Global Warming Implications and Management Strategies - Essay Example

Global Warming Implications Global warming is a term commonly used to describe the consequences of man-made pollutants overloading the naturally-occurring greenhouse gases causing an increase of the average global temperature, the subject of great debate and concern worldwide. According to all peer-reviewed scientific studies, if the amount of greenhouse gasses being pumped into the air by factories, power plants and automobiles is not severely curtailed and soon, the earth and its inhabitants will suffer cataclysmic consequences in the near future. This discussion will define the greenhouse effect and explain how naturally-occurring and man-made gases affect it along with examples of the detriments of these forces. It will then discuss management strategies such as the feasibility of various alternative fuels such as bio-fuels, hydrogen, solar and nuclear power which, if implemented on a wide scale, would greatly reduce air pollution and possibly avoid the predicted outcome. Essentially, the greenhouse effect functions in the following manner. When sunlight pierces the atmosphere and hits the earth’s surface, not all of the sun’s solar energy is absorbed. Approximately a third of it is reflected back into space. Specific atmospheric gases serve in much the same way as does the glass of a greenhouse, thus the terminology. These gases allow sunlight to penetrate then trap some of the solar energy which heats the earth (Breuer, 1980). It is a delicate balance and because these greenhouse gases have been artificially augmented by man-made sources, more build up in the atmosphere has occurred thus trapping more of the sun’s energy and reflecting less back in to space. This occurrence is causing the earth to warm. Global warming is evidenced by the well-documented melting of glaciers along with thermal expansion of the oceans, which have contributed to an increase in sea level over the past century of about six inches. The effects of melting snow caps and the resulting rise of sea levels have been well documented. A reduction of snow cover in addition to lake and sea ice will have dire consequences for locations at higher latitudes and lower elevations, especially in the winter and spring months. Higher rainfall rates will cause increased tropical storm intensity in addition to the warmer temperatures. Hurricanes may be even more frequent and intense than presently predicted. As horrific as this near-future scenario is, it remains the land masses that will suffer the greatest changes as a result of the greenhouse effect (Trenberth, 1997). Levels of CO2 content in the atmosphere has fluctuated throughout history but many scientists hypothesize that the influx of unnatural CO2 has lessened the atmosphere’s ability to absorb the natural causes of CO2. It bears repeating that the major contributor (70 percent) of man-generated CO2 release is the emission from those transport vehicles that are powered by fossil fuels. Motor vehicles are a major cause of air pollution as is fuel burned for the heating of homes and powering industry along with the toxins emitted from stacks at coal-burning power plants. “Vehicles produce high levels of carbon monoxides (CO) and a major source of hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), whereas fuel combustion in stationary sources is the dominant source of sulfur dioxide (SO2)” (Breuer, 1980: 70). The solution to automobile emissions may lie in alternative fuels. Promising future alternatives to crude oil, vegetable oil can be substituted for diesel fuel while ethanol is an effective petrol additive. Ethanol is a type of alcohol that can be made using crops such as sugar beets, wheat or corn. As a fuel additive, ethanol boosts octane and substantially reduces toxic carbon monoxide emissions. Bio-fuels are derived from an easily replenished source and emit no pollutants into the air. The most common type, Ethanol, has the ability to be mixed with petrol and bio-diesel, a vegetable oil, can be burned in diesel engines without engine modification. This type of ‘green’ fuel can at least be a bridge to the future of energy production and consumption as it can, unlike hydrogen, be used in existing engines. Another benefit of bio-fuels is the peripheral advancement of the agricultural industry. Unfortunately, it takes considerably more energy (from high-grade petrol) to create ethanol than it produces. It takes about 70 percent more energy to make a liter of ethanol than is contained in a liter of ethanol. In addition, fossil fuel is used in the production of corn or any crop used for ethanol and by “increasing ethanol production will increase degradation of vital agricultural and water resources and will seriously contribute to the pollution of the environment” (Pimentel, 1998, p. 5). Energy from hydrogen, an environmentally friendly gas, is a much discussed energy source. Iceland is already well on its way to becoming the first nation to generate its power needs by means of hydrogen fuel-cells. A fuel cell is a silently running battery that is continually refilling while generating an electrical current by introducing hydrogen to oxygen, a combination that produces energy. Though hydrogen powered means of transport are not accessible to the public as yet, they are past the initial research and development phase and are presently being demonstrated for both heavy and light-duty load applications. Hydrogen, the ‘H’ in H2O, is, not surprisingly, found in water. The resource is boundless and instead of emitting CO2, hydrogen emits