Attention-Getter: Do you know what this is? This is worsening your asthma at the age of 10 and you developing lung cancer by the age of 30. According to the Centers for Disease Control there are 1 in 11 children with asthma (Centers, 2012a) and approximately 208,000 people diagnosed with lung cancer (Centers, 2012b). Fortunately, there is a better way. Credibility: I’m sure you’ve all heard about or seen windmills and solar panels. For those of you here on Okinawa there’s no way you haven’t seen the giant white windmills and street lights equipped with solar panels.
These forms of alternative energy are a growing trend here on Okinawa as the island strives to free itself from energy dependence and high energy costs. Thesis: With our ever expansive population, governments around the world seem to be in a last minute rush to become energy independent. I would also like you to think about your health and ensuring your children have a nice place to grow up. There are many types of alternative energy and I would like to share a few of them.
Additionally, I will give you a brief synopsis of the benefits we can draw from using alternative resources. Transition: What is alternative energy you ask? I. To begin, let me explain what alternative energy is and what it means to you. A. According to the Oxford Dictionary, alternative energy is energy generated in ways that do not deplete natural resources or harm the environment, especially by avoiding the use of fossil fuels and nuclear power (Alternative, 2012). 1.
However, I’d like to point out that worldly scholars have not decided upon a unanimous definition. B. The Department of Energy makes a great point in stating “renewable energy technologies have the potential to strengthen our nation’s energy security, improve environmental quality, and contribute to a strong energy economy” (United, 2012) Transition: Next I’d like to introduce the sources and types of alternative energy. II. Currently, the U. S. Department of Energy recognizes 6 Types of Alternative Energy. They include Wind, Solar, Hydro,
Biomass, Geothermal, and Hydrogen (United, 2012). However, I’ll only be presenting the 3 most common types. A. I’ll begin with Wind, which utilizes a Wind Turbine or more commonly known as windmill. 1. Modern wind turbines are used to generate electricity. 2. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of moving wind. 3. A wind turbine works like a fan, but in reverse. 4. Also a collection of wind turbines is called a wind farm. B. Next up we have the power of the Sun, Solar energy. It is certainly the oldest type of alternative energy used. . Photovoltaic (PV) is the most common solar collector used today; an example is the panels people put on rooftops or vending machines. 6. It produces electricity from the energy of the sun. 7. Energy of the absorbed light is transferred to electrons of the PV cell. C. Rivers are the source of another popular technology. Hydroelectric Turbines leverage this hydro energy. 8. Hydroelectric Turbines are powered by the kinetic energy of the flowing water. 9. Water flows through a turbine and generators convert the energy into electricity. 10.
It’s like a water pump but in reverse order, much like the wind turbine. Transition: Now that you know a few of the options. You may want to know what the benefits are. III. Let’s take a look at the advantages of using Alternative Energy D. To begin the most well know reason for using alternative energy is its impact on mother earth. 11. The resources mentioned are cleaner and use renewable materials. 12. The Natural Resource Defense Council points out that by eliminating just subsidies for fossil fuel consumption, this would reduce carbon dioxide emission 5% by 2020. Natural, 2012) 13. Additionally, the DOE declared wind power installation in the US provides enough electricity to avert 79 million tons of CO2, which is equivalent to taking 14 million cars off the road. (United, 2012) E. The second advantage that comes to mind would be its effect on the economy. According to the Department of Energy (United, 2012): 14. It will promote new job creation by investing in infrastructure and creating long-term skilled job. 15. 126 companies have already announced 46,000 new jobs. 16.
It can also help meet our nation’s energy needs; even a small wind farm can generate enough electricity power 9,000 homes. F. Finally, you might be thinking, are there any perks for using alternative energy? The Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency lists them by state and (Database, 2012): 17. Currently 24 states offer Tax credits with more to be added in the future. 18. Not to mention there are numerous federal grant programs that will help you to utilize some source of alternative energy. Today I’ve given you the primary types of alternative and earth friendly energy sources.
I hope that you take the information I’ve given you to further obtain knowledge on at least one of these sources of alternative energy. I have also given you the benefits of using alternative energy and I hope the thought of a healthier and cleaner earth will be motivation to help progress the use of alternative energy.
Works Cited
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012a). Asthma. Retrieved from http://www. cdc. gov/asthma/faqs. htm Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012b). Lung Cancer. Retrieved from http://www. cdc. gov/cancer/lung/index. tm Natural Resource Defense Council. (2012). The Rio+20 Earth Summit. Retrieved from http://www. nrdc. org/international/rio-2012/cleanenergy. asp United States Department of Energy. (2012, October 19). Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Retrieved from http://www. eere. energy. gov/ Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency. (2012). Incentives. Retrieved from http://www. dsireusa. org/ Alternative energy. (2012). Oxford Dictionary. Retrieved from http://oxforddictionaries. com/definition/american_english/alternative+energy
