Energy is a necessary need for every human being on Earth. Harvesting and utilizing natural resources is a vital part of survival for both individuals and societies. As technology advances, how energy is collected has also become more efficient. Unfortunately, many energy providers still rely on antiquated resources such as coal, wood, and natural gas. These types of natural resources can no longer satisfy the massive energy needs of an increasing global population–at least not without an expensive and harmful impact on the environment.
Many people are familiar with solar, wind, and hydroelectric sources of power; however, innovations in hydrokinetics, biomass, and other forms of sustainable energy have bolstered the number of alternatives to non-renewable energy.
There’s no way to eliminate the environmental impact of harvesting energy, but the process of extracting energy from these cleaner sources releases minuscule carbon emissions compared to classic energy plants.
Beyond considering the future of the planet, there is also an immediate economic benefit to renewable energy. Construction and maintenance of renewable energy plants are much less costly than their non-renewable equivalent. More labor is also needed, leading to increased job opportunities. Finally, public health has been impacted by the adverse effects of non-renewable energy, causing the healthcare sector to bleed money from national wealth.
Coal, oil, and gas are being used at a much faster rate than they can naturally form, leading to their inevitable exhaustion in the future. The disastrous effects of non-renewable energy are self-instigating. As carbon gasses take their toll on the availability of clean air and water, as well as raising the global temperature, natural disasters are becoming more of a risk. Events such as droughts and heatwaves have terrible effects on non-renewable power plants. On the other hand, wind farms can work in a modular system that mitigates the impact of destructive situations.
Leaders around the world have already committed to increasing the use of renewable energy, yet there is still much progress needed to protect ourselves and our environment. At one point, whale oil was the preferred energy source for keeping a light on at night; now, it’s time for humanity to look towards a cleaner and safer solution to meeting energy demands.