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Environmental studies and Forestry
As you know, our world is heavily dependent on oil. In Chapter 6 of Contemporary Environmental Issues, you have read that there is concern about the possibility of reaching a peak in oil production. Describe at least two alternatives to oil that are currently available and discuss the barriers that keep these alternatives from replacing oil as our primary means of energy? Additionally, utilizing at least two scholarly or reputable resources and your textbook, discuss the role that government plays in ensuring a transition to such alternatives in a post peak-oil world?
Your initial post should be at least 150 words in length. Utilize at least two scholarly or reputable resources and your textbook to support your claims. Cite your sources in APA format. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
Please write a 150 word discussion
Respond to the following questions below with Please respond with at least 100 words
Discussion 1
Orland Edmond
10/12/2015 1:01:52 PM
Age of Oil
We are heavily dependent on oil for meeting our day to day needs. At this rate, a situation may arise when we will no longer have any oil as it would reach peak in oil production. However, of late a lot of research is being done to find out alternate resources.
Several options are now available that may become a reality in a very short span of time. One of them is use of ethanol. It is derived from plants and can prove to be a much cheaper alternative to gasoline that we use for our vehicles. It is also less polluting, thus helping us in protecting environment ( (Andrew Schmitz, 2011). As of now ethanol is made from corn but other sources can be tapped to produce ethanol. The barrier to use ethanol for producing fuel is that it would lead to increase in prices of corn, which is a staple food for many households.
Solar energy is another alternative to oil that can be used for a variety of purposes, such as cooking, heating, lighting and so on. The source of solar energy is easily and freely available in the form of sunlight ( (Mahaney, 2007). The barrier to using solar energy is that as of now it is not very cost effective. It can also not be used when the weather is cloudy as production of solar energy is wholly dependent on sun. However, efforts are being made to make it more cost efficient so that it can be widely used.
References
Andrew Schmitz, N. L. (2011). The Economics of Alternative Energy Sources and Globalization. Bentham Science Publishers.
Mahaney, I. F. (2007). Solar Energy. The Rosen Publishing Group.
Respond to the following questions below with Please respond with at least 100 words
Week 3 Dis
Kevin Capps
10/13/2015 9:30:04 AM
Peak oil has become an area of interest for one because the amount that is below the surface is an unknown factor at this time. Because of this alternate fuels that could take the place of oil energy with similar energy sources are available but has some draw backs that make these unpractical at this time. Our text book states, “Coal is commonly assumed to exist in nearly inexhaustible quantities. It could be used to produce large new amounts of electricity (with electric transport replacing oil-fueled cars, trucks, and trains), and it can be made into a liquid fuel” (Turk & Bensel, 2014). This is a good alternative but the effects of burning coal has an environmental impact as well. In the article The other side of coal it stated, “scientists found that levels of heavy metals were most concentrated just after the turn of the 20th century, when the whole economy of the Northern hemisphere was powered by coal” (n.d., 2008)Our text also states, “Natural gas is often touted as a potential replacement for both oil and coal” (Turk & Bensel, 2014). Natural gas has become very abundant due to fracking but environment risk comes with this technology. In the article Four Questions about Fracking it states, “For many landowners who own property in the vicinity of prospective fracking operations, the most critical concern is that fracking will contaminate groundwater aquifers, thereby jeopardizing water supplies and property values” (Merrill, 2013)
The only government owned power company (TVA) is taking action to clean our environment by making cleaner power generation. In the article Air Quality TVA states, by investing in high technology air-emissions cleaning technology, TVA has reduced sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by 94 percent since regulations began in 1977. Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions have been reduced by 91 percent since 1995. See how emissions have trended sharply downward over the years on our Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfur Dioxide, Ozone, and Greenhouse Gases pages. Or view emissions data for every one of our fossil plants—from Allen to Widows Creek—on our comprehensive Air Quality Standards index” (2015 ).
To alleviate some of the problems that are apparent with the use of fuels with hydrocarbons there are alternatives that our government is giving tax credits. As stated in the article Energy Efficiency Tax Credits, Rebates and Financing: What Options Are Available for You? If you installed any of the following in 2014, or if you’re planning to install them in the future, these items are available for a tax credit through 2016: Geothermal heat pumps, Small residential wind turbines, Solar energy systems, and Fuel cells (residential fuel cell and microturbine systems) (2015). Communities are also taking advantage of these credits to use renewable energy. Our textbook states, “the city of Greensburg teamed up with John Deere Renewable Energy and the Kansas Power Pool to build a production-scale wind farm five miles outside of town. [. . .] Greensburg receives renewable energy credits and the bragging rights to getting 100 percent of its power from the wind” (Turk & Bensel, 2014)
Air Quality. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2015, from https://www.tva.gov/Environment/Environmental-Stewardship/Air-Quality
Energy Efficiency Tax Credits, Rebates and Financing: What Options Are Available for You? (2015, March 23). Retrieved October 13, 2015.
Merrill, T. W. (2013). FOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT FRACKING. Case Western Reserve Law Review, 63(4), 971-993.
The other side of coal. (2008, 10). The Ecologist, 38, 10. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/234929861?accountid=32521
Turk, J., & Bensel, T. (2014). Contemporary environmental issues (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
