Sustainability is the process of helping the Earth, its population, and resources last long term. It is concerned with meeting the needs and capacity of the current population while being able to adapt to constant change. This is being able to maintain a balance where we have enough resources to suit our present needs without exploiting and depleting natural resources to maintain it for the future. Sustainability also requires a healthy living balance between human culture and the Earth and its ecosystems. Sustainability can have many different and complex definitions, but to me, those are of most importance. It also involves a needed relationship and balance between meeting the requirements of economy, society, and the environment. These are all directly related to our natural environment which is essential to our existence.
The basic principles of sustainability are further explained in The Brundtland Report which is also known as “Our Common Future”. This was a 300-page report published in 1987 by the UN through Oxford University Press that introduced the concept of sustainable development. It was meant as an urgent global call for an agenda for change. It showed that sustainability involved recognizing all of the interlocking crises that formed a whole in our environmental concerns and needed change from all of society moving forward. The report wanted to propose long-term strategies for sustainable development and dealing more effectively with these environmental concerns. It also wanted to define perceptions and efforts needed to achieve meeting the global society’s needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It recognized the needed balance between economy and ecology as well as the common goal and co-operation between different countries and societies needed to achieve this (Jarvis).
Energy use in America is a large issue that could be improved on for sustainability. We use approximately 23% of the world’s energy and our consumption in the United States is doubling every 20 years. We are the second largest consumer of energy in the world. With growing global populations and booming industrialization; humanity’s energy consumption only continues to grow to unprecedented heights. More than half of our energy comes from fossil fuels extracted from within the Earth’s crust which has taken an overwhelming toll on the planet. In 2016, 67% of our total energy generation was produced from fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and petroleum (50 Surprising Facts). This creates a growing crisis that arises because we rely on limited natural resources to power our lives. As our demand rises, the Earth’s natural resources continue to be depleted (Causes and Solutions).
In addition to this, energy consumption also creates harmful emissions from the combustion of these fossil fuels. Energy generation is one of the leading causes of greenhouse gas emissions in the US. Burning fossil fuels give off negative byproducts and emit greenhouse gases which contribute to the greenhouse effect (Electricity and the Environment). This is described as a phenomenon where gases absorb infrared radiation and trap heat in the atmosphere, causing a warming effect. This contributes to global warming by creating an increase in global temperatures (Greenhouse Gas Emissions). The main emissions that result include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. Some of the effects of these gases can cause acid rain, ground level ozone, hazy conditions in cities, and even respiratory illnesses. These emissions can all be hazardous to our planet and the health of the humans, plants, and animals that inhabit it (Electricity and the Environment). Another issue caused by our current energy situation is the effects of power plants and their physical footprint on the environment. Most large plants require a lot of land to be cleared for them from deforestation which also leads to habitat destruction. Electric power lines and distribution towers also disturb plants and wildlife populations (Electricity and the Environment).
There are many reasons for the growing energy concern. Some causes include overconsumption and overpopulation which put a strain on our energy resources and cause pollution and harmful emissions. Another cause is due to poor infrastructure of power generators and distribution systems. Many energy companies use outdated equipment that is not very efficient and restricts production. Another cause is due to a number of external factors such as severe hot summers and cold winters that can cause high demand for a supply of energy (Causes and Solutions).
Unless we are able to make a change, our energy consumption will continue to create numerous issues for our planet and its resources. There are many solutions that can be adopted and steps we can take now toward building a sustainable future to help offset our energy consumption and reduce emissions. One solution would be to use more renewable resources and improve our conservation efforts. Our dependence for energy currently relies mainly on non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels. Today, we have the technology to use other forms of renewable energy such as steam, solar, and wind power. These are all forms of clean energy that will not pollute the atmosphere and destroy other natural resources in the process. Another simple solution would be to use energy efficient products. There are many small ways to reduce energy consumption such as replacing traditional lightbulbs with CFLs and LEDs and by using lighting control technologies to save energy. Another solution would be to provide easier grid access and creating tax credits and subsidies on using renewable energy and solar panels (Causes and Solutions).
Government incentives can be a big factor and solution in promoting clean energy by helping reduce costs. Implementing a fair and stable federal tax policy would help attract and jump-start new investments in renewable energy. The Production Tax Credit is an example of a federal incentive that provides financial support for the first ten years of a renewable energy facility’s operation. Another large change that could be implemented to solve our energy concerns would be to make improvements toward a more improved and updated energy grid. Since our current energy infrastructure can be outdated and unreliable, it may not be able to handle a significant increase in renewable energy. In order to make a large shift to mainly renewable, major changes would need to be made to our current electrical grid and infrastructure. Another wide scale solution that could be implemented would be to create renewable electricity standards. This would require utility companies to get a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable sources. Currently about two-thirds of states have established standards. However, creating a federal universal standard or ones in every state would strengthen our use of renewable electricity (Benefits of Renewable Energy Use).
I have decided to focus mainly on residential solar energy for a solution to our energy consumption crisis from a consumer’s perspective. This could be a great step toward a more sustainable and clean energy future that everyone in the population could be able to make individually. There are many pros for switching to solar as its technology becomes more affordable and efficient. With this type of energy, consumers mostly only benefits for making the switch. When investing in solar panels, you are just enhancing and bettering your current energy availability since you still have access to grid electricity after getting solar.
There are many different types of solar panels but the main ones normally seen on residential houses are photovoltaic solar panels. These panels convert light energy directly to electrical energy. Several solar cells are combined to create a panel and several of those are connected to create a solar array to produce a larger amount of energy. They are comprised of two layers of silicon crystal with unstable atoms that are given energy to move freely when exposed to sunlight. This creates a flow of electrons from the top layer to the bottom one that creates direct current energy. This energy then goes through an inverter to convert it to alternating current electricity to be used to power a household (How Solar Panels Work).
There are many incentives present for solar energy. Consumers are able to receive basically free energy after paying for the initial installment of solar panels. They begin to pay for themselves by saving on electricity bills. In most cases, its initial costs and maintenance costs are usually covered in 5-10 years. This time is also decreased when government incentives are accessible to consumers. Solar panels also increase property values if selling your home. Another pro for them is that they take pressure off of electricity providers during their peak load times. Consumers are also able to know they are contributing toward a cleaner, healthier environment (Goswami). Consumers with solar panels also experience stable energy prices unlike using traditional energy. When most energy is provided by renewable resources, there are no fluctuations in their supply, effects from inflation, or cost of the resources. They are also already overall lower cost to operate and maintain than fossil fuel methods. They provide a constant, reliable, and stable source of energy since the sun will never “run out”. It is not effected by outside forces like fossil fuels which can be effected by wars, politics, strikes, trade disagreements, etc. Using more renewable energy will also create a large number of jobs worldwide by reducing our dependence on coal, oil, and gas (Causes and Solutions).
There are some downfalls to using solar energy though, also. This includes that there is a high development cost for the needed energy stations and research for it to be successful. We would need to update our current grid to allow for the capacity of a large use of solar panels. There is also a large up-front investment cost for them for consumers. Although they are able to pay for themselves in the long-run, it requires some time to get a return on your investment. Another downside is that it is vulnerable to weather and climate conditions. Solar panels are dependent on sun to produce energy so it requires prime conditions. Another con is that it is unable to be produced in large quantities in a short amount of time. You would need a large area for more solar panels to be set up to produce a massive amount on a larger scale. Lastly, it is unavailable in all areas. You would need a location with a steady amount of sunlight to produce enough usable energy (Causes and Solutions).
In conclusion, sustainability is critical for the future of our planet and our population and it requires us to make efforts now. Sustainability is about meeting requirements of and maintaining a healthy balance between economy, environment, and society for now and the future. Energy consumption is one of the largest issues facing our population and the environment due to our growing needs and its harmful effects from the use of fossil fuels and the created byproducts and emissions. Solar panels and other forms of renewable energy are a practical, clean, and affordable solution to our energy crisis. By making the switch to renewable energy, we are able to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, create new jobs and industries, diversify our power supply, put less of a strain on our current power plants, decrease our dependence on fossil fuels, and create a more sustainable future for humanity and our planet. With having little disadvantages and many advantages to outweigh them, renewable and solar energy has benefits in all the factors of sustainability: socially, economically, and environmentally.