Oil and Natural Resources and Alternative Sources of Energy Sam Travnik

Oil and Coal  Coal and oil are examples of fossil fuels.  It is created underneath the crust of the Earth after millions of years of heat and pressure.  They are nonrenewable sources of energy, meaning that they cannot be reused once they have been converted into energy.

Alternative Sources  There are sources of energy that are natural and safe to use more than once  This is known as renewable energy  Renewable energy falls into different categories  Solar, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat.

Solar Energy  Solar energy, as its name suggests, is energy derived from the sun.  Sunlight powers solar panels to power homes, public buildings, and even cars.

Wind Energy  Wind energy is created from wind spinning turbines to generate power.  Turbines cost a lot to install, and the noise from them can cause sound pollution.

Water-Based Power (Hydroelectricity)  Water can be used to generate electricity, usually by dams or running rivers.  Water is naturally ran through turbines and the turbines generate large amounts of useful power.

Geothermal Heat  Geothermal Heat is heat and energy taken directly from the Earth.  It is a relatively simple process, drills and water pump the Earth’s large abundance of underground heat into ventilation systems that heat and power homes and buildings.

Why Use Alternative Energy?  Coal and oil reserves can only last so long.  The energy sources explained are all renewable, so they can be used to power necessary items for a long period of time.

Depletion of Fossil Fuels  Fossil fuels are used in everyday lives.  However, the leading cause of fossil fuel depletion is the use of it in energy.  It will be better for both the Earth and humanity if renewable energy was used for powering homes, buildings and cars, and fossil fuels only used for items only they can create, such as plastics.

Why?  The United States is falling deeper into debt every second. Much of this debt is caused by our dependence on foreign oil.  The United States, in 2015, easily uses up over 2.5 million barrels of foreign oil daily.

How Renewable Energy Can (and will) Help  It is better for the planet because there are little to no negative effects on the Earth.  The energy cannot be exhausted.  More jobs can be opened to assist with these energy plants.  Unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy prices remain relatively stable.