Energy: Environmental Challenges
Energy systems are critical to human activities. Unfortunately, many current practices related to fuel type, extraction, and processing are damaging to both human health and the environment.
Global warming
Global warming is the gradual increase in temperature on the Earth’s surface and in the atmosphere. The rate of global warming has increased significantly in modern times, due in large part to the rise in greenhouse gases that trap solar radiation. The conversion of coal and other fossil fuels into usable energy releases carbon atoms, which combine with oxygen in the air to form carbon dioxide & other greenhouse gasses, which contribute to global warming. The dramatic rise in the planet’s climate in the 20th century has already produced well-documented impacts on ecosystems – extreme weather patterns, melting sea ice, and species at risk, to name just a few.
Air pollution
Any energy system that is based on the burning of fuel produces waste in the form of gases and particles that lower air quality. Common sources include manufacturing facilities, power plants, and vehicles. Not surprisingly, smog and poor air quality are key challenges in many urban centers, with many communities failing to meet federal clean air standards. Human health is negatively impacted by poor air quality, especially among children, the elderly, and those who already suffer from respiratory disease.
Acid rain
Burning fossil fuels release sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that combine with water droplets in the air to form acid rain. Acid rain harms the built environment (by corroding buildings, equipment, bridges, and other infrastructure), water systems (by dissolving other toxic substances which then leach into the water sources), vegetation (by leaves, stems, and even entire plants), and soil (by neutralizing nutrients necessary for plant and animal life).
Water pollution
Waterways and groundwater sources can be polluted by the waste materials that are a byproduct of fuel extraction and processing. The majority of electricity in the United States is still provided by coal-generated power plants. Fly ash is the very fine ash produced from burning coal and can contain one or more of several toxic substances. The deposit of fly ash in landfills or its improper storage can contaminate both land and water ecosystems. Land that has been land strip mined for coal and left without remediation also produces large volumes of contaminated stormwater runoff.
Spills and leakages
Fuel spills from storage tanks, piping systems, conveyance vessels, and facilities pose significant danger to natural systems. Animals can be harmed or even killed from the accidental ingestion of, and immersion in, petroleum oil. Contaminated soil can no longer support vegetative life. Human beings are also hurt and killed by leaks and explosions from poorly contained fuel systems.
Price and supply
Reliance on centralized energy sources can lead to supply disruptions due to (natural or man-made) disasters or political interplays. Dependence on energy commodities that operate in volatile global markets can leave communities vulnerable to the effects of global events.
A basic unit of nature that includes a community of biological organisms and their nonliving environment linked by biological, chemical, and physical processes.The process of cleaning up a contaminants by physical, chemical, or biological means.Waste disposal sites for solid waste from human activities.Greenhouse gases are a part of the Earth's atmosphere and are both naturally occurring and the result of human chemical processes. The most common greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluourocarbons. These gases trap heat and thus contribute to the warming of the planet. See also CFCS and GREENHOUSE EFFECT.Fuel formed from geological processes acting on the remains of living organisms. Typically refers to oil, coal, natural gas or their by-products.The ability or potential of a physical body to do work. The most common forms of energy are heat, light, mechanical (moving parts), and electrical.