only water vapor. Extracting hydrogen, however, is a costly undertaking at present and is flammable giving concern to safety during transport. “The more widely used method is to split the hydrocarbons in fossil fuels into hydrogen and carbon. This is much cheaper but it defeats the point somewhat as it still uses fossil fuels and creates carbon dioxide as a by-product” (“Alternatives to Oil”, 2002). The use of hydrogen-powered transports would effectively ease air pollution including the manufacturing the gas by this method. This argument can also be used in the case of bio-fuels. “The Energy White Paper (EWP) identifies liquid bio-fuels and hydrogen as the most promising candidates for tomorrow’s low carbon transport fuels” (“Towards a UK Strategy”, 2004). Solar power is widely used and is projected to be becoming a prolific energy source for the future. Today, solar energy supplies electric power to hundreds of thousand of people worldwide. More than ten thousand are employed in the solar energy market that produces revenues of at least $1 billion dollars. The advantages of solar power are obvious. It is an abundant, non-polluting and free energy resource as long as the sun shines. The sun provides the earth with 10,000 times more energy than its people consume, however, this resource remains essentially unexploited. At present, its expense is prohibitive for most consumers but this is changing with time. “Solar power is a prime choice in developing an affordable, feasible, global power source that is able to substitute for fossil fuels in all climate zones around the world” (“Solar Generation”, 2003). If the people and nations of the world seriously want to end the burning of fossil fuels and halt the acceleration of global warming, renewable energy and alternative fuels must be quickly employed on a much larger scale. However, these two forms of energy alone will not be able to supplant coal and oil as the prevalent power sources and the levels of CO2 will continue to rise. Scientists have warned that if drastic steps are not taken now, the effects of global warming will soon become irreversible and the global temperatures will continue to rise regardless of future steps to reduce harmful emissions. Therefore, nuclear power facilities should quickly be built replace coal burning electric plants. Nuclear plants could provide all the electricity that would power all businesses and residences and will also provide the power for electric cars. Nuclear power is the only viable substitute that could replace the massive power needs of the planet and could be built in time to save the planet. The environmentalists who oppose nuclear power plants should realize that this may be the only way to avoid the looming affects of irreversible global warming. The concern primarily revolves around the disposal of nuclear waste. “Nuclear waste is to be deposited in deep geological storage sites; it does not enter the biosphere. Its impact on the ecosystems is minimal. An intelligent combination of energy conservation, and renewable energies for local low-intensity applications, and nuclear energy for base-load electricity production, is the only viable way for the future” (Comby, 2006). To expedite the process of weaning the world from oil, a novel idea has been put forward. The industrialised nations, those who have profited the most by fossil fuel use, should take the lead in the conversion by enacting worldwide pacts and treaties. Less developed regions would be completely exempt from environmental regulation. As the developed nations are responsible for more than 90 percent of CO2 emissions, this method would serve to balance the earth on an environmental and economical level. The emerging nations would make the change as production and global usage of alternative fuels increased. “If the more efficient and cleaner alternative technologies become available at a low enough price, it may prove far easier for developing nations to switch quickly to other fuels” (Rockwell, 1998). A responsible community of nations would have seriously reacted to the energy dilemma 30 years ago. What we face 30 years hence is uncertain but what we do know it will be a world vastly devoid of petrol. The question before us is, are we stewards of our earth and will we preserve it for future generations? If the past 30 years are any indication, then the answer is no. Americans are thus far unwilling to demand that the government adopt stricter pollution regulations or alter their consumption habits and use alternative forms of energy such as electric cars. References “Alternatives to Oil.” (2002). Disposable Planet? BBC News UK. Available August 16, 2007 from Breuer, Georg. (1980). Air in Danger: Ecological Perspectives of the Atmosphere. New York: Cambridge University Press. Comby, Bruno. (October 2, 2006). “The Benefits of Nuclear Energy.” TNR Editions. Available August 17, 2007 from Pimentel, D. (1998). “Energy and Dollar Costs of Ethanol Production with Corn.” Hubbert Center Newsletter. Vol. 98, I. 2. M, King Hubbert Center for Petroleum Supply Studies Rockwell, Richard, C. (1998). “From A Carbon Economy To A Mixed Economy: A Global Opportunity.” Consequences. Vol. 4, N. 1. Available August 16, 2007 from “Solar Generation Report.” (July 10, 2003). Greenpeace. Available August 17, 2007 from Trenberth, Kevin E. (1997). “Global Warming: It’s Happening.” National Center for Atmospheric Research. (1997). Available August 16, 2007 from “Towards a UK Strategy for Biofuels – Public Consultation.” (2004). Department for Transport UK. Available August 16, 2007 from Read More