BY LORETO MARSAL, STAFF REPORTER
Energy. The reason why today we are able to see in the dark, to cook our food or to wash our clothes. Since it was first invented in 1879, it has developed and improved amazingly. For me, it is one of the best inventions throughout history. However… How does it affect the environment?
Energy appears in several different forms: as gas, electricity, fuels… These types of energy produce a huge amount of power, but they also pollute a lot.
Fuel factories release smoke that hurts the atmosphere, and the fuel itself ends up in rivers, seas and landfills, where it causes the death of lots of animals.
And although electricity is a clean and safe form of energy when it is used, the generation and transmission of electricity affects the environment as well. Nearly all types of electric power plants have an effect on the environment.
Most large power plants require land clearing to build the power plant, access roads, railroads, and pipelines for fuel delivery, electricity transmission lines, and cooling water supplies. They release CO2 and other harmful chemicals.
Nuclear energy provides 6% of global energy, and it is the cheapest one. However, if an accident happens, the consequences are horrendous, as the catastrophe in Chernobyl. The damage cost thousands of lives and, after 40 years, the environment still suffers from radiation.
This is why nowadays we look for a way to achieve clean, renewable energy all around the world. Instead of factories, enterprises choose to get energy by wind turbines or solar panels. These systems are friendly with the environment, and the production increases.
A similar movement happens with lightbulbs. LED light bulbs are replacing the common bulbs, because they last longer, are more durable, and offer comparable or better light quality than other types of lighting. They use at least 75% less energy, and last 25 times longer. They are sustainable and efficient.
As I said, fuel pollutes a lot, especially when using vehicles, due to the harmful substances released. That’s why electric vehicles are now a better alternative. They reduce the dependence on oil and gasoline and contribute to a sustainable environment.
Youth can contribute as well by tiny acts such as changing the bulbs of our houses into LED ones, trying to use more public transport, walking or going by bike when possible, unplugging the mobile chargers or electronic devices when we aren’t using them and turning off the lights when they aren’t necessary. This might sound cliché, but it is so true that if we all do this, little by little pollution will be reduced, and energy will become clean and renewable all around the Globe.