アメリカは電気代が安いためか防犯のためか、朝から夜までどころか１日中エアコンも部屋の電灯もつけっ放しの家庭があります。また、夜にロサンゼルスを上空から眺めると公共の建物や会社、道路など街全体が電灯によって明々と煌めいています。これらの電気は州内の発電所によって供給されています。
カリフォルニア州内の発電所を調べました。１番多いのは化石燃料発電、次は水力発電でした。数は少ないけれど発電量が多い原子力発電所もあります。
カリフォルニア州は地下鉄、鉄道の通うところが少ないアメリカの典型的な車社会でもあります。州で登録されている車の数と発電所の個数を日本と比べるとカリフォルニア州は一人当たりの二酸化炭素排出量が格段に多いのがわかりました。
そこで地球温暖化を防ぐ目的の節電をテーマとしたのです。
Electricity and Our Life
We, human beings, breathe. We breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Not only human beings but also animals, birds, fish, and all living things breathe and produce carbon dioxide.
Carbon dioxide normally exists in the air. We are surrounded by carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide has two problems. One of them is carbon dioxide levels in the air. If carbon dioxide levels rise three percentage, we faint away and our brains have damaged. Furthermore, no one can survive in the seven percentage of carbon dioxide. The other problem is global warming.
I like reading books. When I went to a public library, I found a children book drawn by an elementary school girl. The book showed me several environmental problems that we face today. I am interested in the environmental problems since then.
First, I will explain the global warming. Second, I will show an example which causes the global warming through power stations. At last, I will indicate several solutions.
Back to carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is heavier than the air. It builds up higher and higher, then wraps around surface of the earth. On the other hand, the sun gives us light and heat. The heat from the sun reaches surface of the earth and reflects in the air. Carbon dioxide in the air keeps the heat reflected on the ground. This is so called the greenhouse effects. The earth is covered by warm blanket and the temperature gradually goes up by the greenhouse effect. This is the global warming.
The global warming causes severe damage to the earth. First, the warm temperature melts glaciers and icebergs in Antarctica or North Pole. The water came from glaciers and icebergs goes up sea level. If one inch raised sea level, several cities in the world go under water. Moreover, the global warming promotes to expand desert areas. If the temperature went up, cold areas would become warm areas, warm areas would become hot areas. Human beings get accustomed to changing temperature, however, most animal and plants can't. For this reason, animals and plants on the earth are endangered. Global warming is caused by carbon dioxide. Our breath doesn't harm as much as power stations.
Our modern life is based on electricity. We can't live without electricity. Imaging that electricity went out in your home, you couldn't watch Super Bowl on TV, take a shower, and do assignments. You use home electric, for example: an air conditioner, a fridge, a coffee maker, and so on. Not only using home electrics but also supplying water and gases to each house, work place, and school is necessary. To supply electricity, power stations work in 24 hours, 7 days.
Our life depends on electricity from power stations which produce a great quantity of carbon dioxide. I will mention the types of power stations, then advantage and disadvantage of them.
We have three types of power stations, such as: Fossil Fueled power stations, Nuclear power stations, and Renewable Energy power stations.
Fossil Fueled power stations are operated by oil, coal, and natural gas. As Fossil Fueled power stations produce the largest amount of carbon dioxide of all power stations, the usage of this type of power stations harm the environment and endanger lives of people and wildlife.
Nuclear power stations are operated by uranium. Although Nuclear power stations are the cleanest and the most powerful of all power stations, this type of power stations are much more expensive to build and operate than Fossil Fueled power stations. In addition, Nuclear power stations create dangerous radioactive waste from used uranium.
Renewable Energy power stations are operated by water, wind, geothermal, and the sun. As those resources can use again and again, we don't have to worry about the shortage of resources. On the other hand, dams change the landscape, flood farmland, and destroy wildlife habitat.
Carbon dioxide damages people directly and indirectly, even so we don't want to give up our developed convenient life. We have to admit to having three barrier which are ignorance, money, and underdevelopment. First, many people who use home electronics are not interested in electricity and power stations. Second, large companies chase benefit but don't concern about social benefit. Third, a few researchers have looked for the solution of energy problems. I would like to share several solutions.
Education is the first key of solution. In many European countries and Asian countries, for example: Germany, Denmark, Japan, school children have studied the environmental problems since they were in the first grade. As they learned it, when they grow up, the people in those countries naturally join some programs to solve the problems.
Researching is the second key of solution. Every power station has disadvantage. The government and companies have to put money into researches which can improve power stations and find new Eco-friendly energy.
