. U.S. Energy Information Administration. Solar Explained: Solar Energy and the Environment. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/?page=solar_environment (accessed Oct 25, 2018). 

October 25, 2018

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MN Biomass Cases

The amount of energy use around the world is substantial, and it continues to increase. Energy use can impact environments throughout the globe in many ways. As people become more aware of these impacts they begin to explore new ways of “greener” energy sources, such as biomass. It’s important to put these topics into context. In the blog we will be going over three cases in Minnesota documented by the state of Minnesota DNR, and Dove Tail Inc. 

MINNESOTA POWER-POWER PLANTS

Minnesota Power is an energy generating company of Minnesota. You may have seen one of their corporate buildings while driving through downtown Duluth. Minnesota Power was recognized in the New York Times for their strategy of “co-firing” wood and coal to reduce the amount of harmful emissions (1). Way back when, all of the power produced by Minnesota Power came from coal. The currently have a new goal to have their power come from ⅓ renewable, like wood, and ⅓ natural gas (2). Their main motivation is to reduce the high carbon emissions from coal. As we discussed in the last blog about biomass, using wood as fuel still releases harmful emissions into the atmosphere, but when you replenish new plants from the ones used for fuel, they will collect the CO2 from emissions as they develop. The vice president of Minnesota Power says they are already finding an emissions improvement benefit from converting their old power plants into co-firing plants (2).

(transmissionhub.com, 2017)

LEN BUSCH ROSES

Len Busch Roses is located in Plymouth, Minnesota. Roses require certain temperatures to grow and develop properly, therefore heat must be provided throughout most of the year in Minnesota. Len Busch Roses has had biomass powered boilers producing the heat in their greenhouses for over 30 years (3). The biomass used for fuel is tree trimmings from customers, and residents from around the Plymouth area. 20 loads of trimmings are dropped off each day in a 24/7 open yard. They currently have two biomass boilers, one was installed in 1977, and the second was installed in 2006. Biomass now produces 95-98% of their heat (3).

There are some downsides for the company with having heat produced by these boilers. There is a lot of equipment to maintain with complex systems. And trimmings produce residue when being burned for fuel use. This residue contains 2-8% ash that has to be removed from the boilers 1-2 times a day (3), and is then used as a fertilizer.

(lenbuschroses.com, 2009)

WOLF-RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER

Approximately 70 miles north of Duluth, MN in Finland, MN is Wolf-Ridge Environmental Learning Center. Wolf-Ridge is recognized on a national level as a leader in environmental education (4). They rely on 4 cord wood boilers to produce heat and hot water throughout their campus. Obtaining the biomass needed to fuel the four boilers is very accessible due to their location. Wood is harvested from their own 2,000 acres, and is provided throughout the heavily forested northern Minnesota in a 45 miles radius (4).

Their systems are simple but require a good amount of work. Similar to the Len Busch case, the boiler must be continually monitored. They require 160 cords of wood a year, costing approximately $47,00 per year (4).

In being an environmental learning center, the biomass boilers are a great opportunity for Wolf-Ridge to teach about renewable energy, and the benefits and the effects it has on the environment. Smerud, an employee at Wolf-Ridge, says that the great things about biomass boiler is, “they’re renewable, support the local economy, reduces transportation needs and impacts on the environment, and has a positive impact on people’s thinking about renewable energy”(4).

(mechanical-hub.com, 2014)

COMING UP NEXT…

Next week we will be going in depth about another renewable energy source, solar power!

References:

1. MN Department of Natural Resources. Biomass Success Stories. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/biomass/success.html (accessed Oct 18. 2018)

2. Wald, M.L. Power Plants Try Burning Coal With World to Cut Carbon Emissions. New York Times [online] 2013. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/04/business/power-plants-try-burning-wood-with-coal-to-cut-emissions.html?hp&_r=1& (accessed Oct 18, 2018)

3. Zoet, A. Using Biomass in Minnesota: Len Busch Roses Case Study. Dovetail [online] Sept. 8, 2011. http://www.dovetailinc.org/responsible_materials_pdfs/len_busch_roses.pdf (accessed Oct 18, 2018)

4. Zoet, A. Using Biomass in Minnesota: Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center Case Study. Dovetail [online] Sept. 8, 2011. http://www.dovetailinc.org/responsible_materials_pdfs/wolf_ridge.pdf (accessed Oct 18, 2018)

October 19, 2018

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In Depth: Biomass Energy

In this blog we will be going more in depth about the characteristics of biomass, why it is of interest as an energy producer, and how they connect to the problem of energy use.

WHY BIOMASS ENERGY?

Biomass for energy use is produced mainly by crops. There are several types of crops used such as woody crops, herbaceous plant crops, starch, sugar, and oil seeds. These crops are of high interest for biomass production because they are high yield, have a low energy input, low-cost, contain the least contaminants, and don’t require many nutrients to survive (1).  These particular crops are also of interest because of technological advancements that allow crops to be produced more efficiently, and have less CO2 emission, as we discussed in the last blog.

