Preview

To Drill or Not to Drill HUM-111

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
608 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
To Drill or Not to Drill HUM-111
To Drill or Not to Drill

HUM-111
04-07-2013

To Drill or Not To Drill

The issue for this assignment is to determine if non-renewable energy is the only viable option to meet the nation’s power needs, or if large-scale renewable power can effectively meet the needs of society today and in the future.
After reading opinions on both sides of the issue, I believe carbon based fuels must be reduced and eventually replaced. I am in favor of renewable resources although more research and development needs to occur to make it truly feasible to wean ourselves from carbon-based, non-renewable fuels. I live in an area that is affected by pollution from carbon-based fuels. Because of its particular geography, the Wasatch Front region in Utah often has the unenviable ranking of the worst air in the nation during many of the winter months, due in large part to the emissions from automobiles that use carbon-based fuel. Reducing non-renewable fuel consumption is an important goal for the environment and the health of local residents. However, rather than relying on just one kind of energy, a system that relies on many different types of fuel seems to hold the most promise to meet society’s needs now and in the future.
When reading the paper that opposed renewable energy, one of the habits that hindered my thinking was “The Mine is Better Habit” (Ruggiero, 2012, pg. 54). I view green technology as better for the environment and better for people, so when I read about coal and nuclear energy I began the article with the impression that green technology is superior. Because of this viewpoint, my thinking is hindered and I am not as open to the author’s evidence as I need to be to come to an unbiased conclusion.
“Self-Deception” (Ruggiero, 2012, pg. 60), is another thought pattern that hinders my thinking about this issue. By thinking all green power is good for the environment, I am ignoring evidence that many types of green power also have

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Evaluate and compare the advantages and disadvantages of different renewable and nonrenewable energy resources including cost, environmental effects, and availability.…

    • 375 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Problem: Off Shore Drilling, Off Shore Drilling has always had its pros and cons to the world but mainly cons. Off Shore Drilling should be banned throughout the United States and some parts of the world. Off Shore Drilling is not only dangerous to the workers drilling, but very detrimental to the environment. April 20, 2010 the biggest oil spill in United States history, bigger than the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989. Around 60,000 barrels of oil are believed to be leaking from the spill into the gulf. That's twelve times more than the original estimate of 5,000 barrels a day. All together there was about 6,000 barrels a day, an estimated 2.5 million gallons a day is leaking into the Gulf. The BP oil spill spread about 11,300 miles,…

    • 553 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    I agree with the development of alternative sources of energy such as solar power and clean coal.…

    • 527 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When it comes to energy there are so many different options. Do you go for renewable energy and plan for the future? Or do you go for nonrenewable and do what is best right now.…

    • 493 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    There has been debating among people in the United States on how the best energy supply. Some people suggests that the United States should in fact decrease its dependency on oil and begin to invest in an alternative energy source like renewable energy, such as wind and solar power – Go green. Others have contended saying that converting over to a new power source would not only be expensive but it is unnecessary because the United Sates already has a sustainable energy source, we just have to search for the resources in unexplored areas within the country and Alaska and the Gulf Coast. Personally, I side with the individuals that agree that the United States invest in an alternative energy source. Renewable energy is already being practiced in some areas of the United States and it has been proven to be more cost effective and healthier for the environment.…

    • 578 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Over the last few decades our world has seen a migration or a swift transition, if you will, from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy. The book, The Great Transition, by Lester R. Brown, is an account of that very change our world has seen with respect to the global energy revolution. The book details the shift in philosophy different countries have embraced over the years, going from the conventional oil, nuclear power and coal to the less conventional and more exciting renewable energies. As the world tries to shift away from the use of fossil fuels due to the ongoing increase in pollution and impending climate changes new ways to minimize the impact on our environment are continuously being created. However, these changes cannot…

    • 1773 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    It is obvious that the demand for energy and fuel sources is increasing drastically as time goes by. The United States also anticipates an oil demand increase as the population grows over the next few decades (Haug, 2011). Therefore, the big dilemma is whether or not the search for oil on our land should continue. The recent development and expansion of clean energy resources, although expensive, can end the battle over oil deposits and lead the country into a cleaner future.…

