Reduce…Reuse…Recycle; GO GREEN
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December 9, 2009 • By Harrison Payne, Freshman;
By Rebecca McLean, Digital Managing Editor
Filed under Top Stories
THERE are many ways to save our environment and save energy. Here are some new and unusual ways to save and create energy.
Popular Science reports that algae produces clean hydrogen and this could be used to power cars and even homes.
Nuclear power is a controversial form of energy. Although it is a possible alternate energy source to use instead of oil, many people think it’s too risky. An accident could cause major devastation to nature and mankind both. Timeforchange.com says nuclear plants would be targets for terrorist attacks and an attack on a nuclear plant would be twenty times as devastating as 9/11.
Still on the topic of nuclear energy, the pros are that it is already made, so it would not cost money to produce. It emits a low amount of carbon dioxide, which is good for the environment, and one nuclear plant can produce five times the electricity of a regular power plaint. Bottom line, though, it’s use remains controversial.
There are also ways for you to go green at home. It never hurts to review some of these. Everybody knows to shorten showers, but here are possible green practices you might not know:
1. Don’t pre-heat your oven. If you cook, put the dish in when you turn on the oven. It might take a little longer, but preheating the oven uses a lot of energy.
2. Don’t buy bottled water. Instead of buying water get a reusable retainer or get a filter on your tap to make it taste more like bottled water. Plastic bottles from bottled waters are filling the landfills. Think reusable. Think filters.
3. Write on both sides of your paper, and pay your bills or submit materials online when possible to save paper.The more you can go paperless, the better.
4. Use recycled toilet paper. Yes, toilet paper. No, it isn’t as soft as you might prefer because each time paper is recycled the fibers become shorter and less soft, but think of the trees that will be saved. Read more.
World leaders have currently convened in Copenhagen, Denmark for the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Assembled leaders are making commitments as to what their individual countries plan to do to combat the threat of climate change. Read more about this historic, global meeting at the UN website.
On December 7, 2009, U. S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced $10 million in Recovery Act funding towards advanced energy research. The development of new energy technologies, cutting carbon pollution, and creating more jobs –are are part of this second-round initiative.
The buzz today is all about sustainability, going green, biodegradable products, carbon footprint, life cycle assessment, blackwater, greywater…and the list goes on. Sound like Greek to you? If so, we urge you to wake up and go green!
Going green is the cool thing to do these days. The Spartan Spear-it is committed to bringing its readers updated news on environmental concerns. Watch for more on this topic.
How are we doing in this area on the campus of GACS? Good question. We’ll explore.
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