Month: January 2019

Noah Barnes

What are Fossil Fuels?

Fossil fuels are naturally formed fuels that originate from organic materials, such as plants and animals, and pressure from the Earth’s crust along with the passage of hundreds of millions of years.  These organic materials break down into crude oil, coal, natural gas, or heavy oils (sciencedaily). In most first world countries, fossil fuels are the leading sources of energy, dominating everything from household machines like cars or heating systems to industrial facilities. Figure (A) shows fossil fuel consumption in the United States over roughly the past 250 years, and it is not difficult to deduce that our consumption of these limited resources has grown exponentially in the past 100 years alone. Since so many processes rely on fossil fuels to function properly, we are consistently pulling these resources out of every nook and cranny we can find. There are two major problems with this mass extraction of resources: (1) these extraction processes can be extremely harmful to the environment, and (2) we are running out of fossil fuels.

 

What Effects does the Extraction of Fossil Fuels have on the Environment?

Coal, one of the most abundant and useful fossil fuels which has been used to power countless empires throughout history, harbors one of the most harmful methods of extraction:  mining and drilling. Over the past several decades, there has been a gradual shift from underground coal mining to surface mining (ucsusa). Underground coal mining carries less harm than surface mining due to the fact that underground mining is… underground. Surface mining involves methods like strip mining (a process that consists of overlaying soil to access the coal below) and mountaintop removal.  Because coal mining has only become more streamlined in the past two hundred years, the fact that we can do this faster only means that more habitats and environments will be destroyed.

Another primary fossil fuel on Earth is oil. When oil and gas are extracted, water that had been trapped in the geologic formation is brought to the surface. This “produced water” can carry with it naturally occurring dissolved solids, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and radioactive materials in concentrations unsuitable for human consumption and difficult to dispose of safely (ucsusa). Due to the mass drilling taking place offshore, harmful toxins found in deeper water are being brought to the surface at an exponential rate. Not only is this water harmful to humans, but also to the habitats of surrounding ocean life. Additionally, pumping oil to the surface not only requires millions of gallons of water, but also 15,000-60,000 gallons of chemicals, many of which are undisclosed to Federal regulators. Researchers could track only 353 chemicals from that larger list and found that 25 percent of those chemicals cause cancer or other mutations, and about half could severely damage neurological, cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune systems (ucsusa).

 

What do we have planned for the Future?

Sustainable and renewable energy sources are a hot market right now due to the fact that people are finally becoming aware that we are running out of fossil fuels. This means that researchers and investors are constantly looking for new solutions or methods of clean, renewable energy. It may seem like the metaphorical “golden goose” of the modern world due to its seemingly too good to be true nature, but new energy sources are not unobtainable.

Solar and water power are not exactly new, but they aren’t old hat either. More hydroelectric dams – dams which produce energy based on the movement of water, like from a river – are being built across the country every day. Solar power has a bit of a social taboo due to the fact that it is an expensive and not extremely effective solution.  However, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is in the process of reviewing possible federal tax exemptions for those who use solar power to create a financial incentive for more people to use solar.  Geothermal and Nuclear energy are a little more volatile and a lot more expensive to maintain, however, the research and testing of these types of energy sources is just beginning, so it would not be unlikely for nuclear and/or geothermal energy to see a spike in both popularity and effectiveness in the near future.

 

What should we Conclude from this?

To conclude, fossil fuels are quickly becoming a limited resource, and we should expect to see most of them depleted within 100 years (ecotricity). While the harmful environmental effects of fossil fuel extraction may cease because of this (and this is something we should definitely be excited about), humans will still need new sources of energy when we run out of what we have been using. This is the uplifting bit – clean, renewable energy is on the rise not only in the United States, but in a conglomerate of energy-concerned countries worldwide. We will continue to experiment with what we have, pioneer what we can, and hopefully make a breakthrough for renewable energy as soon as possible.

 

Sources

https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/fossil_fuel.htm

https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-energy/coal-and-other-fossil-fuels/hidden-cost-of-fossils#.XFOWnM17lPY

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=26912

https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/our-green-energy/energy-independence/the-end-of-fossil-fuels

(A) U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Energy Review

 

I painted this landscape with the thought of global warming in mind. Science shows that there are roughly only twelve years for global warming to be kept under control until detrimental effects take place on the world. I look at this painting with hopes of a better future for our Earth and as a reminder of what the Earth used to look like before careless, unsustainable actions took place.

Nataley Williams

Last year, the food service provider at my college (Bon Appétit) banned all plastic straws on campus and replaced them with paper straws as a step towards campus sustainability. Their decision was a part of a larger national movement to phase out plastic straws. Companies such as Starbucks, Alaska Airlines, and McDonald’s are announcing plans to eliminate plastic straws by next year (A Brief). These companies are responding to the large outcry from activists who are demanding actions against the plastic straws that are harming the oceans. In America alone, 500 million straws are used daily, and a large portion of those are ending up in our oceans (Straw Wars). While I, as a Sustainability Science major, was happy about this transition, the campus reactions to the change were widespread. One question I heard over and over and often even asked myself as the paper of my straw withered away was, “Does my one straw really matter?”—in other words, is this one straw going to make a difference in the long run? Will any of my actions ever actually matter or have an impact at all?

