With the ever-increasing demand of electricity in the modern world, while encountering the threat of a potential exhaustion of the non-renewable sources, like fossil fuels, on which most of our power production depends. At the same time, we are also facing a constantly worsening problem of global warming and environmental pollution. This situation requires an energy solution, which not only uses renewable energy sources, but should also be environment-friendly.

Some see those characteristics, with the required efficiency for commercial production, in nuclear technology. At present, power production through nuclear technology makes up the 16% of the total power produced in the entire world.

Not only is nuclear energy unlike non-renewable sources like oil and gas when it comes to the instability of their price and their costliness, but is also considered to be close to using renewable energy sources, as it utilizes Uranium as the main fuel of the power plant, an element found in a considerable quantity in the Earths crust. Moreover, power production through nuclear power plants does not involve the emission of any harmful environmental pollutants or greenhouse gases.

Innovations and improvements in the nuclear technology are also being made, and one of the most recent ones is from the Westinghouse Electric Company, which has been able to build the
AP 1000. It is a state-of-the-art nuclear power plant, which is being dubbed as the safest and the most economical nuclear plant available for commercial electricity production today, and has been the first nuclear power plant, which received the Design Certification from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

This power plant, which has been developed after 20 years of research, comprises of the essential parts as in currently operating plants designed by Westinghouse. These parts, which are tested and have proven to be reliable year after year, include reactor coolant programs, steam generators, fuel, digital instrumentation and control, and integrated engineering.

Improved from the existing technology, this new generation of reactors will be offering a number of benefits including increased security and safety, cost-effectiveness and much enhanced efficiency.

The kind of improvements that have been made in the AP1000 reactor, have almost eradicated any chance of human involvement and error in its efficient operation. Its improved design will create a lot of difference in reducing costs and increasing productivity.

Maybe because they realized the importance of the energy of the sun. As we enter the 21st century, we look back, after all our malpractices which have almost destroyed our planet, at what the ancients had figured out way before than we did: To value the energy of the sun.

It is the relentless energy of the sun, which it has in store aplenty to light the world for many generations to come, and its advantages are numerous. Consider some of them to have an idea about them.

Free Forever

The sun has been providing its energy to the tenants of planet Earth for millennia now, and is continuing to do so. It is up to us to utilize this energy, which is available without any charge.

Earlier civilizations like the Greek and the Egyptians are known to have used the energy from the sun. It should act as an inspiration for the modern civilization.

Environment-Friendly

The process of using energy from the sun is environment-friendly and completely free of any pollution whatsoever, let it be environmental or noise pollution. It is much safer, simple and cost-effective than expensive and hazardous means of power generation like using fossil fuels, which give away carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases that are deteriorating the condition of our atmosphere, and our planet is increasingly being affected by global warming, which is a proven threat.

Reliability

There are no questions whatsoever about the reliability and availability of the energy from sun. The sun has been around for billions of years, and will continue to carry on its works for even billions of years further. And it provides us energy every day to light our part of the world, and does the same job on the other parts of the globe when it sets in the areas you are living in. Unlike other energy sources, the solar energy is always available on a good portion of the populated land, and it is up to us to utilize it to the fullest.

Unlimited Potential

If properly addressed and worked on, with technological advances, we can potentially settle all the power problems of the world through one source, the energy from the sun. If you consider it, the potential of the energy of the sun that can be exploited for power generation is unlimited, and yet the current power production from solar energy constitutes even less than 1%. In fact, the solar energy that falls on Earth after every 8 minutes is enough to fulfill the power requirements of the United States for the whole year. Although it is not actually possible to utilize absolutely the entire solar energy that reaches the surface on the earth, but we are no where near as well.

Why Realizing So Late?

Yes, the ancients knew it, but how come we did not figure it out for centuries? Why cannot we effectively and efficiently use the immense amount of energy from the sun? Why such a huge amount of solar energy is being wasted every single day?

The greatest reason for those questions is the fact that the sunlight reaching the surface of the Earth is so sparsely scattered that it is not easy capturing it to be utilized for our energy needs as efficiently as its potential.

