The Beauty of our Environment

By definition, environment is the surroundings of an object or individual. We as a group need to protect the environment because it is being altered by our actions. What is good or bad for the environment can border on the speculative. There are some definitive conclusions, as well. In other words, no one knows for sure whether it helps or harms, in some cases. Much of what is speculated upon cannot be proven until long after we are gone.

There are certainties although. The air we breathe and the water we drink is all part of, and produced by, the environment. Many people find solace in their environment and others seek a better one. Protection of the world’s atmosphere is very important. Protection is conserving on energy with k2, water and natural resources. Let us expound on the realities instead of the speculative.

Fossil fuels produce carbon when used as energy. Fossil fuel is not renewable, or not in our lifetimes anyway. So it is not sustainable, it will deplete its self eventually. Wind and sun are there for the taking so to speak. Using wind and sun for energy has been around for centuries. Ancient myths talk of great mirrors that magnified and directed sunlight. The sun’s rays could be intensified to the point where fires could be started miles away. Wind has brought water from the ground for centuries. Mining thousands of years ago employed wind, and water to extract minerals from the earth through the clever use of levers and pulleys.

The facts are not in dispute. The theory on renewable energy is that consumption cannot exceed production. What can we produce faster than it can be consumed? There is not enough land mass to grow enough grasses and corn to produce ethanol in quantities needed. To make ethanol requires the use of energy. Therefore, we produce a semi renewable energy source using a non-renewable energy source. Electricity can be produced by water but the majority of it around the world is produced by coal-fired turbines that turn the electrical generators. Electricity is needed to produce bio fuels, as well. Land to grow our way out of the energy crisis energy cannot be produced.

Years ago a ride in the country in wintertime revealed many things about the environment. The air was cold and smoked curled from every chimney. Snow was packed tight around the foundations for insulation. The tin roofs on homes had black hoses curled up like hibernating snakes. Black hoses absorbed the radiant heat from the sun, thus heating the water that lay in the hose. Even in the dead of winter, the water was comfortable for showering. Turn the spigot on, fill the hose and let it warm up. This is called passive use of solar energy, just like making sun tea.

The sun is needed for plants to absorb toxins from the air and to give us oxygen. The sun is renewable and cannot be extinguished. The wind in many areas never stops blowing it seems and windmills creaked and groaned. The water pumped steadily into the tanks.

The environment produces sun and wind. We need to stop abusing the environment and start using the environment. The sun can produce electricity by using solar panels that are treated with silicone. The silicone reacts to sunlight by banging and smashing around. This movement produces electric current. The energy is immediate and only stops when the sun is no longer shining. Wind can turn turbines, which produces electricity. Electrical generators can be powered solely by wind.

This is our environment. The atmosphere can be changed. The air can be cleaned up. The water can be pure once again. We cannot control everything thing in our environment. When the sunrises and when the wind blows is out of our hands.