Human Sustainability-Risks and Benefits

Energy Use in History:

The earliest energy source was the sun. It gave the earliest humans heat and light.

The people looked for food all day. They were homeless. They started looking for cover when it got dark.

When the sun set, the world became gloomy and chilly. Only the moon and stars provided light. For warmth, people gathered together.

Fire:

Lightning has occasionally sparked fires. When early people saw the fire, they became terrified.

On a chilly day, maybe they felt the heat.

Maybe they observed that the fire allowed them to see at night.

They later picked up how to start fires. To create sparks, they rubbed the flint pieces together.

One day, a piece of meat was accidentally thrown into the fire. They discovered that food might be cooked by fire.

The man had energy from the sun and wood for a very long period.

People only began utilizing other sources roughly 5,000 years ago.

People started exploiting the wind as a means of transportation.

Introduction:

People were picking up new techniques from a variety of sources.

But until 150 years ago, most of the energy came from the sun and wood.

Some claim that if we began to live as our predecessors did, our ecosystem and energy would be preserved. Do you think this plan can be implemented?

We, in the present time, have renewable and nonrenewable energy resources.

These energy resources have advantages as well as disadvantages.

Let us understand some of the risks and benefits of these energy resources.

Explanation:

Benefits of Renewable Energy Resources:

  1. A Fuel Source that is always available

Renewable energy is produced from resources that replenish themselves naturally, such as sunshine, wind, water, biomass, and even geothermal heat.

And while it is getting more difficult and expensive to obtain various fossil fuels, which results in the devastation of natural habitats and substantial financial losses, renewable energy never runs out.

 2. Zero Emissions of Carbon:

The absence of greenhouse gases and other pollutants during the process is perhaps the most important advantage of renewable energy.

For every kilowatt-hour of electricity produced by a coal power plant, about 2.2 pounds of CO2 are released into the atmosphere; solar and wind power generates zero CO2.

 3. Clear Water and Air:

In addition to warming the climate, burning fossil fuels damages the air and water we breathe.

For instance, coal power plants produce and release large amounts of nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2), two of the most potent greenhouse gases, directly into the environment.

However, they also release toxic metals like mercury and lead, as well as particulates, Sulphur dioxide, and Sulphur dioxide, all of which can result in a variety of health issues, from breathing problems to early death.

 4. A Cheaper Electricity Source:

Solar and wind power are currently among the cheapest sources of electricity in many regions of the world, thanks to the tremendous expansion of renewable energy over the past ten years.

And while green energy was originally thought of as a “clean-but-expensive” option, it is now assisting consumers worldwide in lowering their energy costs.

 5. The Use of Renewable Energy Produces New Jobs:

One of the unexpected benefits of renewable energy is that it has swiftly grown into a significant source of new job creation.

With a growing focus on global warming and many countries establishing ambitious carbon-reduction goals, this benefit is becoming increasingly important.

Risks/Drawbacks of Renewable Energy Resources:

 1. Higher Capital Costs

Although fuel-free renewable energy systems can result in significant long-term savings, their upfront expenses can still be out of reach for certain people.

For instance, installing a solar system on your home could cost between $10,000 and $20,000, making it unaffordable even if you want to power your home with renewable energy.

 2. The Production of Electricity can be Unreliable:

Because they rely on renewable resources like sunshine, wind, and water, renewable energy systems’ ability to produce electricity can be as erratic as the weather.

Wind turbines are ineffective on calm days, solar panels lose effectiveness on overcast days, and hydropower systems require regular snowfall and rainfall to sustain dependable output.

 3. Energy Storage is Difficult:

Renewable energy sources require some kind of energy storage in order to capture and release electricity in a reliable and controlled manner due to their intermittent nature.

The development of utility-scale batteries has accelerated rapidly, as seen by the recent startup of the largest system in the world in California.

Storage technology, however, remains quite expensive despite declining costs, and there are some unanswered issues about its dependability and longevity.

 4. Environmental Conditions have an Impact:

Renewable energy systems’ effectiveness is also influenced by where they are located and by the environment around them. For instance, the feasibility of wind turbines is restricted to specific geographical areas since they are only successful in broad, open spaces with strong and persistent winds.

And while solar panels can still provide some electricity on overcast days, they work best in regions with year-round sunshine.

 5. The Carbon Footprint of Renewables is Still There:

Although solar and wind energy sources don’t emit any carbon dioxide when they generate electricity, they nonetheless leave a carbon footprint during production, shipping, and installation.

In addition to the diesel and gasoline trucks required for their transport and installation, manufacturing renewable energy components often takes place in big plants with substantial electricity consumption.

Nonrenewable Energy’s Benefits

The energy content of nonrenewable materials is high.

Compared to renewable energy sources like solar or wind, resources like coal and oil generally give us more energy.

Coal mining, oil sales, and building pipelines for natural gas can all result in enormous riches.

In a home or somewhere else, these resources are simple to use.

Nonrenewable energy is also a reasonable option for people who live in remote places.

Nonrenewable resources are crucially necessary for providing jobs.

Nonrenewable resource components that create jobs include extracting, moving, and refining.

The majority of nonrenewable resources may also be stored relatively easily.

Risks/Disadvantages with Nonrenewable energy resources:

The time-consuming nature of nonrenewable energy is one of its main drawbacks.

It takes a long time to mine coal, look for oil, install oil drills, construct oil rigs, insert pipes to extract natural gas, and transport it. It also demands a great deal of work.

Nonrenewable energy sources must form over billions of years; therefore, they are slowly but surely disappearing from the planet.

It could be selfish to use nonrenewable resources carelessly without considering the needs of future generations.

Because nonrenewable energy sources like fossil fuels release chemicals like carbon monoxide, they can be harmful and cause respiratory issues in people.

Sulfur oxide and other pollutants created by the combustion of fossil fuels cause the rain to become acidic, which is bad for both humans and animals.

Smog, which surrounds buildings, is released by many nonrenewable sources.

People complain about the same things, mostly in modern cities. For example, black fog can, over time, make your building and other property appear dingy and dark.

Transporting nonrenewable resources can be dangerous since large cargo ships and oil tankers frequently collide, releasing their contents into the water or other areas.

Both humans and marine animals that come into contact with it run the risk of dying.

We must always have a sizable amount of fuel in reserve in order to keep the power plant running. This would be Costly and room-consuming.

The Effects of Nonrenewable Energy Globally:

It is well known that burning fossil fuels harms the environment and is a contributing factor to global warming and climate change.

Nuclear materials also carry concerns because of their toxicity brought on by their radioactivity.

Fossil fuels have negative economic effects in addition to environmental ones.

The supply and demand of these resources are constantly increasing, and because of the escalating cost, people are compelled to use substitutes.

In conclusion, nonrenewable energy has both advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, to improve the world for the upcoming generations, it is crucial to take appropriate steps to regulate nonrenewable energy usage.