In order to create a substantial difference in successfully utilizing the solar energy for our use is to develop an efficient mechanism to capture the energy of the radiation of the sun as an energy source, to convert it into our required form of energy and to store it.

So far, human beings have only been able to devise three mechanisms for this purpose.

The Reflection or Parabola Mirror Method

A method right out of the ancient history textbook, the Reflection method is based on the idea of concentrating the rays of the sunlight on one point by the positioning of one or several mirrors, and the heat energy extracted out of the sunlight is used for the desired purpose. The similar method is also carried out through a parabola mirror, which is shaped like a dish antenna, and it is also used to concentrate the sunlight on a point to produce heat energy.

The Radiation Method

An ingenious yet simplistic method, that is the basis behind the concept of solar water heaters. It is carried out by placing black colored pipes, placed between two closely gripping layers of glass, and they are exposed to the sunlight. The sunlight heats the water up due to the radiation of the heat energy from the sunlight.

The Photovoltaic Method or the Solar Panels

It is one of the most popular methods today, and the only one being used for power generation.

It is based on the innovation of a solar cell, which is made up of treated silicon crystals, which are excited when exposed to the sunlight, and electrons are knocked out of their orbits as a result of the excitation and a hole is created in the crystal from which an electron had just escaped. It is filled by an electron from the crystal next to it, and since another hole is created while doing so, a steady flow of electrons, or an electric current is attained through this chain reaction of electrical charge. The electric current produced as a result can either be used immediately, or could be stored in a rechargeable battery for later use.

So Why are We Not Using Solar Energy?

So, despite of our knowledge about all the benefits of solar energy, why are we not using it even near to its total potential? Why there are only a few solar power plants around the world, the output of which is hardly 1% of the total power production of the world.

Firstly, the point about their cost of investment is raised to be a problem in using solar power, and even the reliability is considered as a hurdle, as solar energy cannot be utilized unless the sun is clearly able to send the sunlight on the surface, which is not possible if the sun is covered by clouds or during nights.

Another reason for that simply is the fact that we have not yet been able to devise a technology that efficiently converts the extent of solar energy received into a respective amount of electricity, as the solar cells can only convert 20% of the energy that falls on their surface into electrical energy. Such a level of production is not deemed sufficient for power production on a commercial basis.

However, that does not by any means imply that we should discard solar energy. The good news is that technological research is being carried out for an improvement in the efficiency of the photovoltaic system, and some considerable improvements are expected, both in cost and efficiency, and soon the technology will be acceptable to be adopted both for commercial and personal use.

Unlike Antarctica, which is a continent land mass covered with ice, the Arctic is defined as a region rather than a continent with a small land mass, with a much larger extension of ice, like areas of Greenland for an example, which are covered with a mile thick layer of ice. The ice caps at the Arctic are so large, that they are four times as large as Texas.

Another important feature of the region is the Arctic Ocean. It is not one of the largest oceans in the world, and does not even constitute the tenth part of the Pacific Ocean, yet it holds its significance and distinction for something else. The Arctic Ocean and the waters around it are home to more fish in the world than in any other ocean of the world.

Although the Arctic and Antarctica are often confused due to their reputation of ice covered landscapes and almost inhabitable conditions, the Arctic is very different to Antarctica in this regard. The Arctic is inhabited by a number of species, including quite a fair amount of human population. This is not the case with Antarctica, which is mostly inhabitable with an exception of the penguins. Moreover, the Arctic is much milder than Antarctica, which remains in sub-zero temperatures all around the year. The Arctic summers see temperatures as high as 50F. The region is relatively in easier access to human beings than Antarctica, and therefore, to pollution.

The region has been in the news lately. Its massive ice deposits are melting at an astonishing rate. Scientists explain this melting as a work of Global Warming and the emission of Greenhouse gases in the Earths atmosphere, resulting in a rise in the average global temperature. What makes the melting more serous is the fact, that contrary to the popular impression, the Arctic receives negligible precipitation. Its annual snowfall accounts for only 8 inches on average, which is no match for the monstrous amount of melting of its ice caps, more than 6% of which has been lost to melting during the last two decades. Even though Greenhouse gases are widely held responsible for this phenomenon, there are other forces at play as well.

