Energy Supply Sustainability in Arizona State - Research Paper Example

Energy Supply Sustainability in Arizona State Introduction Sustainability is a concept of great interest in the energy circles. The essence of it is to ensure that there is adequate and reasonable consumption for the present without compromising the prospects of the future (Wiek 432). Thus, Energy sustainability is really about the continuity of sufficiency and reliability of a resource, such as electricity and water. The controversy around sustainability often lies within the evolution of its contours, due to the disregard of analysing the consequences of current actions to future levels of efficiency. As such, what seems sustainable today ends up unsustainable in the future. The supply of energy has a vital role in the growth and efficient operation of the state of Arizona, and sustainability of the resource is vital for continued growth and operations. Energy is vital since it is utilised in transportation, manufacturing and in almost each household in the entire world, and by extension, in Arizona and the entire USA (U.S Energy Information Administration 1). However, the dependence on the various sources of energy is continually growing as the population in Arizona rises, and people need to maintain and enhance their lifestyles (Helm 174). Important energy sources used include water and electricity, which have come under increased pressure with the advent of population increase which has heightened the demand for these resources and other energy reserves. The increased use of energy has created sustainability issues to do with the environment, safety, health and resources (Buch 125). Questions are increasingly raised whether these resources will be able to withstand the pressure in the long run and serve the needs of future Arizonian residents. The attainment of energy sustainability has been a significant challenge for the state as evident in the lack of policies and proper mechanisms to guide the utilization of energy, which has raised controversy over whether the sustainability is on course or under jeopardy out of negligence. Thesis The essay will aim at discussing the factors that influence the energy supply sustainability in Arizona and the implications of energy supply sustainability in the state of Arizona. The rise in energy use as a result of the increase in its demand is linked to environmental impacts (Dale & Melissa 245). This statement implies that the infringement of various factors in the environment itself has an intrinsic role in increasing the rate of energy consumption. Apparently, with the growth of population and economic development the utilisation of energy rises, as energy is required to power most of the economic activities and meet the needs of the population. The growth has been accompanied by the challenge of the formation of a balance between energy use, environment and economic development thus creating sustainability energy challenges (Sustainability 220). The subject of energy sustainability has been a matter of debate in the state of Arizona since the state lacks appropriate measures to combat the imbalance between energy demand and supply together with environmental conservation. The essay will also examine the options of renewable energy in meeting the energy needs of the state of Arizona. In particular, the essay will focus on electricity supply and the demand for fuel in relation to climate change, economic growth, cost, water and land use. Discussion The rise on the reliance on energy is accompanied by considerable costs. The generation, production, carriage and storage of energy such as fuel has an enormous burden on the environment. Environmental degradation is synonymous with the increased reliance on energy to power various sectors of the economy which raises doubts over the sustainability of these resources (Buch 126). Uncontrolled pressure on the environment comes in two ways, first through the increased utilization of natural resources involved in the production of power and the emission of largely non-biodegradable waste into the environment. The possibility of exhaustion of these natural resources is real, and the implications universal, even if they are located outside Arizona. Continued consumption leading to exhaustion will be felt far and wide, with Arizona not an exception. The utilization of the energy causes environmental pollution since its waste products are non-biodegradable. The effect of the use energy manifests in some areas including soil, water, land and atmosphere (Sampson, Quay & White 40). This pollution has direct health effects that such as inhalation of poisonous gases that have been touted as predisposing factors of diseases such as cancer. More effects are manifested through the consumption of crops grown in polluted soils, drinking water affected by the pollutants, which might adversely affect the existence of flora and fauna. In the state of Arizona, the management and control of energy use has been a controversial issue. The State lacks new alternatives as well as mechanisms to limit the adverse effects of energy use. The adverse impacts of the various sources of energy have been on the growth thus becoming a concern since the effects are being felt due to climate change. Given the global concerns and alarm over climate change, the implications in Arizona raise worldwide attention with the need to combat the trends on high priority. Currently, the burning of fossil fuels such as coal so as to produce electricity or energy for manufacturing industries has led to global warming resulting in irregular weather patterns (McGregor 52). There is a perpetual conflict between the demand for energy resources and the sustainability in terms of environmental conservation. Due to the overreliance on the power, the abandonment of the status quo for other alternatives has been hard since the reduction in their use lead to unfavourable economic consequences (Rosen 55). Most industries are already established and are important to the economy of the state, albeit relying on the continued supply of power. As such, the option of the reduction in the use of the energy has been an issue of concern thus creating a contradiction between environmentalists and the entities relying on energy. While environmentalists raise alarm over the need to reduce consumption in order to spare reserves for the future, the economists raise the legitimacy of their industries and their unmatched contribution