Monthly Archives: August 2017

Your Questions About Renewable Energy For Kids

Daniel asks…

How does my turning off household lights save the planet?

I know it saves electricity and money, but how does it save the planet?

How is energy use hurting the planet? Is there really proof that the little extra heat is doing that much?

I know there’s wasted energy… But is it really that hard to get more? And if it is, where can I find more info on it?

Is it because of how electricity is harnessed?

Also relevant, when they say you save money to feed kids in Africa or what have you, is there anything leading environmentalists to believe that people would use their saved money for a good cause?

admin answers:

The most common forms of electricity generation used today burn lots of fossil fuels, which contributes to global warming and adds pollution to the atmosphere, causing things like acid rain and smog, which worsens (and may even cause, indirectly) conditions such as chronic bronchitis and asthma.

From a purely human-centered perspective also, the more fossil fuel-generated energy we waste, the sooner we run out of fossil fuels. In the end, it may not matter, if we are able to transition to renewable forms of energy in time, but there is a long, long way to go before the US and other developed countries will be able to meet its energy needs from renewable sources, and if we don’t make the transition in time the consequences could be very bad.

Http://www.peakoil.com/
http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/
http://www.relocalize.net/about/relocalization

William asks…

If saving the planet is so important WHY ?

I mean let`s be honest, all these planet saving things should be free and done in double quick time
not cost a fortune We are ( so to speak) all in the same sinking ship yes??.
Government taxes – green premium prices – come on who is kidding who here?

admin answers:

Saving the planet doesn’t usually cost much. In the long run, as I’m sure you’re already aware, being environmentally conscious and practicing sustainability is more of an INVESTMENT than any thing else.

As I’ve said in earlier answers to environmental questions, societies should be going backwards rather than forwards. Instead of using pesticides (and paying for them), use bugs that are natural predators to those bugs (lady bugs, for instance, are good for your yard). Instead of spending millions and often billions of dollars to chop off the tops of mountains to mine coal, causing rapid water-run off that’s poisonous and contaminates our drinking water, we should find other resources, like our own damn arms and legs!

Joking, but seriously enough, let’s learn from history and use the sustainable practices of the peoples before us. The thing is: our “natural resources” are running out!!! Even our blue gold (water) is highly contaminated (I detracted H Paloi from my tap water, a disease that causes you to throw up everything you drink/eat. They’ve only found the cure a couple years back. More than 40% of people get it…some without even knowing it). Check out the book, Blue Gold, so see what I’m talking about.

PV (Photo Voltaics–solar panels) and wind energy are great investments in energy BECAUSE IT’S RENEWABLE!! Unlike coal, we will never (at least for a very long time) run out of the sun or the wind).

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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Systems

Nancy asks…

how does matter and energy cycle through ecosystems?

okayy so i’m so confused because i have to do a summer assignment and write about how matter and energy cycle through ecosystems and i have noo clue what i’m doing and am so confused!!! lol

but yeah so coould anybody give me either really good sites, or maybe you know about this topic? because i’ve looked at the other answers to this question when someone else asked it and i didnt understand the answer at all! any answers would be appriceated!! thanks!

admin answers:

Since we have addressed most of the harmful pollution issues we are left with the byproducts of the energy-matter cycle. Our Environmental issues have been boiled down to their most basic elements, there is too much Carbon in the air, it needs to be in the ground, and there is too much Nitrogen in the water, it should be in the air. It really is that simple.
Excessive Carbon in the air is the byproduct of burning fuels that once were plants & animals. We are releasing it into the air at alarming rates that are measurable globally and has the potential to drastically change our world.
Excessive Nitrogen in the water is from poor agricultural practices & artificially fixed Nitrogen that, when washed into open waterways, promote the excessive growth of algae. This alters the food chain of local environments worldwide.
The best way to fix this is first to understand the what & why, this is where assignments like yours are so important. Taken this opportunity to teach people about the problems, their causes & cures.
One interesting factoid I came across during the recent 100 year anniversary of chemical ammonia & fertilizer, was that 50% of the Nitrogen in our bodies has come from artificially fixed ammonia!

Here is the Cycle in a Snapshot……

#1 is the Sun

Mix Water (Hydrogen & Oxygen) with Nitrogen & Carbon. Through Photosynthesis, plants make sugars, carbohydrates, starches, and cellulose.

Animal metabolize these for food.

As Plants and animals die & decay the Nitrogen is released & taken back into plants, as well as some of the carbon.

What is left in the ground after a long time are hydrocarbons and over the eons, this has changed Earths atmosphere into the low Carbon, high Oxygen Environment we know today.

Mankind has through innovation found we can do work with the energy locked in the Hydrocarbons, and over the past 150 years have become so efficient at doing so, that we are releasing more Carbon into the air than Earth’s systems can consume back. We have also overflowed the capacity of Plants by over fertilizing the soil to produce ever growing amounts of food. This excess finds it way into waterways and thus the problems it causes.

We must find ways to work in the confines of the Environment around us. Low Carbon energy, and sustainable food production are key. The answers are out there, we just need to find them & implement them.

Good Luck on your report!

Daniel asks…

Haiti – How much cost for the US to take over Haiti as a de facto Protectorate?

Nothing else has worked. A ten-year interim government could completely change the education system to root our racism and illiteracy, make adequate health care and food available, restore the land for sustainable agriculture, and reorganize the government to eradicate corruption, in short to establish a viable civil society that the Haitian People deserve? Or, with the political ramifications, is Haiti not worth our time, energy and money? The piece-meal fixes over the years seem to do nothing but maintain the status quo. ANY OTHER IDEAS?

admin answers:

The costs would start at a trillion dollars just to build the infrastructure required to do this. Then you could probably count on about 100 billion a year to sustain the programs.

Due to the language issues (the majority of the people in Haita only speak a dialect that is unique to the island and French is the language spoken in business and govrenment) it will take over 20 years to create a generation who are educated to modren standards. It would then take another 20 years for these people to become expierenced middle and senior managers capible of managing a government and govrenment agencies.

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