The oceans of the world are connected to form one massive water body. There is a massive current, known as the Conveyor, which flows throughout the mass of this water body, that is, across the oceans of the world. This Conveyor is responsible for the flow of water across the oceans to different temperature zones, and this current carries the warm water to areas which other wise be quite cold and chilly in temperature, like Europe, the temperature of which is warmed and stabilized by these currents. In this way, these currents pretty much control the climate patterns of the world.

As the ice mass of the Arctic continues to melt, it is adding fresh water to the oceans of the world. Recent studies show that this is having an adverse impact on the Conveyor currents. Scientists have observed that the ocean currents have slowed down up to 40% of its original pace. As has been the case a number of times in the history of planet Earth, the stoppage or reversal of this current will result in a total change of climate. This will result in extreme temperature trends and severe weather across the world. Temperatures in Europe would drop down by 20 degrees and there will be hurricanes in the most unlikely of places, which would be much stronger than those which occur these days. Overall, the climate of the planet will become much more turbulent than it is today, and will become pretty hostile to human life on the planet, especially those living in the coastal areas.

We generally take problems like the melting of the Arctic polar ice caps for granted, but the consequences of this event will be affecting our lives, and the future of human civilization on Earth. It is about time that we take some substantial steps to reduce the damage to the planet caused by our own designs.

Everyone is talking these days about Global Warming and the imminent disaster that is related with the concept. Those who advocate this concept totally rule out any skepticism whatsoever associated with it. Especially the future of Antarctica has become a matter of concern for the supporters of Global Warming.

The main idea which sends chills down the spines of those who recognize Global Warming as a major threat is that the polar ice caps are melting very rapidly due to this phenomenon and that this will eventually result in an increase in sea levels globally, and the consequential feared flooding of the major coastline areas of the world. Such a cataclysmic event is feared to leave millions of people killed and homeless.

The people who are making these claims are primarily scientists. These scientists have been monitoring the climatic and environmental conditions of the planet since decades now. Their efforts were originally more intended to learn about the meteorological and seismological phenomena of the planet in order to predict storms, earthquakes and other sever weather phenomena and natural disasters.

However, these studies enabled the scientists to observe the trends of rising temperatures of the planet, the relation of Greenhouse gases with it, the melting of polar ice caps and the rising sea levels. All these findings led them to believe that with the rate it was happening, disaster was the only fate which awaited our planet.

The only cause that the scientists could figure out for these alarming changes to the planet, which potentially jeopardized the future of human life on Earth, was Global Warming and the emission of Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

The Greenhouse gases, which are being emitted everyday through the burning of fossil fuels and other industrial and chemical emissions, cause the sunlight to be trapped inside the atmosphere of the earth, which eventually causes a rise in the temperature. But people know very little about these theories, which are almost dictated to them by the scientists.

Although it is an accepted fact that Antarctica and other polar masses are melting and that their size appears to have been reduced ever since the scientists have started making observations about them, but such assumptions are not actually accurate.

However saying anything certain about the issue on the basis of measurements for a relatively shorter period of time, in the life of a 4.5 billion years old planet, is not possible. The trends, which concern scientists and those who warn of the potential threats of Global Warming, may just as well be natural cycles which are much greater in their cycle of action, than the time span of these measurements.

Our knowledge about phenomena like the melting of the ice caps at Antarctica and Global Warming is more limited than we actually think. So we should not freak ourselves out over the Global Warming issue and should relax, while being as careful about the environment as we can at the same time.

The problem of Global Warming has surfaced by an increase in the Greenhouse Effect, which is resulted by the warming of the planet due to the failure of suns energy to escape to the space. This heat is trapped within the atmosphere of the Earth due to the presence of a number of pollutants and other Greenhouse gases, which are particularly increased due to the burning of fossil fuels in vehicles and due to other industrial and chemical emissions.

Carbon Dioxide is the main contributor towards global warming. Although it is existent in the nature in a certain amount, but the increased consumption of fossil fuels has significantly increased its levels in the Earths atmosphere. But with and despite the technological advances, the whole world is almost handicapped in its dependence on the fossil fuels, which further threatens the Global Warming crisis to worsen.

