Alternative Fuel Sources

Kayla Brass
Young
English AP 11
3 May 2010
Title
Recall this morning’s routine: waking up to the digital alarm clock, brushing one’s teeth, taking a shower, charging the iPhone, cooking pancakes on the stove, enjoying breakfast while watching   the morning news, and finally, leaving the house for work in a 2006 Honda Civic. Plumbing, electricity, and advanced technology make mornings like these easy and efficient. Unfortunately, success is not the only factor that has risen in today’s society: consider the increasing amount of greenhouse gas emissions. The Earth is nearing a period known as Global warming due to extensive amounts of dangerous gas emissions in the air. Actions must be taken to prevent this staggering pollution, actions that are clean and safe, actions that enforce the renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and water power.
Because solar energy has positive and negative impacts on the environment which significantly results in its teetering arguments: whether or not solar power should be used as an alternative fuel source. First, to understand the impacts of solar energy consider its background. Solar power replaces electricity and fuel because energy from the sun is converted into usable forms of electricity through photovoltaic panels. Photovoltaic Panels are typically found on houses, buildings, and some “green” vehicles; the panels are liquid filled solar plates which collect solar energy to provide heat and air-conditioning in sheltering structures (Egendorf 68).   Those that push for the use of solar energy enjoy doing the little steps that will ultimately lead to the purification of the toxins in the atmosphere. For example, the Hathaway family in Virginia made the transition, in 2001, to “green-ify” their life style; the Hathaway household built a house running on solar energy by aid of photovoltaic panels as well as driving an electric vehicle. Transitioning to photovoltaic panels, not only helps the environment, it will also...