Electricity is the best invention by mankind, which has changed the whole world and even brought the changed world in your hands. What happens when there is no electricity, can we imagine a day without electricity? That would mean no television, no mobile phones, no space research, no computer, no ATMs and a lot of “no”. Today, humans are searching for a new life in other planets by just sitting in the front of a computer but not thinking about even a single second how it is produced.
Let’s think about the world’s biggest economy. Yes, of course, it is the U.S.A. 64% of its electricity is generated by burning fossil fuel, biomass, and waste and 20 % of electricity comes from the nuclear power plant. So, its economy is getting higher and higher with the increase in pollution created by the burning of fuels. Does the U.S.A. alone create pollution while constantly increasing and growing? No, China, India, Russia, and each country does the same to increase their economic status.
Perhaps today we are happy with the current situation, but tomorrow our next generation must stand in the desert. Every educated person knows what gases are released by burning the fuels CO2, CO, SO2, NOx and heavy metals such as mercury. They all mean damage to nature as its content is increased in our atmosphere.
Some may ask why not use nuclear power plants but that is even more harmful that above. I am speaking here not about its blast but about its waste. Nuclear power plants do not produce greenhouse gases or PM, SO2, or NOx, but they do produce two general types of radioactive low-level waste, such as contaminated protective shoe covers, clothing, wiping rags, mops, filters, reactor water treatment residues, equipment, and tools. All of them are stored at nuclear power plants until the radioactivity in the waste decays to a level safe for disposal as ordinary trash, or it is sent to a low-level radioactive waste disposal site. High-level waste, which includes the highly radioactive spent (used) nuclear fuel assemblies, must be stored in specially designed storage containers and facilities.
This process of production of energy cannot end in a day but we can reduce it by using green energy. What is green energy? Energy, which doesn’t harm nature, is often referred to as green energy. We have a lot of natural sources, such as wind, water, and sunlight. Human brain has already created a lot of ways to generate electricity with these sources. The wonderful news is that these green energies do not need anything to fuel it up. Windmills for wind, water turbines for water and solar panels for sunlight.
Let’s assume 50% to 60% of electricity is consumed by households, why cannot it be generated by us? Instead of keeping the rooftops empty you can roof it with solar panels and city corporation can install its own windmills outside the city. So, the remaining is 40% – 50% of electricity, which is consumed by commercial buildings and industries. What if the laws were passed that all corporate who is getting profit more than certain limit must use 50% is power from green energy? Yes, this is possible. Apple in China using 100% of its electricity from the solar plant so why others can’t make at least 50%?
People are willing to accept changes, but the government must support the people. By encouraging the green energy production and distribution, people will start forgetting the nuclear and fossil fuels and at a certain stage, these unhealthy processes will be considered as old and even had chances of banning them. Just 150 years of fossils fuel consumption makes our mother nature to cough, so what if it continues for another century?
Written by Senthil Raja Natarajan, “EcoWrite” contest 3rd place winner
