The Environment, Personal Responsibility, and Technology - Coursework Example

TECHNOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT Every advancement in the field of science and technology brings some damages to the environment. It is therefore essential to review the environmental consequences of some of the technologies that we use in our daily life and think of ways to minimize them. I would like to evaluate the environmental consequences of electricity, gasoline and residential waste since they are an important component of my life style. Environmental Consequences of electricity: In my daily life I consume approximately 9.5 kw J of electricity. Electricity in Canada is produced through four different methods. These include the conventional thermal, nuclear, hydro electric, wind and tidal power generation methods. Thermal Power Generation: As stated in the Wikipedia the natural resources used for thermal power generation include coal, fuel oil, natural gas or oil and wood. According to Cuddihy et al. (2005) the environmental consequences of thermal power generation include pregeneration impacts, gaseous emission, waste generation, water usage and pollution. The burning of coal leads to the emission of fly ash in the air which is a health hazard. In addition it is stated in Wikipedia that coal also contains low level of uranium, thorium and other radioactive isotopes which on burning are released in the air and cause radioactive contamination. Cuddihy et al. (2005) further state that a number of pollutant gases such as CO2, CH4, SO2, NOx (nitrogen oxides), particulate matter and CO are emitted during thermal power generation. SO2 and Nox are responsible for acid rain which destroys not only the environment but also the buildings. NOx also lead to the formation of photoxidants which on combining with CH4, CO or non methane hydrocarbons lead to the formation of tropospheric ozone. Tropospheric ozone plays its own role in global warming. In Canada, the nuclear and thermal power generation is responsible for approximately 64% of water intake. It is stated that approximately all the water used by fossil fuels and nuclear stations is consumed during cooling procedures which is an essential part of power generation method. Thermal pollution occurs when the water is returned to its original body. The fish and other aquatic life can be seriously affected due to thermal pollution in which large amount of waste heat is released. Nuclear Power Generation: As stated in Wikipedia the natural resource used in nuclear power generation is Uranium 235. According to Cuddihy et al. (2005) the environment is at threat from the nuclear power generation due to the radiation, mishaps, emission of gases, water consumption and disposal of waste. It has been studied that the environmental impact due to radiation during power generation is relatively small when compared to the total effect of radiation on the environment. According to the study the environmental impact of radiation during electricity production is 0.28% which is raised to 0.42% when accidents happen. Atmospheric emissions include potent gases such as CO2, SO2 and NOx. Environmental concern due to water consumption and waste discharge are the same as have been mentioned above. Large water intake and thermal pollution can affect and disturb aquatic life. The greatest threat to environment is from the disposal of waste of the nuclear power generation industry. There are dangers of corrosion of waste containers, dissolution of uranium and possible release and transfer of radionuclide that can cause long term damage to the environment. Increased heat in the water may cause a change in the natural water temperature. Hydroelectric Power Generation: The major source of hydroelectric power generation is water. Cuddihy et al. (2005) state that the environmental consequences of hydroelectric power includes building up of dams which can lead to changes in the natural flow of water, destruction of the natural habitat, displacement of the wildlife and disturbances in their migration patterns. The changes in the down stream flow leads to sedimentation, increased evaporation and affects the quality of water. In many cases the quality of water stored in the reservoir is also affected. According to Wikipedia hydroelectric power plants are also responsible for the emission of gases such as CO2 and methane. Wind and Tidal Energy: The environmental consequences of wind and tidal energy include the disturbance of ecosystem for the installation of infrastructure (Cuddihy et al. 2005). Environmental consequences of gasoline: As stated in Wikipedia gasoline consists mostly of hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, naphthalene, trimethylbenzene, MTBE and ten other hydrocarbons. Gasoline is also included among the list of pollutant gases. Gases such as CO2, NOx and CO are produced in the exhaust of the engine when it is running. Unburnt gasoline reacts in the sunlight and produces photochemical smog. The gases emitted from gasoline cause acid rain and global warming. Environmental Impact of Waste disposal: According to the website of US Environmental Protection Agency (2007) residential waste normally consists of the household trash that may include food items, backyard trimmings, used batteries and scraped tyres. Backyard burning contributes to the environmental pollution due to the emission of gases such as NOx, CO, volatile organic compounds and particulate matter. These gases are responsible for acid rain, global warming, ozone depletion and smog formation. Batteries contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium and nickel. These metals can contaminate the environment if not properly disposed. Upon incineration these metals are released in the air and also get concentrated in the ash. Incineration of food scraps lead to the emission of methane which is 21 times stronger than CO2. According to the Government of Canada (1998) the intangible costs associated with electricity and gasoline production includes the prefeasibility and feasibility costs of suitable sites and markets for different projects, costs to determine the extent, location and quality of the resources used for energy production, costs related to discussion and approval of the sites, costs related to the preparation of certain cites that need extra preparation for the installation of equipments, costs related to service connection for the transfer of power from the station to the unit and the costs related to the installation of first wind turbines whose basic aim is to test the energy production at the site. Same is applicable for the waste disposal industry. In my lifestyle, I believe the greatest environmental impact is caused by the consumption of electricity and gasoline. Although waste disposal also has its environmental consequences but I try to recycle approximately quarter of the waste everyday. I believe there have been no efforts made on my behalf to cut down electricity and gasoline consumption. The total amount of electricity consumed by me in one week is approximately 67.07 (kW) J at an average of 9.58(kW) J everyday. According to Cuddihy et al (2005) in Canada 33% of electricity is produced through fossil fuels, 26% through nuclear power and 40% through water. This