A piece on how to
better the environment by Kaitlyn Hamel.
The 21st century is now being called the “century of the environment”. A new century brings new ideas and new technologies. One of the newest and most innovative ideas this century is that of green technology. “Green technology is the application of the environmental sciences to conserve the natural environment and resources, and curb the negative impacts of human involvement (Wikipedia).” The goal of green technology is to bring about a healthier planet by finding solutions that are socially equitable, economically viable, and environmentally sound.
There are many different types of green technology that deal with reducing and eliminating the impact of humans on their environment. Some examples of green technology are recycling, renewable energy (solar, wind and water), water purification, sewage treatment, hybrid electric vehicles, and many more. In addition to those, there are a few ways you can go green in your daily life as well, such as taking shorter showers, refraining from littering, and shutting electrical items off when they’re not being used. Besides having the pure desire to make the earth a cleaner and healthier planet, people have many different reasons for wanting to go green. The chart below reveals what peoples biggest motivators for going green really are.
Many of these new technologies are being combined and incorporated into “green building”. “Green building is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings use resources — energy, water, and materials — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal (Wikipedia).” As you might expect, there are many benefits to building green, such as reduced operating costs due to being 30-60% more energy efficient, improved public and occupant health, and reduced environmental impacts. The National Association of Home Builders said in March of 2007 that “between 40% and 50% of the homes built in 2010 are expected to be green.”
The many
types of renewable energy technology are being added to houses being built and
to existing houses as well. Renewable energy effectively uses resources-
sunlight, wind, and water- for energy because they can be naturally
replenished. Renewable energy can never be in danger of running out, unlike our
current situation with oil. By switching over to renewable energy sources we
will not have to worry about someday running out of energy.
Wind power is the fastest growing of
the renewable energy technologies. It makes use of airflow to run wind turbines
which generate electricity. With an increase in wind there is an increase in
energy generated, therefore these wind turbines are usually placed in locations
that are quite windy. The NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) says that
the
Solar technology is becoming very popular in homes to provide an alternative way to provide heat, light, hot water, electricity, and cooling. Solar panels are the most well-known means of getting solar power into homes. The panels are used to convert sunlight into electricity. Solar cells, also known as photovoltaic cells, are similar to solar panels in that they also convert sunlight into electricity. However, the conversion takes place due to the photovoltaic effect. This technology is used to power small devices such as calculators and also large devices such as earth-orbiting satellites.
I welcome
the 21st
century and its new ideas to better the planet we all call home. I
think it’s our responsibility, as human beings, to try to limit
our
impact on the environment. Renewable energy technology is one of the
most
exciting new fields of study because it’s going to improve the
health of both
our planet and the many generations of humans to come. It’s hard
to make a
change that will stay long-term however, if we all take little steps to
meet
our goal of becoming more “green” the earth will be a
better place to live. Ghandi once said that “you must be the
change you want to see in the world.”
Information:
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1720
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_building
http://www.nrel.gov/
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
http://www.natresnet.org/conference/2007/presentations/Hall-National_Roll-Out.pdf
http://www.green-technology.org/green_tech.htm
Images:
http://confluence.aserver.com/download/attachments/1706536/greenenergy.jpg
(Cover Image)
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42166000/gif/_42166408_ener_sav_inf416x312.gif
(
http://www.hippyshopper.com/turbine.jpg (Wind Turbine)
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200704/r139061_476078.jpg (Solar Panels)