That stream of questions occurs often in my head and in many others around me. With roughly 7.7 billion people in the world, it is easy to feel small and to think that your actions do not really matter on the grander scale. And really, your actions do not matter. As much as I hate to admit it, your one straw means little to nothing.

But your mindset does.

While one straw in itself may not matter, each person using just one straw equates to billions of straws. And while the transition to paper straws, even if it was global, will not solve any large sustainability issues, it is the mindset behind the movement that really means something. Large sustainability problems demand agency—the kind of agency that comes from knowing your straw doesn’t matter but acting sustainable anyway. If everyone believes their actions have no impact, then no actions will equate to the changes required. Conversely, if people see their actions as important, then that is how movements begin and persevere.

Many people also argue that globally banning all plastic straws will not result in a large change and that plastic straws are the least of our concerns regarding sustainability. While this is true, it is important to think how small changes can lead, and often do lead, to bigger and more important ones. The straw ban movement is a small step in an effort by many to eliminate single-use plastics, which are polluting our land and oceans. Even in the smallest way, consumers who are so used to the disposability of our current country might stop and think about why they are getting a paper or reusable straw instead of a plastic one. Those moments of questioning or consideration really matter to sustainability scientists because our major goal is to encourage conscious consumerism and push back against the planned obsolescence that our current society revolves around.

Often, sustainability activists must remind each other that our fight is a marathon and not a race. Important changes likely will never occur overnight, and it takes many years to see transitions to sustainability in society. But eventually, one straw turns into two straws and then into billions of straws.

“We know that just banning plastic straws will not be enough, but it’s a start. “Maybe you decide today to bring your reusable water bottle or mug with you, or you decide not to buy that cucumber that is wrapped in plastic. Every little bit helps.”

• Dune Ives, executive director of the environmental nonprofit Lonely Whale. (Plastic Straws Retreat)

Katie Crockford

Over the past several months, I have continuously heard more and more about humans’ high (and rapidly increasing) amounts of damage to planet Earth. We cut down too many trees, waste too much water, drive too often and emit hazardous gases, forget to turn off light switches, eat too much meat and fish, leave the water running while we brush our teeth, etc. While some of these are more detrimental than others and some seem more reasonable for a college student to fix, I have challenged myself to live as sustainably as possible. I’ve found myself doing little tasks such as turning the lights off when I leave a room or making sure I take as quick a shower as possible to conserve water. However, most of all, I have trained myself to constantly be thinking about sustainability and to make a conscious effort to consider it in all aspects of my life. In doing so, I recently started thinking about sustainability in the clothing and fashion industry. I began to do a little research and found myself appalled at not only the lack of sustainability in the clothing industry, but how many steps there are in the process of producing clothes. As a result, there is plenty of room for sustainable errors in clothing production. In society today, there is a lot of emphasis on producing as many goods as possible in as little time as possible, which can sacrifice environmental and human health. When breaking down the steps of clothing production, there are a lot of steps and questions to consider. Are the designers using sustainable materials or online resources when possible in place of paper? Are the manufacturers using sustainable, energy efficient equipment and tools to make clothing, shoes, jewelry, etc.? What materials are the finished products being shipped in? Are they held in storage anywhere in the process? If so, where and why?

Though a lot of these things feel a little bit out of my control and difficult to change on a large level, I have challenged myself to think about ways in which I can help with this particular issue in sustainability. I have tried to take better care of my clothes in order to make them last longer, and when I am done with them, I have started considering donation/recycling options instead of throwing them away. I have passed down old clothes and shoes to family members and friends. Whatever I have left after that, I try to donate somewhere not only so they don’t go to waste but also to hopefully help someone else in need. I have been able to take an issue that I felt I couldn’t impact and apply it to my everyday life. I have changed my shopping habits, started investigating how different brands of clothing are made, and encouraged my friends and family members to do the same. Many small steps towards being more sustainable make a big difference!

 

Sources

“Fashion’s 7 Priorities To Achieve Sustainability.” The Business of Fashion, The Business of Fashion, 27 Mar. 2018, www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/fashions-7-priorities-to-achieve-sustainability.

 

“SEVEN FORMS OF SUSTAINABLE FASHION.” Green Strategy Sustainable and Circular Fashion Consulting, www.greenstrategy.se/sustainable-fashion/seven-forms-of-sustainable-fashion/.

 

“The Story Behind the Label.” The Story Behind the Label, www.thestorybehindthelabel.com/labels/2016/1/18/how-does-mass-production-in-clothes-works.

“WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE FASHION?” Green Strategy Sustainable and Circular Fashion Consulting, www.greenstrategy.se/sustainable-fashion/what-is-sustainable-fashion/.