Start Driving Eco-Friendly: Switch to Electric Cars - Essay Sample

If you desire to become environmental-friendly, you need to be driving an electrically charged car. Right?

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However, it is not that easy. Electric cars are eco-friendly, and they do not pollute the air that surrounds them, unlike ordinary cars that use a combustion engine and are powered by either petroleum or diesel. However, to continue using electric cars, they require to be charged, which raises the question, such as where the electrical charge is sourced from and consider the level of environmental-friendliness of that source.

Therefore, the general assessment encompasses the reliability of that energy source, its levels of accessibility, and affordability in addition to the level of cleanliness towards the environment. Gradually, change is occurring from natural sources of energy to renewable sources of energy. In terms of affordability, for example, due to the federal-state subsidizing commodities and products associated with fossil fuels, the price attributed to the products such as gas and petrol is relatively cheap compared to renewable sources of energy like wind. Recent campaigns on fossil-fuel divestment have led to the adoption of environmentally friendly products, which is gradually decreasing the cost of wind energy (Lavidas, 2019).

Many students like me are experiencing the effects of fossil-fuel divestment decisions made by the board of directors in the universities to give room for renewable energies as a substitute, which enables me to relate with such students. Recent movements by various universities all around the world are endorsing sustainable education by cutting off on share prices in the fossil-fuel industry. Concerns on climate change continue to increase all over the world, and they keep on increasing the cost, and its effect is felt widely across the world (Lavidas, 2019). It means students like me are also affected, especially those who are financially unstable, involving economic and health impacts as well. It is important to consider the ongoing change to renewable sources of energies to permit and propel our ability to manage the collective impact on the environment that we all habitat.

Various competent consultants and experts have conducted numerous studies concerning renewable energy in the field, which have given acknowledgment on the impacts of renewable energies compared to natural resources and the gradual substitution taking place to reach the goal. A significant change is as a result of social, political, and economic pressure applied to the fossil-fuel industry. Growing awareness and educational programs on sustainability all over the world propels the substitution of fossil fuels to renewable energies. Sustainability is focused on future generations (Rimmer, 2016). Universities for example are creating education and course programs that provide knowledge on sustainable education and the vital reason of managing resources for the future generation. Policymakers are also inculcating sustainability within the department and the policies being formulated for the respective countries. Such policies include the blue and green environment which focus on sustainability. As a result, many departments, organizations, and policymakers are aiming to reduce the reputation risk and aiming to align each course of action or strategy with the objective and campaign teachings of sustainability (Hopwood, 2013). Many educational institutions have made vital attempts to grow their alignment and, therefore, "greening" their daily operations while aiming to achieve the sustainability of energy and water use. Sustainable endowments attempt to assist such an organization in identifying green revolving funds dedicated to more green or blue organizations (Akan et al., 2016). Failure to continue with such sustainable oriented attempts will jeopardize the reputational risk of the state, universities and the organisation involved. The policies from the government on renewable energy involve a first compound policy subsystem that lies at the intersection between the policies relating to the environment, and those relating to the economy and lastly to the energy (Lavidas, 2019).

Fossil fuels are the naturally occurring fuel such as coal or gas formed over millions of years ago as dead remains of flora and fauna after being exposed to excess heat and pressure in the crust of the earth. The process occurred naturally changing the bones and the organic matter of the plants to components composed of carbon material, particularly when combusted to generate heat. There are three primary fossil fuels, which include petroleum, coal, and natural gas. In many cases, fossil fuel is identified as dirty forms of energy because when they are employed, the result is damaging to the environment, an impact that highly costly if not irreversible. Carbon discharge or the quantity of Carbon (iv) Oxide emitted by the burning of these fuels into the environment increase over time, and the process is, in most cases, irreversible.

Petroleum is an umbrella definition that encompasses substances such as crude oil, which is processed into other various fuels, which include gasoline, jet fuels, kerosene, and diesel. Petroleum and oil are most frequently employed interchangeably. It is mined through drilling or hydraulic fracturing. Coal is a rock located near the surface of the earth, and it occurs as the most in plenty of all fossil fuels. It is mined via surface extracting using machines to remove the uppermost layers of rocks and soil. It is also extracted through underground mining through the use of machines. Natural gas is a combination of gases located underneath the surface of the earth and is mined in similar methods as oil. Technology in mining and fracking has led to unfound reserves of natural gas across the world.