to the maintenance of the economy of the state. The attainment of energy sustainability in Arizona using alternative use of renewable energy has faced opposition (Albert & Bingham 669). It is because the renewable sources of energy are irregular regarding the supply of adequate energy, and they are also unreliable in the production of energy when the energy is most desired. These concerns have widened the controversy as they hold some truth in that most of the renewable sources of energy such as wind and Solar are not developed enough to produce the power demanded by the industries. They can thus only be embraced at the cost of reducing the productivity of the industries. Research The sources of evidence utilised in the research on the energy supply sustainability in the state of Arizona were credible from latest articles from journals, magazines and websites. There was relevance in their content as well which was important in the designing of the trajectory of the research thesis. Buch (125) highlighted the increased in fuel consumption around the world as a result of economic growth that demanded a higher input of energy reserves. The article succinctly acknowledges that pressure from the industries was the key driver to environmental sabotage, though the economic pros from the industries could not be underestimated. There is a suggestion on the use of renewable energy by the author which augers well with the case of Arizona where such a mechanism would be feasible. The sources explored the sustainability issues of Arizona’s energy industry such as electric power and fuels used in transportation. Such is the case of the article by Dale, Alexander, and Melissa (239) which weighed on the sustainability issues using data from the Arizona state in regard to pollution by greenhouse emissions. The article not only touches and highlights the pollution states, economic confounders and possible remedies, but is exceptional in that it gives a compatible environmental model that is capable of adoption in the Arizona state. The articles were also important for the research since they addressed the progress and challenges met by the state of Arizona with regards to energy sustainability initiatives. There was a general insight on the sustainability issues facing Arizona, and the possible solutions to the problem which went a long way in determining if some of the controversies between the economists and the environmentalists could be resolved. Sampson, Quay and White (36) gave an intriguing analysis of the water sustainability problem in Arizona, with predictions over future problems. There was explicit outlining of possible intervention measures to cure this situation, which is far a good genesis of dealing with future water sustainability issues that accompany the current Arizonian state. The US Energy Information Administration database also offered valuable knowledge on the statistics relating to energy associated with Arizona. The documentation recognizes the presence of high population in the state which puts much pressure on energy resources and further touches on the available resources in the state. It’s clear that Arizona does not produce much energy apart from a bit of crude oil, with the rest of the needs reliant on imports from other states. The transport sector is also identified as the major consumer of energy resources in the town, which makes it difficult to cut on the use of energy as most renewable sources of energy are barely applicable to the transport sector at the current moment. This directly relates to the contradictions and controversies covered in this paper, whereas a conflict was noted between environmentalists and economists as far as consumption of fuel was concerned. This article expounded on the occasional inapplicability of measures deemed as sustainable such as renewable energy in the solution of energy problems. The other article by Sustainability (220) rekindled the emphasis on sustainability issues regarding electricity use and the evolution of the problem. In a nutshell, all the articles examined and reviewed in the writing of this paper had valuable impetus on the content of the arguments herein. Conclusion The issue of energy sustainability matters to the residents of the state of Arizona since it is directly linked to the environment they live in. There have been varied factors that have been deliberated in the assessment and enhancement of energy sustainability in Arizona. In numerous circumstances, only few sustainability deliberations point in one direction hence creating contradictions and controversies. Similar to the numerous aspects of the societies of today, the formation of sustainable sources of energy in Arizona will need extensive and long-term approaches. Therefore, the attainment of energy sustainability in the state of Arizona will remain a controversial environmental issue that will face the policy makers. Works Cited Acken, Albert H., and Matthew G. Bingham. "Sustainable Energy in Arizona." Arizona State Law Journal 43.3 (2011): 669. Marc A., Rosen. "Energy Sustainability: A Pragmatic Approach And Illustrations." Sustainability 1 (2009): 55 Helm, D. Energy policy: security of supply, sustainability and competition. Energy Policy, 2012, 173-184. Buch, Rajesh. A Framework for Supporting Organizational Transition Processes towards Sustainable Energy Systems. 2011. Print. Dale, Alexander T., and Melissa M. Bilec. 'The Regional Energy & Water Supply Scenarios (REWSS) Model, Part II: Case Studies in Pennsylvania And Arizona'. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments 7 (2014): 237-246. 'On The Record With George Basile Senior Sustainability Scientist, The Global Institute Of Sustainability, And Professor, School Of Sustainability, Arizona State University'. Sustainability: The Journal of Record 5.4 (2012): 218-222. Sampson, D.A., R. Quay, and D.D. White. 'Anticipatory Modeling For Water Supply Sustainability In Phoenix, Arizona'. Environmental Science & Policy 55 (2016): 36-46. U.S Energy Information Administration,. 'Arizona State Profile And Energy Estimates'. Eia.gov. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. Wayne, John. Personal Interview. 21 Oct. 2015. McGregor, Joan. 'Enhancing Humans And Sustainability: The Reunion Of Bioethics And Environmental Ethics'. De Ethica 1.3 (2014): 35-53. Web. Wiek, Arnim et al. 'Integrating Problem- And Project-Based Learning Into Sustainability Programs'. 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