The modern world is a complex and varied place. Most people probably enjoy higher standards of living than before. Life expectancy has increased while infant mortality has decreased. Disease-related and famine-related deaths are declining. Our civilization has now fully embraced technology. It has improved information availability and given more people the chance to rise up the social ladder. Despite these encouraging advancements in technology, carbon pollution threatens the global environment. We Americans must come up with swift fixes to save the world. Utilizing clean energy is the perfect solution to this growing crisis since it has lower environmental impact than the conventional energy technologies.
Current Status Quo
Currently, 39% of electricity production in the United States of America (USA) comes from coal mining (Breton and Geir Moe 647).
Burning and mining coal is harmful to the environment, but because coal is inexpensive many countries are hesitant to surrender it as a fuel source. Moreover, coal is a non-renewable source of energy; it cannot be recycled back as a fuel source. Coal supply is finite when they are used, they deplete. The world’s largest coal sources are Russia, USA, India, China, and Australia. It is abundant and cheap which makes developing nations to opt for it. However, this fuel source has its downsides.
Air Pollution: Burning Coal emits Toxins
Coal is composed of a mixture of elements. It contains Carbon, Sulphur, and other elements. Coal-fired power factories account for one-third of USA’s carbon dioxide emission, causing coal to be a massive contributor to global warming (Breton and Geir Moe 646). Furthermore, it has dangerous metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic. These metals escape into the air when they burn. The fumes they release have devastating consequences for the human body. They can damage the nervous, immune, and digestive systems. Individual organs which can also be affected include the kidney, lungs, eyes, and kidneys. Additionally, burning coal produces particulate matter which hastens air pollution.
Water Pollution: Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)
Mostly, coal mining takes place on the surface and subsurface of the land. When it rains, there is an outflow of water from the coal mines. The water is acidic since it reacts with metals present in coal. The common element is Sulphur; from it bearing rock called pyrite. These pyrites react with water and air to dissolved iron and sulphuric acid. As this water flows down the mines, it comes in contact with rivers to form dilute acid, which is harmful to the human body.
Land Pollution: Coal Combustion Waste and Coal Sludge
Besides municipal solid waste, coal combustion waste comes in as the second major contributor to waste stream. Disposing of coal is done in large landfills surrounded by clay. As time goes by, the rain filters the toxic ash into the local environment (Breton and Geir Moe 650). Furthermore, coal sludge which is as a result of washing coal is disposed near the coal mines. This coal sludge contains toxins when leaked out to the environment.
Solutions
After looking at the harmful effects of coal mining, it is critical find solution to this looming crisis which is the leading cause of global warming. These solutions will save the world and make the world a better place. The foundation of all solutions is to utilize clean, renewable sources of energy available
Building Hydroelectric Dams
America can build more dams that are capable to satisfy its electrical requirement threshold. At least all rivers should be equipped with a fully functioning dam for electrical production purpose. However, not all rivers combined can match the current electrical production by coal plants, but they will substantially reduce the number of coal plants (Stickler et al. 9605). The vital thing about hydroelectric power is a renewable and clean source of energy. Being renewable, hydroelectric power can reduce the rate of carbon emission. Besides saving the world from pollution, hydropower turbines are more efficient than coal plants. They convert 90% of the available energy to electrical as compared to coal plants which are 50% efficient (Stickler et al. 9603).
Wind Turbines
Despite their intermittent flow, wind turbines are essential to produce clean energy in America and the world as a whole. Firstly, they have no fuel cost (Manwell et al. 4). They are generated from convection current caused by heat energy from the sun. Hence, they are renewable because as long as the sun exists, the wind will always be there. The kinetic energy obtained from the windmills are converted into electrical energy by the turbines (Manwell et al. 3). There are no harmful gases produced by the windmills, hence saving the world from pollution. Furthermore, with increased technology, it is easy to capture wind power efficiently. Besides electrical production, it provides a scenic landscape. Therefore, making the world a better place
Solar Power
Solar power is obtained from the sun’s radiation. Americans should resort to using solar panels to produce electricity (Lewis and Nocera 15730).The energy that the sun provides in an hour can meet the overall global energy use for a year. It is a renewable and clean energy source; saving the world from environmental pollution (Lewis and Nocera 15733). Solar power can help American households to reduce their electrical bills, hence the promoting the standards of living. Advantages of solar is a major aide in making the world a better place.
To conclude, I will recommend the Americans to implement these solutions thoroughly to reduce the effects brought by coal mining plants.
These solutions including tapping solar power, hydropower, and wind energy. Executing these solutions will save the world from environmental pollution. Hence, saving the world now and making the world a better place in future.
Works Cited
Breton, Simon-Philippe, and Geir Moe. “Status, plans, and technologies for offshore wind turbines in Europe and North America.” Renewable Energy 34.3 (2009): 646-654.
Manwell, James F., Jon G. McGowan, and Anthony L. Rogers. Wind energy explained: theory, design, and application. John Wiley & Sons, 2010.
Lewis, Nathan S., and Daniel G., Nocera. “Powering the planet: Chemical challenges in solar energy utilization.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 103.43 (2006): 15729-15735.
Stickler, Claudia M., et al. “Dependence of hydropower energy generation on forests in the Amazon Basin at local and regional scales.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110.23 (2013): 9601-9606.
