Along with the steam engines, coal mines, and trains, the Industrial Revolution gave the world another essential part of life: consumerism and the notion that there were unlimited natural resources. At the time it would have been hard to imagine coal running out or the great price the environment would eventually pay for the luxury of having access to cheap material goods. People became consumers and lost all interest in where items originated from and how they were made, just as long as they continued to be produced at a fast rate. The Industrial Revolution instilled a mindset of unlimited resources and a sense of human superiority over natural resources. The times have changed. It is now a race to see how fast we can slow down climate change and begin to change the harmful habits and policies that are deeply ingrained in our society. This change will happen through citizen involvement, new technologies, governmental policy shifts, education and outreach programs, and also through the consumption of more alternative energy resources.
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Essential Question
How will hydropower continue to play an important role in the U.S's renewable energy portfolio? Thesis Hydropower is the cheapest, most reliable, and simplest form of renewable energy. The future of hydropower in the U.S rests in the movement of retrofitting existing infrastructure and implementing creative ways of ensuring stream health. |
13%-amount of energy created by renewable sources in the United States in 2013, 52% of which is hydroelectric power. (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
7%- amount of energy produced by hydroelectric power that contributes to the general energy grid. (U.S Department of Energy)
2,500- number of dams of all sizes in the U.S that provide hydroelectric power. (U.S Department of Energy)
80,000- number of standing dams in the United States that were built for various reasons other than creating electricity. (U.S Department of Energy)
7%- amount of energy produced by hydroelectric power that contributes to the general energy grid. (U.S Department of Energy)
2,500- number of dams of all sizes in the U.S that provide hydroelectric power. (U.S Department of Energy)
80,000- number of standing dams in the United States that were built for various reasons other than creating electricity. (U.S Department of Energy)
Conclusion
Why does this all matter? Why is it important to develop more renewable energy to rely less on oil, gas and coal? How do greenhouse gases directly affect our lives? These are big questions and have several answers that are all justifiable. Every person will have a different perspective because of his or her values, opinions and experience leading to no right or wrong answer. This matters because we rely on electricity. Lights, computers, ovens, heaters, showers- we depend upon these luxuries and our lifestyles would be forever altered if we didn’t have immediate access to electricity. There is hope. As Ozzie Zehner said, “We don’t have an energy crisis. We have a consumption crisis.” As a society, we live in excess and consume an overwhelming amount of energy. This is no easy habit to kick; however, if we can begin to develop a mindset of conservation over consumption we can begin to fix the root cause. In the meantime, alternative energy, hydroelectricity in particular, will play a continuously growing role. There will continue to be technological advancements that will improve the efficiency of hydro plants, awareness of stream health will continue to be important, using pre-existing infrastructure will become a standard in the hydroelectric world, and microhydro will begin to fill an ever growing niche. The mindset surrounding hydropower needs to change. While it can cause great ecological damage, there are tougher environmental standards that must be met and there are creative ways to balance stream health with the production of renewable energy. Together we can continue this fight.
Why does this all matter? Why is it important to develop more renewable energy to rely less on oil, gas and coal? How do greenhouse gases directly affect our lives? These are big questions and have several answers that are all justifiable. Every person will have a different perspective because of his or her values, opinions and experience leading to no right or wrong answer. This matters because we rely on electricity. Lights, computers, ovens, heaters, showers- we depend upon these luxuries and our lifestyles would be forever altered if we didn’t have immediate access to electricity. There is hope. As Ozzie Zehner said, “We don’t have an energy crisis. We have a consumption crisis.” As a society, we live in excess and consume an overwhelming amount of energy. This is no easy habit to kick; however, if we can begin to develop a mindset of conservation over consumption we can begin to fix the root cause. In the meantime, alternative energy, hydroelectricity in particular, will play a continuously growing role. There will continue to be technological advancements that will improve the efficiency of hydro plants, awareness of stream health will continue to be important, using pre-existing infrastructure will become a standard in the hydroelectric world, and microhydro will begin to fill an ever growing niche. The mindset surrounding hydropower needs to change. While it can cause great ecological damage, there are tougher environmental standards that must be met and there are creative ways to balance stream health with the production of renewable energy. Together we can continue this fight.