The rise in carbon dioxide levels in the last two centuries, which coincides with the increase in industrialization globally, particularly in the West, clearly illustrates the part humans have played in jeopardizing the health of their own habitat. The consequences are already making their presence felt, and scientists fear an even worse future ahead.

Global Warming is causing rapid climate shifts, severe weather and storms, melting of polar ice caps and the accompanying dangers like land-sliding, mud-sliding, erosion, flash-floods and similar disasters, which are taking the lives of thousands of people every year.

Although the scientists think that we have very little time to act in order to eliminate the threat posed by Global Warming, but the best time to take some action is to do it right away. This problem is encountered by all humanity, and each and every individual must realize the importance of his or her contribution towards its solution. Only such involvement can help make a substantial difference.

To start with some solutions, you can follow the steps listed on one of the websites in order to help reduce factors contributing towards Global Warming. In this way, you can learn about a lot of ways to help protect the environment, such as:

• Be careful about choosing which vehicles you are using, Always be sure to select an environment-friendly and efficient fuel model. Not only will that help protect the environment, but will prove to be cost-effective as well.

• An average household can reduce their pollution contribution by no less than 35,000 pounds annually by simply insulating their houses and using Energy Star appliances.

• Use a programmable thermostat. Not only is that environment-friendly, but is also lower in costs.

• Try to be efficient in traveling. Plan your trips to combine errands. Cutting unnecessary transportation down will not only reduce carbon emissions that worsen the Global warming problem, but will be cost-effective.

“Global warming is the most serious environmental challenge of our time. It is more urgent and its dangers are more fundamental than most Americans realize, warned Fred Krupp, President of Environmental Defense, a centrist organization dedicated to protecting the environmental rights of the public, including the right to clean air, clean water, healthy food and flourishing ecosystems.

“Millions of individual Americans acting together add up to a powerful part of the solution. Many of the transformative solutions will emerge from America, the country with the deepest reservoir of scientists, engineers and bold investors.”

Environmental Defense use scientific methods and research in order to create workable and accessible solutions that find popularity and socioeconomic acceptance, due to their impartiality, fairness and cost-effectiveness.

Environmental Protection Laws

Environmental Protection Laws involve a complex combination of statutes, laws, treaties, regulations, guidelines and policies which ensure the protection of the natural environment, which faces a constant threat from the human activities, for the benefit of humanity itself.

Environmental Protection Lawsuits invoke to raise the stinging question:
Should the legal matters of the property be confined to the property owners, or should there be a public intervention?

Among the very first instances that illustrated the public right to challenge a violation of Environmental Protection Laws came into view through a landmark case: Scenic Hudson Preservation Coalition v Federal Power Commission. The case was decided by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in 1965, as a consequence of which, the construction of a power plant was prevented on the beautiful Storm King Mountain, situated just by the Hudson River in New York State.

The Environmental Movement

The Environmental Movement is based on the fundamentals of Conservation of Natural Resources, Preservation of Rain Forests, Reduction of Pollution, and the Improvement of Urban Life.

However, the Environmental Movement and the struggle for the causes within its scope are brought by some people under suspicion of being politically motivated, rather than being based on scientific terms. The debates and arguments around the issues mostly pursued by such groups include climate change, Global Warming, effects of chemicals and fertilizers to the natural environment, which are not really taken seriously by these skeptics. However scientific research and observations have confirmed the validity of the cause of the environmentalists, since the natural environment has been polluted and affected by human activities.

The political confusion that got involved with the Environmentalist Movement caused some biologists to create the Ecology Movement, which would be dedicated for the protection of the environment with a deeper focus, and with the intention that the scientific work would not be intermingled with the political tug-of-war of words.
This movement continues to carry on its work in the shape of many small local groups, which look after their respective eco-regions, enlivened with the same spirit of affinity and connection with Mother Nature as voiced by Henry David Thoreau or any other who helped in conveying the Chief Seattles soul-shuddering reply to the West in their own manner.