    • 476 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    1. List six forms of renewable energy, and compare the advantages and disadvantages of each.…

    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In fact, 90% of America's current electricity needs could be supplied with solar electric systems built on the estimated 5 million acres of abandoned industrial sites in our nation's cities.” Wind Energy • What are the advantages of wind energy? o No pollution or greenhouse gas emissions during operation o Relatively efficient o Abundant & widely distributed o Moderate capital costs to install • Any drawbacks? o Location o Aesthetics and noise o Bird mortality • “The best wind farms in the world already produce power as economically as coal, gas and nuclear generators; the average wind farm will be fully competitive by 2016.”…

    • 7330 Words
    • 249 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In a balanced energy regime, fossil fuels should be used only in specific areas with a limited allowance each year. In the future, fossil fuels can be used in less developed area with limited exposure to high-end technology, and it can be stored in fixed quantities as a kind of back up energy sources. I have several reasons behind my proposal. As mentioned in the book, fossil fuels have several major disadvantages. As a result, it should be gradually phased out. The author mentioned that mining itself can cause damages to human beings, generate greenhouse gases and acid rains, and cause mountaintop destructions. However, comparing to clean energies, fossil fuels have their unique advantages even in a balanced energy regime. For example, just…

    • 194 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In today’s world, which most definitely has an environmentalist mindset, there seems to be a feud or conflict between those in favor of fossil fuels and those in favor of alternative energy, i.e. solar energy. It seems so disputed and heated that you could compare it to the rivalry in our political system among democrats and republicans. Each side wishes to strengthen our communities, states, nation(s), and world politically and environmentally for the generations to come but can never seem to come to an agreement. Despite all these disagreements and arguments something does need to happen in order to stop pollution by way of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels do not have to be thrown out of the equation altogether but one day technology will reach the point where alternative energy is king. The many who are in favor of fossil fuels in no way like to hear a statement such as that but it is inevitable that alternative energy will take over because of countries like the US and the rest of world’s vast advancement in science and technology. Much evidence shows that solar energy will have a positive impact on the economy and the environment at the national and local levels.…

    • 3041 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    To Drill or Not to Drill

    • 614 Words
    • 3 Pages

    For years, the nations of the world have relied on some form of energy to sustain the populace and the industrial sectors of that nation. Fossil fuels (oil, coal, and natural gas) are the backbone of the United States’ energy consumption. Fossil fuels are not an infinite source but a finite source. Scientists do not know the exact process behind the creation of fossil fuels, except that the creation takes a very long time. Because fossil fuels are not unlimited and speculation has some fossil fuels disappearing by the end of the 21st century, many individuals believe that the United States needs to look at other resources to fuel the country (“Introduction to Renewable Energy: Opposing Viewpoints,” 2009).…

    • 614 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Renewable Energy: Yes or No?

    • 2467 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Fossil fuels do provide an inexpensive form of energy, but in contrast, they also pollute the atmosphere with greenhouse gases, thus contributing to climate change. Global warming is primarily due to increased concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and the single most important source of this carbon dioxide is the combustion of fossil fuels” (Bostrom, Read, & Morgan, 2010). Oil is the energy source of our time. We refine the crude, extracted oil into different products like gasoline, jet-fuel, diesel and even plastics. Fossil fuels have promoted global commerce and are behind many of the greatest technological and social innovations of our day.…

    • 2467 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Drill or Not to Drill

    • 511 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Many people are debating how to best meet energy needs in the United States. Some argue that the country must decrease its dependence on oil and invest in alternative sources of energy, such as wind and solar power. Others argue that changing to new power sources is unnecessary and expensive. They state that the United States should search for oil in Alaska, the Gulf Coast, and other unexplored areas within the country.…

    • 511 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Drill or Not to Drill

    • 417 Words
    • 2 Pages

    There are many people who are debating against oil drilling in the world. Some of them are discussing how to meet the best energy needs in the United States. Several people argue…

    • 417 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays