Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is fast becoming one of today’s hottest buzzwords and that’s good news. It’s not a new term; it’s actually been around for decades and the earliest civilizations understood and relied on renewable energy. But in our oil-driven society the term hasn’t gotten that much attention outside certain circles. It did during the oil crisis of the 70’s but once that situation subsided we went back to relying on oil, our favorite non-renewable energy source.

What is renewable energy?
Renewable energy is energy that’s derived from an inexhaustible source; an unlimited source that will never be depleted. Solar energy, which is energy derived from the sun, is a perfect example and it’s the one with which most people are familiar. Wind energy is another. Even thought there may be days when the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow, those are localized issues. The sun always shines and wind continually blows due to fluctuations in temperature, albeit more so in some regions than others.

Hydro-power, tidal power, geothermal power and biomass power are other renewable energy sources being pursued in earnest. Fossil fuels including coal, oil and natural gas are non-renewable energy sources. The quantities available are finite and once depleted these sources will no longer be available to serve our generation’s energy needs. No one knows the exact day fossil fuels will cease to exist, however with demand growing across the globe, that day may come sooner than many think.

Why consider renewable energy?
Besides the fact that fossil fuels will one day cease to exist, there is another compelling reason to start making the switch to renewable energy. When burned, fossil fuels emit carbon dioxide and other gasses. As levels of carbon dioxide and these other gasses increase within the atmosphere, the increase is starting to trap heat from the sun that should normally escape back into the atmosphere, creating a greenhouse effect.

Many believe the trapped heat is causing global temperatures to rise and the result of this rise is warming waters, melting polar ice caps and raising sea levels. And that is what the debate over global warming is all about.

Renewable energy reduces reliance on fossil fuels

Across the globe, the U.S. is the biggest contributor of carbon dioxide emissions. Tremendous amounts of coal, oil and gas are burned each day just to meet our ever-increasing energy and transportation needs. Renewable energy can start meeting some of these needs and what’s even better is that renewable sources won’t release dangerous gasses into the environment.

Thanks to recent technological advancements, there now exists easier and more efficient ways to capture and use renewable energy and everyday people are taking notice. They’re using solar and wind energy to power their homes, they’re burning wood to heat their homes, and they’re driving cars that run on biofuels.

Today you have a choice. You can continue your reliance on non-renewable fossil fuels that harm the environment and will take millions of years to replenish. Or you can make the switch to renewable energy. And contrary to what anyone says, the renewable energy changes you make will make a difference!