The Shift from Fossil Fuels to Renewable Energy Alternatives
The energy sector is rapidly developing, providing more alternatives to the worldwide community. Fossil fuels account for the most considerable use, including coal, oil, and natural gas, from the remains of organisms. People mostly prefer coal, which has reservoirs for the next 140 years and creates atmospheric pollution through combustion (Bensel & Carbone, 2020).
Meanwhile, people will have oil reservoirs for only the next 50 years and natural gas for 12 years. This duration is alarming, urging the public to shift to more renewable sources. Although solar energy is the most costly and requires multiple technologies to store and convert energy, it has the most potential as it does not harm the environment. Wind turbines are also effective as they replace the greenhouse effect generated by 20 million cars, while geothermal and ocean energy are unevenly distributed. Thus, people can contribute to planet-saving by changing their energy consumption.
The Alarming Impact of Air Pollution and Climate Change
The current situation with air pollution and climate change also causes public panic. As the world population increases and people become less geographically spread out, the problems deteriorate. For example, the primary air pollutant is sulfur dioxide from burning coal, while secondary ones are generated by sulfur’s reaction with other chemicals, leading to more threats (Bensel & Carbone, 2020).
Additionally, nitric acid from wood burning causes acid rain, damaging plants and aquatic life. All these air pollutants damage human health through respiratory conditions, cancer, and heart attacks. It shortens every born child’s lifespan by two years and results in 7 million premature deaths annually. Moreover, the last three decades have been sufficiently warmer than the last predictions, meaning that greenhouse gases have produced climate change, which destroys natural habitats and depletes the ozone layer. All industries and individuals should enact laws to limit their air pollution rates.
Personal Reflections on Environmental Awareness and Responsibility
This week provided helpful information regarding energy consumption, climate change, and atmospheric pollution, the most widespread environmental concerns for the public. I have learned alarming facts about the possible years of utilization of many important energy sources, emphasizing people’s need to switch to alternatives. Moreover, I have understood the high correlation between human activities and increasing greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and halocarbon gases. This information frustrates me since it highlights human negligence toward available resources and future generations’ sustainability.
It is mentioned that some people even doubt such problems’ existence, believing that ozone holes and climate change are constructed phenomena. Such a position would never result in any benefits. As current generations deplete the ozone layer, change the climate, and consume all energy sources, their children will not have any means to live peacefully.
Educational Tools and Student Engagement in Climate Action
For a student like me, who first got acquainted with the scientific baseline of environmental problems, the climate change virtual lab stands out among other activities. Applying received knowledge to different invented situations and speculating about the possible links helps to analyze and process information better. For example, comparing the temperature change in sea ice and ocean forces students to think about the importance of solar radiation in such a process.
However, the most exciting experience of this week was providing a list of carbon-neutral activities as the students generated brilliant and creative ways to fight carbon emissions. For instance, offering stipends to the most eco-friendly households and supplying each business with solar panels (Chen et al., 2022). Through interacting with peers, students have combined their efforts to resolve the environmental problem, which justifies that the growing generation has a chance to contribute to the planet.
References
Bensel, T., & Carbone, I. (2020). Chapter 7: Sustaining our energy resources, Chapter 8: Sustaining our atmosphere and climate. In Sustaining our planet (pp. 1–88). Zovio.
Chen, L., Msigwa, G., Yang, M., Osman, A., Fawzy, S., Rooney, D., & Yap, P.S. (2022). Strategies to achieve a carbon neutral society: a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 20(1), 2277–2310. Web.