Renewable energy is sourced from natural resources that can be recharged during an average human lifetime. It involves solar, wind, Hydro Geothermal and Biomass. These energy sources are considered a clean source of energy since they combust cleaner and are friendly to the environment than fossil fuels. The majority of renewable energy is clean to the environment, but there are still some emissions deposited into the environment, such as biomass (Kaltschimitt, 2013) . The use of fossil fuel is more dominant than the use of renewable resources in energy production. Natural gas is more used than coal nowadays as a shift that has occurred because of its efficiency and little emission of Carbon monoxide. In the U.S, there is 34% production of natural gas, 30% of coal, 20% of nuclear 15% of renewable energy (Hopwood, 2013). The use of renewable energy is growing more rapidly, much faster than the use of fossil fuels. Although natural gas has grown in the market share over the last decade, renewable energy is growing and has increased much more rapidly than any fossil fuel. In 2016, renewable energy production and use in the U.S. increased to a record 22 gigawatts of production burying the increment of fossil fuels. In Texas, wind power is the most used renewable resource with close to triple the megawatt production and use capacity of the states of U.S. It is more efficient even in conveying wind-generated electricity in the area. In time, renewable energies will outgrow fossil fuels as Texas is highly rich in oils, but the capacity of its use of renewable energy is much higher.

The cost of renewable energies and fossil fuels varies, and nowadays, energy generated by renewables is relatively affordable as energy generated by fossil fuels. Some solar panels installations can even produce power at roughly half the cost of fossil fuels such as coal. It is generally efficient in savings. Moreover, renewable energy is expected to become cheaper on time. Renewable energy is cleaner than fossil fuels as discussed, and its use propels the solutions dedicated to climate change. The temperature of the earth has risen, increasing the level of the ocean. Also, fossil fuels emit pollutants that are associated with hazardous health effects. Renewables energies release less carbon dioxide than fossil fuels. Energy from the sun and wind do not release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that drive global warming (Lavidas, 2019).

Other than reducing environmental pollution, the changing sector is offering job opportunities, and making electric grids more withstanding, increasing the level of access to energy in lowly countries and assist lesser energy bills. All of the these aspects have driven to a renewable energy revival in past years, including wind and solar setting new records for production of electricity. Over the last 150 years, humans have much depended on coal, oil, and other fossil fuels to produce energy and power for domestic use and industrial use. Change has been occurring due to the high levels of greenhouse emitted through the combustion of fossil fuels. Greenhouse gases absorb heat and do not release them into the atmosphere, which increases heat affecting our planet's weather and climate systems. Climate change also involves weather instances, altering wildlife populations and habitats Hydropower has been used for many years, and people utilizing the energy of river currents, employing dams to manage water currents. Hydropower is the most significant source of renewable energy used globally. Although it is a clean energy source, it has some setbacks. Massive dams can affect the river ecosystem and nearby communities, causing damage to wildlife and displacing inhabitants. Hydropower production is at risk of being affected by blockage of silt, which can affect the capacity and cause damage to the equipment. In the western U.S., carbon dioxide generations for a long time were 99 megatons higher than they would usually have been, as a study conducted in 2018. Tidal and wave currents are also used in other projects, and they can produce an estimated 499 megawatts of power (Rimmer, 2016). The wind is also utilized as a renewable source of energy. Currently, turbines are generating wind turbines continue to grow across the world. Wind production has grown to surpass 540,000 megawatts from 23,800. Some individuals may deny the wind turbines and how they work, but wind energy involves prices that are decreasing, and the value attached continues to grow (Hopwood, 2013). While most wind power is sourced from the shores of the ocean, offshores turbines are also being used. Wind turbines cause harm and, in most cases, killing birds and bats.

Solar is domestically used as well as industrialized, and it is causing a change in reshaping places of exchange for markets around the world. Solar panels are employed, which change the light from the sun to electricity. Also, focusing the solar power plants employ mirrors to focus the heat from the sun, producing thermal energy. China, Japan, and U.S. are propelling the solar transformation, however solar still has much development to be undertaken. Solar thermal energy is also globally employed for heating and cooling.

Biomass energy involves biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, wood and wood waste, biogas, and animal waste. Similar to solar power, biomass is an adaptable energy source, able to fuel vehicles, heat buildings, and generate electricity. Geothermal is also used and has been utilized for many years. Geothermal is harnessed for the heat emitted by the earth. On a large scale, underground storages of hot water and steam can be utilized via wells to produce electricity. On a smaller scale, some buildings have geothermal heat pumps that utilize temperature differences several feet underground for heating and cooling. It is, however, associated with smells that relate to rotten eggs through the emission of hydrogen sulfide.

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