Energy Explained

Archive for November, 2009

A great concern by experts,scientists and policymakers world over right now is the inadequacy of energy and climatic change. The rate at which our environment is degrading is alarming. At the same time the demand for energy is sky-rocketing.

Between the first Stimulus Bill and the Omnibus Bill, nearly $90 billion has been allocated for alternative energy initiatives. Based on some interesting facts we've uncovered, we are placing our bets that Nevada will get more than its fair share of the alternative energy dollars.

Every day there is some news or the other about the replenishing and fast disappearing resources and how one should find an Alternative energy source. The amount of dependence that the entire world's economies have on oil and petroleum products is certainly astounding.

Flashlight by Good Green Technologies

Why You Should Start Recycling Today

Recycling is like exercising - everyone knows we should do it, but not all of us do it as frequently as we should and many of us don’t do it at all. However, there are tons of reasons why you must make an effort to recycle as much as feasible. If you have not been diligent about recycling, this article provides some great reasons why you should start.

1. Recycling cuts back on global warming.
2. Production of certain materials from the start can release serious amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere.
3. Recycling paper saves trees - for each ton of paper recycled, 17 trees are saved. Each of these trees can extract around 250 pounds of carbon-dioxide from the air in a year.
4. Recycling makes us more energy-efficient. It frequently takes a great amount more energy to form something from nothing than to reuse it.
5. It keeps our landfills from overflowing. We are fast running out of space for landfills especially near towns.

Beach towns have been dumping trash into their seas for years to by-pass the difficulty, but with widespread sea ecological collapse, this isn’t longer a practicable option. Worse yet, it’s hard to find land in suburban and agricultural areas whose residents will permit landfills to come into their areas without a fight. The squeeze for rubbish heap land is only going to become worse in the future.

Recycling gives us some hope. Studies show that 60% to 75% of rubbish in landfills can be recycled. That suggests that if everyone recycled, we would have 60% to 75% less rubbish in our landfills, and we’d need at least that far less land for rubbish disposal. The rubbish in landfills is mostly not treated in any way it’s simply thrown in a huge hole and buried over. A lot of this rubbish isn’t environmentally friendly or readily biodegradable and it is unsurprising that contaminants can get into our water. It is also a major reason why it isn’t safe to drink from streams and brooks when you are hiking and camping even when it’s like you are in a spotless environment. It reduces air pollution. A lot of factories that produce plastics, metals, and paper products release poisons into the air.

For instance, plastics are usually burned in incinerators. Plastics are made with oil, and that oil is released into the atmosphere when the plastic burns, creating significant greenhouse-gas emissions. From manufacturing to processing, from collection to invention it’s common knowledge that recycling is an expansion industry, earning billions of bucks yearly. Our desire to recycle is only going to grow more insistent as populations grow and as technology changes. It adds to property worth. It is obvious a rubbish heap near your house can decrease your property values significantly. Recycling decreases the quantity of land required for landfills. This decreases the quantity of homes near landfills, keeping property values up and house owners cheerful. The more folks recycle, the less landfills we need and if enough folks pitch in, recycling should pay off for everyone. It is good business. Pitting business against the environment is a lose-lose situation - everyone suffers.

Commercial factories and processing plants save masses of cash on energy and extraction systems when they use recycled materials rather than virgin resources. They also make sure that basic resources don’t become a scanty commodity, keeping demand and costs down and making sure that their business can continue for years to come. One person can contribute. Many of us think this is true with recycling, too but the reality is that small acts of recycling make a giant difference.

David Sein is a freelance journalist reporting on socially conscious issues.

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More and more, commercial real estate properties in Boston and throughout the country are turning to alternative energy options. This trend will continue and grow with the approval of the $700 billion dollar stimulus plan by President Obama. The economic stimulus plan includes a large array of financial incentives and tax credits for installing and implementing alternative energy systems including solar and wind.

Most of us agree that a source of alternative energy is required if we want to ensure that we do what can for the survival of the planet. Yet the chronic debates regarding the topic slows progress down, hampers elected officials, and leaves many in a quandary. The constant battle between the human needs and the planet's needs never really seems to simmer down.

Deregulation is helping the energy market through increasing the innovative forces at work within it. Many energy providers are researching ways to generate power from geothermal sources and making a lot of headway in the efforts.