Visions & Confusions

Even today, environmental issues are being used by political parties and groups for their own agenda, which places the groups making genuine efforts to come into the suspicion of political motivation as well. But environment is so closely entwined with our lives, the society and thus politics, that at points, they become indistinguishable, and thus it indeed becomes very difficult to separate vision from confusion. Neo-tribalism, for example, who want nothing to do with the mechanical quality of industrial civilization, propagate very much what the environmentalists have to say invigorated by the benefits of the social solidarity of close-knit groups and mutual consultation.

Despite all the politics involved, there is one fact which remains undisputed: There should be no compromises on our duty to Mother Nature and in taking care of our planet while we still can.

Climate Modification and Global Warming are one of the most hotly debated topics of our age. People are largely divided on this debate, as most scientists and activists blame human activities hazardous to the environment to be the primary agents for the worsening of Global Warming and the subsequent climate shift patterns.

However, what is often ignored is the fact that climate change is a natural phenomenon. We can understand that if we only consider how volcanic eruptions can affect the atmosphere and the environment, which of course is a phenomenon that had been going on for more than a billion years, considering the estimated age of our planet.

Although volcanic eruptions do not take place continuously, but they always happen with a big bang. Although small eruptions barely have an impact, but massive eruptions, like Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991, can have colossal effects on the atmosphere.

A massive eruption can single-handedly raise the Greenhouse gases over a fairly large area dramatically, which can engulf the atmosphere, along with volcanic ash, in the form of numerous deadly gases, such as Sulphur dioxide and Carbon dioxide, in such a way that sunlight would barely be reaching the affected areas. This could actually reduce the warming effect for some time.

A classical case is the Mt. St. Helens eruption of 1980, which was so massive that it defaced the landmark mountain in Washington State. The explosion flattened everything within 17 miles, and about 540 million tons of ash covered an area of no less than 22,000 square miles. The 12 mile volcanic ash cloud which was formed within the ten minutes of the eruption, further stretched out across the half of the United States, but there was barely an impact on the global temperature or climate pattern.

However, the El Chichon eruption of 1982 in Mexico, though much smaller in magnitude than that of the Mt. St. Helens eruption, but it had a significant impact on the climatic conditions, yet the average temperatures only cooled down by one degree.

This led the scientists to find out that the effect of volcanic eruptions on the climate is very much dependent upon the nature of the eruption. The debris from the Mt. St. Helens eruption found its way to the ground fairly quickly, but the sulphurous material that was exploded out into the atmosphere during the El Chichon eruption stayed up there for quite some time.

What really is true is that climate modifications and changes take place over very long periods of time and cannot be correctly measured to derive a decisive conclusion in a few years. Since we have not started paying attention to the subject very long ago, we cannot really say for sure scientifically how the climatic modifications take place and what really are the factors bringing about these changes. We also know through geological and volcanological evidence that much greater eruptions have occurred in the past than what we have witnessed recently. Surely, those eruptions would have had some serious impact on the climate.

The answer to the question of the existence of relationship between volcanic eruptions and climate modifications is probably yes. But we have also learned that this relationship largely depends on the nature of the eruption and does not have effects that last for a very long period of time.

Methane can be a real regulator of atmospheric temperatures in large quantities. In our planet, it is found in nature in geological deposits and is also produced artificially on an industrial scale.

Methane is one of the most threatening Greenhouse gases, as Methane is 20 times as effective in contributing towards global warming and trapping the infrared radiation reflected from Earth to the space as Carbon Dioxide.

Methane worries those studying Global Warming the most, because of its structural characteristics and properties. Methane has the capability to stay for a very long time in the air, if it finds its way to the atmosphere of the Earth. It is capable of being suspended in the upper atmosphere for something like nine to fifteen years, depending on the climatic conditions. It makes a coat of gas around the planet, acting like a sponge for the infrared radiation that seeks to escape Earths atmosphere, which increases the temperature of the planet. Any massive leaks of Methane to the atmosphere can really prove to be damaging, since you can rest assured it will linger out there in the atmosphere for nothing less than a decade.