TYPES OF BIOMASS CROPS

There are two main types of biomass plants: woody and herbaceous (1). The most common examples of woody plants are trees and shrubs. They develop slowly, have tightly bound fibers, and a hard external surface. Herbaceous plants can be seen as the opposite. They have loosely bound fibers, and faster development. Examples include: corn, potatoes, grasses and more. Aquatic plants and manure may also be used in biomass energy.

(ESF, 2010) Woody Plants

(Shuttershock, 2013) Herbaceous Plants

Several factors and characteristics of biomass material is taken into consideration for effective energy production. Moisture content, calorific value, proportions of carbon and volatiles, ash content, and the ratio of cellulose to lignin are several examples of these characteristics (1).

NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF ENERGY USE FROM BIOMASS

As we have seen over the last two blogs, it can be concluded that biomass energy is a clean form of energy. However biomass still has its disadvantages on the environment. The crops discussed earlier need a large land area to be able to produce sufficient amounts. This can lead to deforestation, which may result in a 25%-30% increase of greenhouse gases (2). Similar to fossil fuel energy production, biomass requires very large amounts of water. Between 20,000-50,000 gallons of water per megawatt hour is used in biomass energy plants (4). Lastly, although biomass produces significantly less carbon emissions compared to fossil fuels, it can still generate damaging toxins. Nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter are common pollutants caused by the combustion of biomass (2).

COMING UP NEXT…

Next blog we’ll be exploring local issues and stories related to energy use provided by biomass production.

References:

1. McKendry, P. Energy Production from Biomass (part one): Overview of Biomass. Science Direct. [Online] 2002, 83, 37-46. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960852401001183

2. Sciencing. Negative Effects of Biomass. https://sciencing.com/negative-effects-biomass-19624.html (accessed Oct 15, 2018)

October 15, 2018

[envirocaringcara-blog]

fossil fuel’s cousin!

In the last blog we addressed the energy producer of fossil fuels, what they are, what they do for us, and some of their drawbacks on the environment. In the next two blogs I’ll be going in depth about a closely related energy producer of fossil fuels, biomass. In part one how biomass energy is related to fossil fuels will be explained, and in part two, a second blog, how it is used, what makes it useful, and why people prefer it will be explained. So, let’s dig in!

WHAT IS BIOMASS?

Biomass is organic material that comes from plants and animals(1). Such as wood, garbage, compost, landfill gas, crops, etc. Types of biomass can be either burned directly or converted into bio-gases like ethanol and bio-diesel (1).

(UnionofConcernedScientists, 2015)

How does biomass relate to fossil fuels?

Going back to what was discussed in the last blog, fossil fuels come from the natural earth. They are natural resources that are converted into energy. The organic materials that make up biomass come from the natural earth as well, but in different ways and with different properties. The main difference between fossil fuels and biomass is their timescales (2). Fossil fuels take millions of years to form under earth’s surface, resulting in no ability to replenish. Biomass is harvested through materials like crops, which can be constantly replenished and have a very unlikely chance of running out. Another characteristic of biomass that comes from it being made up of organic material, is it releases less CO2 into the atmosphere due to the characteristics of plants obtaining CO2 from the atmosphere to perform photosynthesis (2). Therefore, what is released into the atmosphere during conversion, is taken right back out during photosynthesis. In contrast, fossil fuels release large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere through the processes of burning and converting coal, oil, and natural gas, but have no properties to take the CO2 back out of the atmosphere.

Next blog…

Next blog will be more in depth on the specific characteristics of biomass, and the benefits and consequences they can have on the environment. Then we will discuss local related events and issues of biomass energy. Stay tuned!

References:

1. U.S. Energy Information Administration. Biomass-Renewable Energy From Plants and Animals. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/?page=biomass_home (accessed Oct 10, 2018)

2. Penn State: College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Biomass/Solid Waste. https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee401/content/p7_p3.html (accessed Oct 10, 2018)

October 10, 2018

[envirocaringcara-blog]

fossil fuels

One common source of energy that everyone, if not most, have heard of is fossil fuels. Whether it is hearing debates about it on the news, or reading about it in a science class, the majority of people are familiar with them in some way. Fossil fuels are the product of a lengthy process that takes millions of years. Remains of dead animals and plants, buried many years ago, lie beneath the earth’s surface (1). They are heated up by the high temperatures of the earth’s core, and pressured together by the dirt and rocks, creating fossil fuels.

What are the types of fossil fuels?

There are three types of major fossil fuels that we see being used in our everyday lives. They include coal, oil, and natural gas (1).

Coal

Coal is a very complex fossil fuel and has many purposes other than being the gift Santa brings children on the naughty list. Coal is the only one out of the three fossil fuels that comes in a solid form. It is made up of five different elements: carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and hydrogen (2). Because of its many element make up, different types of coal can be found. Anthracite has the highest concentration of carbon making it the type with the highest energy potential. Lignite is high in oxygen and hydrogen, and Bituminous contains a relatively equal balance of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen (2). The main uses of coal include electricity generation, and the powering of electrical utilities.