means that approximately 1% of energy is produced through wind and tidal power. Based on this observation the environmental consequences of the electricity used for residential purposes becomes self evident. The greater the electricity consumed the greater the chances of pollution through fuel combustion, water consumption and gaseous emission. Gasoline consumption is another environmental concern. Gasoline is an important part of my lifestyle. The average distance covered by me in one week is approximately 278km and the average amount of gasoline consumed is 1112 L. According to Cuddihy et al (2005) pollutant gases such as CO, NOx, SO2, volatile organic compounds and particulate matter, emitted by cars in Toronto is the highest when compared to other kinds of automobiles. This is also due to the greater number of cars on roads which are a great environmental concern. This situation gives me an in depth analysis of the fact that I am equally contributing to the pollution that is endangering our planet. If everybody starts following the kind of lifestyle I follow, it has already been pointed out in my ecological footprint survey that we would need four planets to live on. To minimize the effect of electricity and gasoline on the environment it is very important to review the alternatives available. Electricity consumption can be minimized by buying green energy, using energy saver bulbs and changing the life style. With the advancement of science and technology electricity has become the need of every house. This means that every house is contributing to the pollution of the environment based on the kind of energy resources used for generating electricity. Purchasing green or renewable energy such as wind, solar and biomass is less hazardous for the environment. The electric suppliers can give us information on the sources used in electricity supplied. On comparison one can easily see the difference in the gases emitted through other forms of energy and renewable energy. Green energy is not a totally clean energy but on comparison the gaseous emission is far less than from the other forms of energy. Also there is no threat to natural resources from the green energy. Promoting green energy would mean promoting clean environment by rejecting the conventional method of fossil fuel burning that adds to the amount of potent gases in the air. Another way to minimize electricity use is to use the energy saver bulbs. Energy saver bulbs consume less energy and last long. Almost three quarters of energy can be saved through these bulbs and can last approximately ten times longer than the usual tungsten bulbs. According to Wikipedia (2006) a 20-25W of energy saver bulb is equivalent to a 100W tungsten bulb. The only environmental concern associated with the energy saving bulbs is the little amount of mercury in them. The amount is so small that as such it can cause no environmental concern. However it can become a serious concern at land fills and trash incinerating sites where mercury can escape in the air and can add to the air and water pollution. For this reason it is very important to take theses bulbs back to the store so that they can be sent back for recycling. Lastly changing the life style can also help in saving electricity. For this purpose I need to review my life style and cut down anything that I believe can be substituted with an environmental friendly alternative. For example I can cut down the use of microwave, washing machine, clothes dryer and dishwasher in my daily life. Heating and cooking the food on the stove, washing the dishes manually and using the washing machine and clothes dryer on alternate days or after a few days can reduce the amount of electricity consumed by me. The same can be applied to the gasoline consumption. According to the website of Transport 2000 (2006) approximately 90% of the cars on the roads carry one person. This makes it obvious that the environment is at a threat due to negligence of humans. In my opinion gasoline consumption can be minimized by using public transport or transit system. Cycling and walking short distances is also a good way of cutting down gasoline consumption. Going for small things at the same place time and again would consume or rather waste a lot of gasoline. Besides it will also lead to unnecessary pollution which can be easily avoided. Planning my trips amicably can also be useful in minimizing gasoline consumption. The above mentioned alternatives are easy to follow and are environment friendly as well. They are attractive because they not only minimize pollution but also save money. In my personal life switching to cycling and walking can provide me a wonderful opportunity for daily exercise. Washing and drying clothes on selected days can save my time and strength which can be utilized in other useful activities. I would definitely like to adopt both the options to minimize pollution. For one week I have tried to cut down the use of electricity by not using the microwave and the dishwasher. At the same time instead of everyday, I switched to washing and drying clothes three times a week. I have managed to save 15.5 Kw (J) of electricity in a week. The difference will be greater if I switch to renewable energy and energy saver lights. To reduce gasoline consumption I have tried the public transport and transit system for traveling long distances. I have preferred walking and cycling on short distances. At the end of the week the distance traveled by me in my car was 140km. This is almost half the distance covered by me last week. This indicates that I have managed to cut down half of my gasoline consumption which further suggests that I have managed to bring down my share of the environmental pollution caused by gasoline consumption to almost half. Reviewing the past week’s success, the alternative methods for cutting down pollution have been a challenge for me. Initially the change was difficult to adopt since technology has made life so comfortable for us. After reviewing the results there is a sense of satisfaction and jubilation. I would definitely like to continue with the alternatives because for a healthy lifestyle a healthy environment is very important. If all the people try to bring a little change in their life style for the sake of the environment we can leave a safer planet for our future generation. References Cuddihy, J. Kennedy, C. and Byer, P. “Energy Use in Canada: Environmental Impacts and Opportunities in relationship to infrastructure systems”. Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, 32, (2005). Pg. 1-15. “Tax Incentives for Business Investment in Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy”, Government of Canada, (1998), Pg. 5. Retrieved on February 28, 2007 from http://www2.nrcan.gc.ca/es/erb/CMFiles/tax_incentive172OEW-10032004-2257.pdf “Wastes”, US Environment Protection Agency, Updated on February 7, 2007. Retrieved on February 28, 2007l from http://www.epa.gov/osw/ Weller, B. “Sustainable Transport Practices in Canada: Exhortation Overwhelms Demonstration”, Transport2000 Canada, Canada, (2006). Pg. 6. Retrieved on February 28, 2007 from http://www.transport2000.ca/ Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, retrieved on February 28, 2007 from www.wikipedia.org Read More