Essay on Renewable Energy

The world has been powered by carbon-based energy since the industrial revolution. It is what humans know as convenient, reliable, and cheap. However, the environment is slowly paying the price for the use of these fossil fuels. A change needs to occur, and a willingness to switch to renewable energy is the only way to ensure the planet will remain intact. Humans are at fault here, deciding to burn limited resources when there is an alternative way to produce clean energy. The world should be powered by renewable energy.

There are several reasons why renewable energy is proven to be a better power source than carbon-based energy. Not only will it boost the global economy, but it will also save consumers money in the long run. According to the American Wind Energy Association, wind farms in the U.S. source around $222 million a year to landowners who have wind farms. (Folk, 2019). This source of income can be very beneficial to farmers and landowners because it can help them with their main business, whether that be agriculture, herding, etc. Renewable energy is a step in the right direction for employment wise as well. Not only will it provide thousands of labor-intensive, technical jobs, but it will also generate a source of business accessible to all. “In 2016, the wind energy industry directly employed over 100,000 full-time-equivalent employees.” (UCS, 2017). Just like people need to run gas stations, there will be a direct need for manufacturing and maintaining wind farms, solar panels, and any other form of renewable energy. These jobs may even pay more than the national average, being engineering related. There is a direct relationship between the implementation of renewable energy and the increased benefit each business gets from the income it will receive. As renewable energy becomes more familiar, the price will go down, unlike the fuel we use now. Renewable energy will have a steady value as time progresses. For example, solar installation prices decreased by up to 70% from 2010 to 2017. (SEIA, 2017). The inevitable transition from carbon-based energy to renewable energy will provide far more benefits for the people than anything else. Not only will the global economy increase but working civilians will save money or even make money from new work or investments.

One of the most obvious and inevitable threats of using carbon-based energy is the pollution of the Earth. The switch to renewable energy will fix this indefinitely. As carbon burns, carbon dioxide is released, which is the most well-known greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases are what are causing the global climate to rising, due to pollution. These emissions are released every single day on the planet, whether it be a car, a factory, or a college, air pollutants are constantly being released. The same could not be said if renewable energy was being used. Renewable energy releases no harmful emissions. Cars would not run on gas, heat would not be produced by the burning of oil, etc. Air and water pollution not only kills the Earth, but it also kills humans too. Fossil fuel use, most prominently, the extraction of coal, releases toxic chemicals. These chemicals are released into the air during extraction, then left for nature to dispose of it. But it just gets buried in the ground, in water, with no one cleaning it up. “Exposure to coal dust and particulates has long been linked to high rates of risk of respiratory diseases and lung cancer amongst miners and in mountaintop-mining regions.” (Climate Nexus, 2019). People who live near these sites are exposed to this toxic dust every day, it’s in the air they breathe, and the water they drink, and they are none the wiser. The fact that manufacturers and distributors are aware of the risk they are taking and the harm they are causing, and the world continues to be dominated by carbon-based energy industries, is ridiculous. Renewable energy uses nature to provide a source of power, but in a way that doesn’t destroy it.

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As global fossil fuel consumption increases, the less we have of it. Just because the Earth is bigger than we can picture, doesn’t mean that we can’t run it dry. The truth is, we are progressively using up all of the natural oil and gas that Earth has been holding for 4.5 billion years. If the global use of carbon-based energy continues, the Earth's known oil deposits could run out in just 53 years. (Ecotricity). People seem to not care until it actually happens, and this mindset needs to be put to an end. People believe that the Earth was made to inhabit humans and we are here for the long haul, but the truth is that the Earth will thrive without us. Its oil would remain undisturbed, ecosystems will prosper, and the natural ocean life would not suffer from the creations of mankind. We are draining the Earth of all of its life and once it's all gone it may never come back. The uncertainty should be unsettling enough. Clean energy is guaranteed to save the Earth, to save human life as we know it. In a world full of electronics and factories, it is obvious that we need a source of energy, and that energy has to be renewable in order for us to save this planet. Sustainable energy will not run out, and it will fight climate change by reducing carbon emissions. “Despite more than two decades of climate policymaking, fossil fuel production levels are higher than ever.” (Nilsson, SEI, 2019). This proves that humans will be the cause of their own demise. Without Earth, we have nothing, yet we are still treating it like it is expendable. Instead of drilling for oil, there should be teams building wind farms, installing solar panels, and figuring out new ways to create and store sustainable energy.

While renewable energy is known among the world's population as a clean energy option, some people still argue that fossil fuels will never run out. As energy researchers continue to search for and find new oil reserves, the estimate of the amount of oil we have left keeps increasing, leading people to believe that we will not run out any time soon. ( Rissman, 2013). While that may be true, we will eventually run out. Whether it be in 2050 or 3050, there will be a time when the reserves are empty. People also argue that the oil industry is a trillion-dollar industry and that the economy will tank if we eliminate its use of it. However, this is not true. Climate change is costing the world trillions of dollars by trying to stop it. Using renewable energy would save the U.S. over $700 billion a year in the 2040s. Around 1 million additional jobs would also be created due to this transition. (Alexander, 2018).

Building the future with the use of carbon-based energy will not be sufficient at all. In order to ensure the success of future generations, now is the time to introduce the worldwide use of renewable energy. Otherwise, the future will be very grim. We have all the technology and resources right now to make it happen, so the desire to wait does not make sense. If the problem can be solved, then why not solve it? Yes, it will take time and money, but instead of funding fossil fuel extraction, why not put the money towards something that will last forever? Making the switch now will allow future generations to live on a plant that was not destroyed by humans, and it will allow them to grow and learn from our developments, to suit their needs. It is not certain how much energy will be needed in the future, but if we start storing sustainable energy now, it could potentially help future generations tremendously. If the world is set up in a way that is not harmful and keeps the global economy up, future generations will have no choice but to follow in our footsteps, instead of them being responsible for cleaning up our mess. All in all, there is no way of knowing what the technology will be like in the future, but if there is a good foundation for them to start off with, then the rest will all fall together. No one wants to destroy the Earth, and hopefully, it’s not too late.

The world should be powered by renewable energy. Not only is it the only logical approach to saving the Earth from us destroying it, but there are also many benefits from doing so. It will boost the economy by creating millions of jobs around the world and creating numerous potential investments and businesses. In the world today, pollution is normal. It comes from cars, it comes from buildings, it comes from machines, and almost everything we do leaves a carbon footprint. This is slowly killing the Earth. The air and water are contaminated with toxic emissions that are fatal to humans and animals. Trying to clean up is not enough, in order to fix the problem we need to address the root of the problem, which is fossil fuels. There is no limit when it comes to renewable energy. We don't have to go searching for it, unlike oil, gas, and coal. The known reserves around the world are becoming empty and we are just bystanders watching as it happens. Big companies and manufacturers need to take responsibility. They are the ones with all the money and power. Without them, there is very little chance of global reform. Even if just one multi-billion dollar company transitioned to renewable energy as their main source of energy, that would make a massive difference in the carbon emissions released. Any argument made against this topic should be immediately dismissed because this is the only solution. Not only for us but for the future of the Earth. We only have one chance and if we lose it now then there is no future. I believe that we should be taking this very seriously. The fact that there are no laws put in place yet to enforce the use of renewable energy is sad, to think that we have people that hold such power and they are not doing anything about it, it’s truly sad. There is no debate between renewable vs carbon-based energy. The world absolutely needs to transition to renewable energy sooner rather than later, so that there is a later.