posted for kicks, whatcha think? The ultimate hypocrisy of America is characterized by common, everyday tasks and occurences that one would rarely ponder, except for the occasion when the pocketbook is called upon for service.Many activists advocate and protest the manner in which these tasks are accomplished but, without realizing it, support the opposition with the turn of a key or the flick of a switch. These advocates attempt to vindicate themselves by stating that their methods are superior and harmless, and could never be confused with the primitive reliabilty of the guilty, yet fail to realize that the methods they support are just a slower version of the destructive force they so adamantly denounce.
Energy is the driving force behind these tasks, and it is the focal point behind hundreds of debates, petitions and protests worldwide. Fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, are debatebly the two forms of potential energy that have the most detrimental effect on the environment, mostly due to the pernicious means by which they are extracted from the earth. These resources, though they can admittedly, "get the job done", are disappearing at an alarming rate, forcing the next generation of scientists and entrepeneurs to find alternative means of producing heat and vehicular motion, a search that can't be completed unless the proper steps and actions are taken to ensure the survival of the modern world as we know it.
It has been suggested that one possible solution to the fuel depletion crisis is to research and invest in a more fuel effecient vehicle, and to have these vehicles set the standard for fuel effeciency around the world. This 'solution', however ideal it may be, has problems in the sense that, though the rate of consumption would decrease, the fuels would still eventually run out, leaving us in the same situation we would have found ourselves in if we hadn't found a more efficient method of transportation. The real solution relies not on slowing the demand for fossil fuels, but eliminating their use all together. Money and time used for researching efficiency and drilling should instead be used for researching other potential methods of renewable energythat is both low-cost and harmless to the environment.
Not only could this energy be used for low-cost transportation, heat, and electricity, it also gives an answer to the ever growing need for a solution to water and air pollution. An example of an environmentally friendly energy source is the use of hydro-power; a type of energy in the form of electricity that is formed by water becoming charged by falling through a dam. This process can be repeated over and over without damaging the water or the areas surrounding it.By using this process, an entire city can be lit up with a single, albeit large, dam. A way to power vehicles in a similair fashion has also been suggested. Scentists from the US Department of Energy suggested that vehicles could be run off of electricity and hydrogen, with no reliance on fossil fuels.(Hydrogen Vehicles) Such a development would cause the economy to 'sky rocket', as hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements in the solar system, and would be available to every citizen in every country. The only problems that would arise is a strong outcry from the shareholders and wealthy owners of large oil companies. The monetary outcome for others, however, would save millions of dollars in oil dependent countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Automobiles could be refitted with newer fuel systems for low cost, with a portion of the amount due paid by the government, whose debts would be significantly reduced without the burden of purchasing oil from other countries.Another challenge scientists face is finding a way to replace coal with a clean, renewable source of heat and electricity. It has been predicted that, though coal is the most abundant fossil fuel, there will only be enough to last another 75 years. While this may seem far off, it only allows a few decades to find and perfect a method that could effectively create clean, renewable energy. If a new method is not discovered, the countries that depend on coal for electricity will suddenly find themselves on the verge of a crisis that, by the time they realize it, will cause power shortages that could last years. As coals primary use is generating electricity, it could be replaced by more desirable sources, such as hydro and wind power. The power produced woud be enough to give scientists time to find a new source of the carbon that is used to generate the electricity. If such a source is found, millions of dollars in mining, transportation and air cleanup could be saved and used to help another cause.Finding alternatives to fossil fuels is a challenge that, if it is not addressed soon, will cause unfathomable damage to both the environment and contemporary society as we know it. If a solution is found, many countries that were previously deprived of power would have a chance to experience what those in "powerful" countries often take for granted. The hypocrisy of using energy while protesting its source would cease to exist, and the world could move on and experience a cleaner, more peaceful life, one that everyone would be able to enjoy.
Comment