Alternative Fuel Sources
With all the topics circulating around the media about the issues in the United States, many go unnoticed by the general public through the excuse of lack of relevance to the individual. The fuel crisis America is currently going through is not one of the ones to be pushed aside so quickly; it affects the lives of each citizen in some way. Personally, my main concerns surrounding this topic are the harm being done to the environment, the political conflicts with the Middle East over oil, and the increasing price at the pump. The world as a whole consumes approximately seventy-seven million barrels of oil a day, and it is predicted that in the next twenty years that global energy demands will increase a staggering sixty percent from our status quo. The burning of oils and coal for power is slowly destroying the Earth via acid rain, environmental accidents, and airborne pollutants released into the a
This energy obsessed society has burned sixty-five percent of America's known oil, which cannot be replenished for millions of years. Even though the equipment required would pay for itself, people are generally unwilling to trust in the future benefits. The impending success of photovoltaic cells is almost certain, with the only cons coming into play being the same ones involved with wind. Fossil fuels are limited, and eventually will not be sufficient to meet the demand of the public. Seventy-two hours of all the energy striking the Earth would be approximately equivalent to the potential energy of all the coal, oil, and natural gas stored on the Earth. Hydrogen fuel cells can be used to power most anything and are avalible commercially on the web. Other energy sources that are renewable may be the key to unlocking a solution depending on the pros and cons of the proposal. Wind energy could provide twenty percent of America's electricity using one percent of the land. Government funds do not total enough for the research needed, and without government support, it will take a long time for the hydrogen revolution to take place, if ever. Hospitals use them as backup generators, NASA needs them for missions to provide oxygen and water, and car companies are beginning to modify their vehicles to be compatible with the fuel cells. The hydrogen itself does not present a threat to the environment when burned, but to obtain the gas needed for the cells, fossil fuels must be burned. Wind energy has been around for quite some time, but has grown greatly in popularity in the past few years. Basically, time is running out and mankind is in desperate need of an alternative.
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Acceptance Essays
