Vegetarianism, A More Efficient Use of Land
The laws of thermodynamics state that when substances are formed in nature, they lose some of their original mass and increase entropy. Vegetarianism is a more efficient land use based on the laws of thermodynamics because plants have higher specific rates of photosynthesis than animals. For example, photosynthesis accounts for more than 90% of the energy available in plants, while less than 10% is used to convert sunlight into chemical energy by animals (Balli et al. 1470). This means fewer animals are needed to feed the same number of people by eating plants.
Personal Automobiles a Poor Choice and Transporting A 150 Lb. Person
Personal automobiles are a poor choice for achieving sustainability, given the laws of thermodynamics, because they are inherently ineffective. The most fundamental laws of thermodynamics dictate that every energy conversion process is less than 100% efficient (Balli et al. 1470). For example, the auto engine processes 70% of the energy from the fuel, with only 30% being used to create motion and propel the car forward (Balli et al. 1470). Subsequently, automobiles are bad choices in a nation that strives to attain sustainability.
Transporting A 150 Lb. Person
The best way to transport a 150 lb. person will be to use a bicycle if possible. Cyclists would use at least 250 kWh per hour of energy walking, which is about 70% more efficient than the energy required for a car (including inefficiencies related to its operation and maintenance) (Balli et al. 1470). Therefore, the person could travel 4 miles in 1 hour on a bicycle at a rate of six mph, or 60 mph, for the entire trip. Hence 150 lb. person should frequently be cycling to save energy.
People Seen in Each Car on The Highway on Average and Appropriate Technology
On the highway, there is an average of 2 persons per car. Nonetheless, more energy is lost from the car to the highway than if people walk. In the U.S., a car uses about 1 kWh of energy to travel 5 miles, and about 10 kWh per hour is usually required for each mile traveled (Balli et al. 1470). This means the total energy for an average car is thus about 15 kWh per hour or about 180 kWh/hour (1 kWh = 1000 W) (Balli et al. 1470). A flying hovercraft is an appropriate transportation technology that is more efficient than walking. Flying hovercraft has the same weight as a car but uses only about 1 kWh of energy per mile traveled (Balli et al. 1470). Therefore, a flying hovercraft can save energy and is more efficient than walking.
Work Cited
Balli, Ozgur, and Alper Dalkiran. “Comparative thermodynamic, environmental and sustainability performance assessments of an aero turboprop engine utilizing jet fuel and biofuel.”International Journal of Green Energy 19.13 (2022): 1466-1485.