https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx en-us 2022-08-11 01:40:17 UTC 2026-03-16 21:31:18 UTC hello@padlet.com helc3122 https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637352 There is, however, resistance to such a sudden shift from our established fossil fuel sources. This essay will consider aspects of both arguments and question whether replacement is possible at present.]]> 2022-08-11 01:40:17 UTC https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637352 helc3122 https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637353 These are achievable goals.  For example, one UK community established a 100% electricity supply from renewables and reduced energy use through various projects by early 2014.  Therefore, within the next ten years, by 2030, it should be possible to make global changes.]]> 2022-08-11 01:40:17 UTC https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637353 helc3122 https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637354 Supporters of fossil fuels claim that shifting to renewable energy would not solve environmental problems resulting from fossil fuels and, in fact, creates new problems.]]> 2022-08-11 01:40:17 UTC https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637354 helc3122 https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637355 Clearly, fossil fuels remain the main source of power for now due to their greater efficiency and affordability.  Nevertheless, advancements in science and technology should make it possible for renewable sources to become a bigger player. ]]> 2022-08-11 01:40:17 UTC https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637355 helc3122 https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637356 There is growing global demand for energy sources that are sustainable.  Some believe that an urgent shift to renewable energy is required to ensure a healthy future on earth. ]]> 2022-08-11 01:40:17 UTC https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637356 helc3122 https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637357 Despite this capability and the clear link between fossil fuels and environmental issues, only a small amount of our energy, 9%, was produced by renewables by 2018. Natural gas and coal still accounted for 64%, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS, 2017).  ]]> 2022-08-11 01:40:17 UTC https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637357 helc3122 https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637358 Indeed, in 2014 the United Nations warned of the urgency for change concerning our use of energy.  Not only must energy use be reduced, but also there must be a transition from fossil fuels to renewables (Lucas, 2014). ]]> 2022-08-11 01:40:17 UTC https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637358 helc3122 https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637359 Data shows that this cannot happen today, but there is certainly hope that we will be able to rely much more on the energy from the sun and the wind in the near future. ]]> 2022-08-11 01:40:17 UTC https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637359 helc3122 https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637360 Bryce, for example, reports that 200 tons of steel is needed to build a wind turbine which outputs 3 or 4 megawatts of power, while a natural gas turbine requires 9 tons of steel and produces almost 43 megawatts (2011). Renewables are seen, therefore, as high-carbon energy sources, unlike natural gas and nuclear energy.]]> 2022-08-11 01:40:17 UTC https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637360 helc3122 https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637361 Research shows that there is a strong link between climate change and our use of fossil fuels. Further reliance on fossil fuels, through shale extraction or more traditional methods, is accelerating the damaging effects on our planet (Lucas, 2014). Thus, significant change is necessary. ]]> 2022-08-11 01:40:17 UTC https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637361 helc3122 https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637362 One such problem concerns the larger amount of land that renewable energies use. In California, for example, solar panels would need to cover a land area of 129 square miles in order to power the state (Bryce, 2011). Another issue is that the production of wind and solar power plants requires a lot of resources but produces far less energy than fossil fuels.]]> 2022-08-11 01:40:17 UTC https://padlet.com/helc3122/aa4dlffph5vm77sx/wish/2258637362