Saving energy is the third key of solution. Once I went to an old luxury hotel in New York where decorated antique furniture and large chandeliers on the ceilings in the lobby. However, saving energy light bulbs and saving water faucets are used in the guest rooms. Using saving energy products in official buildings and public places reduce carbon dioxide. Furthermore, electricity generated by roof-top solar panels is cheaper than energy generated at central power stations. Improved photovoltaic panels will lower costs in the future.
Education, researching, and saving energy are key of solutions. The global warming related our daily consumption of electricity. Let's start to reduce carbon dioxide.
Carbon dioxide normally exists in the air. We are surrounded by carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide has two problems. One of them is carbon dioxide levels in the air. If carbon dioxide levels rise three percentage, we faint away and our brains have damaged. Furthermore, no one can survive in the seven percentage of carbon dioxide. The other problem is global warming.
I like reading books. When I went to a public library, I found a children book drawn by an elementary school girl. The book showed me several environmental problems that we face today. I am interested in the environmental problems since then.
First, I will explain the global warming. Second, I will show an example which causes the global warming through power stations. At last, I will indicate several solutions.
Back to carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is heavier than the air. It builds up higher and higher, then wraps around surface of the earth. On the other hand, the sun gives us light and heat. The heat from the sun reaches surface of the earth and reflects in the air. Carbon dioxide in the air keeps the heat reflected on the ground. This is so called the greenhouse effects. The earth is covered by warm blanket and the temperature gradually goes up by the greenhouse effect. This is the global warming.
The global warming causes severe damage to the earth. First, the warm temperature melts glaciers and icebergs in Antarctica or North Pole. The water came from glaciers and icebergs goes up sea level. If one inch raised sea level, several cities in the world go under water. Moreover, the global warming promotes to expand desert areas. If the temperature went up, cold areas would become warm areas, warm areas would become hot areas. Human beings get accustomed to changing temperature, however, most animal and plants can't. For this reason, animals and plants on the earth are endangered. Global warming is caused by carbon dioxide. Our breath doesn't harm as much as power stations.
Our modern life is based on electricity. We can't live without electricity. Imaging that electricity went out in your home, you couldn't watch Super Bowl on TV, take a shower, and do assignments. You use home electric, for example: an air conditioner, a fridge, a coffee maker, and so on. Not only using home electrics but also supplying water and gases to each house, work place, and school is necessary. To supply electricity, power stations work in 24 hours, 7 days.
Our life depends on electricity from power stations which produce a great quantity of carbon dioxide. I will mention the types of power stations, then advantage and disadvantage of them.
We have three types of power stations, such as: Fossil Fueled power stations, Nuclear power stations, and Renewable Energy power stations.
Fossil Fueled power stations are operated by oil, coal, and natural gas. As Fossil Fueled power stations produce the largest amount of carbon dioxide of all power stations, the usage of this type of power stations harm the environment and endanger lives of people and wildlife.
Nuclear power stations are operated by uranium. Although Nuclear power stations are the cleanest and the most powerful of all power stations, this type of power stations are much more expensive to build and operate than Fossil Fueled power stations. In addition, Nuclear power stations create dangerous radioactive waste from used uranium.
Renewable Energy power stations are operated by water, wind, geothermal, and the sun. As those resources can use again and again, we don't have to worry about the shortage of resources. On the other hand, dams change the landscape, flood farmland, and destroy wildlife habitat.
Carbon dioxide damages people directly and indirectly, even so we don't want to give up our developed convenient life. We have to admit to having three barrier which are ignorance, money, and underdevelopment. First, many people who use home electronics are not interested in electricity and power stations. Second, large companies chase benefit but don't concern about social benefit. Third, a few researchers have looked for the solution of energy problems. I would like to share several solutions.
Education is the first key of solution. In many European countries and Asian countries, for example: Germany, Denmark, Japan, school children have studied the environmental problems since they were in the first grade. As they learned it, when they grow up, the people in those countries naturally join some programs to solve the problems.
Researching is the second key of solution. Every power station has disadvantage. The government and companies have to put money into researches which can improve power stations and find new Eco-friendly energy.
Saving energy is the third key of solution. Once I went to an old luxury hotel in New York where decorated antique furniture and large chandeliers on the ceilings in the lobby. However, saving energy light bulbs and saving water faucets are used in the guest rooms. Using saving energy products in official buildings and public places reduce carbon dioxide. Furthermore, electricity generated by roof-top solar panels is cheaper than energy generated at central power stations. Improved photovoltaic panels will lower costs in the future.
Education, researching, and saving energy are key of solutions. The global warming related our daily consumption of electricity. Let's start to reduce carbon dioxide.
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