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Published byJody Bradford Modified over 8 years ago
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FOSSIL FUELS 85% of the world’s commercial energy COAL NATURAL GASOIL
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The 20 richest countries consume: 50% of coal 80% of natural gas 65% of oil
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COAL Fossilized, condensed carbon-rich fuel 10 X reserves of oil/gas, last 200 years at present rate
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Coal Mines Surface (strip) mine, Western U.S. Underground (shaft) mine, Eastern U.S. SURFACE MINING: Strip mining, open-pit mining, and mountain top blasting. In general, the three processes include breaking up soil and rocks via explosives and then removing debris until coal seams are exposed.
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Energy Lost from Coal 10% lost on transmission lines (stray voltage) 65% lost in power plants By the time energy is delivered to us in a usable form, it has typically undergone several conversions. Every time energy changes forms, some portion is “lost.” It doesn't disappear, of course.
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Effects on Health Black Lung Disease (miners) Respiratory illnesses (public)
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Effects on Land Coal sludge releases –Liquid coal waste released from mining Hardpan at strip mines –Hard clay soil Mountaintop removal Huge water use –Slurry pipelines – water and crushed coal moved from place to place through pipelines.
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Effects on Air Greenhouse gases –3/4 sulfur dioxide –1/3 nitrogen oxides –1/2 carbon dioxide Toxics –Mercury –Uranium
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Acid Rain
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Acidity of Rain Nitrogen and Sulfur dioxides from greenhouse gases mix with water vapor in the atmosphere to form acid precipitation.
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pH of 6.0 –Kills insects, crabs pH < 5.0 –Kills fish, trees Acidification of lakes Kills Forests (N fixing Bacteria) Eats away rock The taller the smokestack, the farther the pollution travels
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Coal Scrubbers
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NATURAL GAS Methane, other Gases in bedrock
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Advantages of natural gas: Cleaner to burn –Half as much CO2 as coal More efficient –10% energy lost 60-year supply at current rates
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Disadvantages of Natural Gas Difficult to transport –Pipelines –Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) tankers Can be polluting, dangerous when extracted Methane bed drilling pollutes 60 year supply?
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OIL (PETROLEUM) Buried organic matter rich in hydrocarbons
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Proven oil reserves 465 billion barrels consumed 1 trillion barrels left 22 billion consumed a year 45 years to go! Party now!
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Global trends in oil Growing use in China (+10%/year) Japan, Europe depend on Mideast New reserves around Caspian Sea –Nearly size of Saudi Arabia Increasing source of major wars, human rights abuses
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Persian Gulf and Caspian Sea
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U.S. trends in oil Diverse sources (not Mideast) –Venezuela, Nigeria, etc. Opening domestic sources –Alaska controversy Polluting technologies? –Oil shale extraction –Synthetic fuels (coal-to-oil)
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Opposition to oil companies Construction of roads, pipelines Displacement of Indians Deforestation Oil leaks into rivers larger thanValdez spill Pollution
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Exxon Valdez, Alaska 1989
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Attempts to contain spill
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Clean-up efforts
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Prince William Sound fishing industry damaged
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BP Gulf Oil Spill of 2010
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Websites on oil industry and global opposition Rainforest Action Network http://www.ran.org Project Underground http://www.moles.org
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