(TheCourierMail.com, 2018)

Oil

Oil is the most commonly discussed fossil fuel throughout the world, and has been around for over 300 million years. It is  also known as petroleum. Oil has had many uses to improve the efficiency of civilizations throughout history. Oil is most commonly referred to in terms of how we fuel our cars,  however that fuel is the product of refining oil. Petroleum naturally occurs as crude oil which must be refined for it’s array of uses such as fuel for cars, ingredient in asphalt, jet fuel, kerosene, lubricants, etc (2).Refining oil is similar to filtering drinking water, the complex and “bad” stuff must be taken out before it can be consumed or used.

(Herald.ng, 2018)

Natural Gas

In the main types of fossil fuels there is a solid, a liquid, and a gas. Natural gas consists of primarily methane; making it very lightweight, and highly flammable. It is found hand in hand with oil when  mined, meaning if oil is found, natural gas will be nearby (and vice versa). Natural gas is collected through pipes that go into storage facilities, that eventually transfer it to be used for energy. Natural gas can be found powering our home cooking appliances, along with our heating and air conditioning systems (2).

How do fossil fuels relate to issues of energy use?

Fossil fuels are the world’s number one energy source. In 2005, 86% of the energy used worldwide came from fossil fuel combustion (4). It has been used for centuries, and it is what the world is comfortable and most familiar with. However, as you may know, fossil fuels are non-renewable resources. This poses environmental threats because as fossil fuels are continued to be mined, the earth’s nutrients are being taken away; nutrients that can’t simply be replenished in a lifetime. The mining fossil fuels degrades surrounding landscapes, releases toxins, and puts a heavy demand on water resources (3). 76% of U.S. greenhouse emissions in 2016 came from fossil fuel combustion, adding 4.1 billion tons of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere each year (4). 

As we continue to have fossil fuels as our primary energy source current environmental issues will continue to get worse, and the possibility of more arising becomes greater. Energy uses from driving a car to cooking a delicious family dinner, involve the source of fossil fuels. Finding ways to save energy, and conserve the amount we use, such as carpooling, biking, or wood fired stoves, may help lessen the harm of fossil fuels and their environmental issues.

Something to think about…

How many tasks do you do a day that require the energy source of coal, oil, or natural gas?

(grist.org, 2014)

References:

1. Belco. What are fossil fuels? https://belco.bm/index.php/education-86/what-are-fossil-fuels. (accessed Oct 5, 2018)

2. Klazema, A. Types of Fossil Fuels and Their Uses. Udemy [online] 2014. https://blog.udemy.com/types-of-fossil-fuels/ (accessed Oct 5, 2018)

3. Union of Concerned Scientists. Coal and Other Fossil Fuels: The use of fossil fuels has significant consequences. https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-energy/coal-and-other-fossil-fuels#.W75qeLxKjrd (accessed Oct 5, 2018)

4. Center for Biological Diversity. Energy and Global Warming. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/climate_law_institute/energy_and_global_warming/index.html (accessed Oct 5, 2018)

October 5, 2018

[envirocaringcara-blog]

intro post

When you get up in the morning, the first thing you do is turn off your screeching alarm, and turn on your awakening bedroom light. Then you walk to the bathroom, turn on the shower and wait to hop in until the water is at a bearable temperature. When you make your breakfast all the kitchen lights are glowing, the toaster is crunching up your slice of bread, the fridge is open from grabbing the orange juice, and the coffee pot is brewing your morning “pick me up”.

All these tasks are what starts off our great days ahead, producing our energy to make it through the week. Not only do they provide and get our energy going, but they also require energy themselves. The majority of the tasks we do throughout our entire day, and entire life, require energy use.

In a ten blog series I will be exploring the different ways in which civilization produces energy for our everyday lives. I will begin with the primary energy source of fossil fuels, and then explore a few other ways people have discovered to produce energy.  I'll explain the benefits of each major source, and how they are contributing to the large environmental issue of energy use. To add more context on how the issue of energy use has lead us to look for alternative sources of energy, we will take a look at local cases for each source in which companies or individuals have invested in different energy sources. 

WHAT IS ENERGY USE?

Before I dig deeper into the series, it’s important to give a little background on the issue of the energy use. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines energy as, “power derived from the utilization of physical or chemical resources, especially to provide light and heat or to work machines.” The many ways of producing electricity have an environmental effect on the world’s water, air, and land. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, 40% of the total energy consumed in the US is used to generate electricity, which contributes to greenhouse gases and other air pollution emissions. As we go through the series and look at the different ways energy is produced, we will dig deeper into the effects they have on the environment. The environmental issue of energy use will be highlighted throughout the series, along with how we can all make a difference. Next post, we’ll discuss the process of fossil fuels in producing energy, the benefits, and the negative impact it has on the environment.

Something to think about...

How many tasks do you do throughout your day that involves the use of electricity or energy?  Such as, turning on a switch, using an outlet, driving a car, etc.

image: (How to Geek, 2017)