The greenhouse effect is a major factor when it comes to climate change. Sunlight radiates down to the Earth, some of it is absorbed, some bounces back into space and some of it is trapped in our atmosphere. This is what keeps our planet and its habitants warm. However this is also the reason for the rise in climate change. Due to the amount of greenhouse gases that are being emitted into our atmosphere a lot of the energy from the sun is being absorbed and warming up the planet at an alarming rate. Climate Change is a big problem in the world. It has caused a lot of environmental problems globally. From sea level rise to heat waves and droughts. The big question is, how can we lessen these effects so they aren’t so detrimental to our planet in the future? There are many different ways we can help lessen the emission of greenhouse gases. Some are the uses of Solar Energy, Hydroelectric Energy, Wind Power/Energy, Electric Cars and Carbon Capture.
What is Solar Energy? “Solar power is energy from the sun that is converted into thermal or electrical energy.” Solar energy is known for being one of the most popular energy resources. Solar energy is also the most renewable energy source.
What is Hydroelectric Energy? “Hydroelectric energy, also called hydroelectric power or hydroelectricity, and is a form of energy that harnesses the power of water in motion—such as water flowing over a waterfall—to generate electricity.” Hydroelectricity is one of the oldest forms of renewable energy.
What is Wind Energy? “Wind energy (or wind power) refers to the process of creating electricity using the wind, or air flows that occur naturally in the earth’s atmosphere.” There are a few types of wind energy types; utility-scale energy, small wind, and offshore wind. Utility-scale energy uses wind turbines that produce from 100 kilowatts to several megawatts of electricity. The energy from these turbines are then delivered to power grids and put out to its intended users. Small wind energy employs single small wind turbines that produce 100 kilowatts or below. These are used to directly power establishments, i.e homes, farms, etc. Offshore wind energy use wind turbines that are placed in large bodies of water. These are larger than land-based turbines and generate more energy.
25/May/2009. , Denmark. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe. www.un.org/av/photo/
Out of all of these, there are many ways that we can collectively power our homes, businesses, farms, etc. which also benefits the earth and lowers the use of fossil fuels. Another way that we can lessen the emission of fossil fuels are by the way we travel. Yes, it’s better to carpool, use public transportation, or to even bike where you need to go. However, there are some people who can’t do this and an idea for those people is to consider driving an electric car. What’s an electric car though? An electric car is just as it sounds, a car that is run by electricity and can be recharged in different ways. However, like wind energy, there are different types of electric cars. Plug-In Hybrids not only have an electric motor, but it also has a diesel and gasoline motor. Other electric cars completely run on electricity. “Conventional hybrid vehicles also have an electric motor, but aren’t considered electric cars as they can’t be plugged-in.” Lastly, fuel cell cars have faster refueling time and can drive longer per charge, but they have special motors that require hydrogen fueling stations. I think purchasing an electric car is a great investment as well as having great long term benefits for the planet.
What is carbon capture? Carbon Capture is a technology which sucks carbon dioxide out of the air and buries it under the ground. The benefits of this are getting rid of some of that carbon (CO2) in the air which will lessen the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere and causing the climate to change. I find this idea to be genius and definitely needs to be talked about more when discussing climate change solutions. All of these ideas and technologies will greatly affect our planet positively. We as habitants of Earth should genuinely think about switching our living habits so that we can keep the planet as healthy as possible.
Sources:
https://www.awea.org/wind-101/basics-of-wind-energy
https://www.seia.org/initiatives/about-solar-energy
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/hydroelectric-energy/
https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/what-are-electric-cars
https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/carbon-capture1.htm
https://www.coolaustralia.org/the-greenhouse-effect-secondary/
