Energy Sources of Today and Why Alternatives Are Needed
We flick a switch and the lights, television and microwave come on. But did you ever stop to think about where the energy to power these appliances comes from? Since you probably have never given it a thought, you are unaware that today’s energy is being supplied by fossil fuels and coal, two sources of energy responsible for sending huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Scientists are becoming more and more alarmed with the impact these poisons are having on our environment and are beginning to make their growing concern known.
Because the rate at which we are using our current energy sources will see them depleted before too long, we must find clean, renewable, sustainable sources of energy to replace them. Of course the all-important reason for being in pursuit of these alternatives is because what we currently are using is harming our climate. People need to become more aware of how their normal everyday usage of electric is causing this harm and become motivated to look for alternatives.
Right now energy companies have been exploring the options for using solar and wind energy on a wider basis than is currently being used. Dams are also a great source for hydro power but are only good in areas with lakes and rivers that can be confined and used as a source of energy. Likewise, wind energy can only be harnessed in areas where there are consistently moderate wind gusts, so a lot of areas which do not fall into this category might not have access to enough wind energy to sustain their power needs.
Today researchers all over the world are searching for sources of alternative forms of energy. The most controversial available source is nuclear power which is clean, not releasing carbon dioxide into the air, but has its highly concerning downsides. The dangers from melt down and contamination are a concern along with questions over where to store the harmful nuclear waste that takes millions of years to break down has kept nuclear power from large scale development. We have a finite amount of land for storage and nuclear byproducts could also leach into the environment over time if stored in this way.
Until such time as a discovery is made that can help reduce our current energy problems, what we can all do to lend a helping hand, is to consistently cut back on our energy usage. Studies have shown that if we take the time to turn off the lights we are not using, it would reduce by up to 25%, the total amount of energy being consumed.
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