Although it is practically very difficult to stop Methanes escape from its natural sources, but a lot of control can be achieved in its industrial production. The industrial production of Methane is through natural gas, petroleum, coal-mining, agricultural activities, waste water reclaiming and landfill systems. All these production activities involve Methane to some extent, some more than others.

However, we benefit from Methane as well. It is a popular source of fuel and 87% of the natural gas consists of Methane. Its benefits will prevent the world from giving up its use despite its danger regarding the Global Warming. So, we only need to modify how we use and handle Methane to protect our environment from its damages. This will be beneficial not only for the environment, but will ensure its utilization as a fuel in a better way. Although producing such technology is not an easy task, but not only the challenge encountered by us is of a critical nature, but we have seen human beings achieving far greater and much more difficult targets than this one. All we need to do is to modify the way we use it, neither is there a need to abandon its production, nor can the world comfortably afford to do so.

Whether you believe in the menace of Global Warming taking place or not, taking necessary precautions on Methane to prevent any worsening of the atmosphere of our planet is certainly worth the trouble.

This Earth Day, help protect Mother Earth, while also doing yourself an economic favor by following these simple steps recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

1. Always choose electrical appliances that come with the Energy Star logo. This means that the product complies to the international standard for energy efficient consumer products. This means that the electrical appliance that you will be using will not be contributing any Greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Not only this, you should also look for the symbol on electronics products, lighting devices, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, air conditioners and a number of other products.

2. Make sure to choose Energy Star compact fluorescent models for lighting, which are not only energy efficient, cost-effective, but also help protect the environment as they have earned the Energy Star standard certification. Only this small step can help you save up to $60 annually.

3. Make sure that your cooling system is not draining your income into paying its costs. Always have your system checked prior to the start of the summer season. This will ensure smooth functioning of the equipment and will reduce your bills as well.

4. It is even better to find smarter ways to regulate the temperature of your house without any energy consumption. Invest in an insulation sealing of your house and save yourself hundreds of dollars every year, while also improving the temperature of your house against the heat of the summers.

5. Spread the word to your friends, colleagues and family. Effort from every individual and every household will eventually make the difference for improving the environment of the planet and for preventing further Global Warming.

You will be surprised to learn that an average household contributes more towards carbon emissions than a fuel-burning car. Minimize your contribution at least by following these simple steps which not only help reduce your cost, but will also allow you to do something for the protection of the planets environment, for a better future for your children.

It is very much an established fact that climate change and global warming are the products of the unrestrained emissions of Greenhouse gases resulting from human activities.

Global Warming is taken as a serious problem and the severity of the phenomenon can be demonstrated by considering the fact that the ten hottest years since recorded history have occurred from 1994 onwards. It is very much obvious that the increased carbon emission levels in the period have a major part to play for these alarming statistics.

In the UK, 40% of the total carbon emissions are contributed by the business sector of the country. The Government is taking measures to prevent such emission levels and is also taking steps against businesses that fail to comply with environment protection standards, including imposing a levy on the use of energy by businesses. In this regard, legislation has taken place to protect the environment, which requires businesses to engage in their activities in such a manner that they minimize, if not eliminate, their carbon and other Greenhouse gas emissions, along with ensuring environment friendly practices in general.

Industry in the UK created a waste of 65 million tons during 2002-03, which will rise to 85 million tons by the end of 2020, unless some corrective action is taken. According to the estimates of the Environmental Agency, there have been 25,000 incidents of pollutions in 2003, which polluted land, water and air alike. Out of these, 1,100 recorded incidents were of very serious nature in their extent of damage.

If such violations to economic regulations and damages to the environment continue to occur, the global warming crisis will become more severe than ever before, and with the current rate, it is estimated that a rise in average global temperatures by 5.8C will take place by the end of this century.

In 2004, businesses in UK were enquired about more than half of the reported serious and harmful pollution incidents. During the period 2002-03, 45% of the 65 million tons waste was recycled. The UK Government is making efforts to reduce the industrial waste sent to landfill, which is 15% against the 1998 figure.

Businesses are also required to practice Environment Management, which involves recycling the wastage, energy conservation, minimizing waste to landfill, and reducing carbon emissions to the atmosphere.