Decreasing Fossil Fuels Essay Example for Free

Decreasing Fossil Fuels Essay Over the past century America has continuously used its own fossil fuel resources and paid handsomely for additional supplies, in the race to stay current with modern technology and life .The possession of this resource has made the United States a very prosperous and powerful nation. The same fossil fuels that’s has made America such a powerhouse are the same that are damaging the environment and economy they have enabled. It is imperative that we decrease our dependency on fossil fuels, or it is inevitable that our economy and environment will suffer tremendously. With these fuels being such a crucial and essential part of Americas livelihood and status, it brings us to the question .What are fossil fuels? According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Science: Fossil fuels are buried deposits of petroleum, coal, peat, natural gas, and other carbon-rich organic compounds derived from the dead bodies of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. Over long periods of time, pressure generated by overlaying sediments and from within the Earth has concentrated and modified these materials into valuable energy sources for it human purpose. Fossil fuels currently provide about 90 % of all technological energy used in the world. They provide the power to move vehicles, heat living spaces, provide light, cook our food, transmit and process information and carry out a wide variety of industrial processes (Thomson). There are countless marvels and miracles that we can list that came from the dawn of industrialization in the 21st century that the abundan ce of fossil fuels has provided. If the flow of fossil fuels to the United States were ever cut off, the economy would come to a halt. There would be no way to transport the products that factories produce. There would be no way for people to drive to work. The whole economy, and in fact the whole of western society, currently depends on fossil fuels (Graetz 198). Fossil fuels are the leading source of our economic advancement and can eventually be the downfall. With the great dependency that our economy has on these fuels it is important that we talk about the economic issues and threats that this unhealthy dependency causes. Each day the United States spends about $2 billion buying oil and loses another $4 billion indirectly to the macroeconomic cost of oil dependence, the microeconomic cost of oil price volatility ,and the cost of keeping military forces ready for intervention (Lovins). This dependency to foreign oil supplies is causing unstable security threats for the nation. We are competing with other importing counties that are expanding their economies which put us at a great risk for conflict in the Persian Gulf and terrorism. If the oil rich countries that we depend on wanted to raise their prices we would have no choice but to comply or it could but a halt to our economy .This kind of dependency is extremely unhealthy for our nation and our economy. This creates economic risk because we do not have control over the supply and we depend on it almost exclusively for our productivity. Doing business with politically unstable countries like Saudi Arabia and Iraq, can make us vulnerable to terrorism and threats from other nations. This continuing dependency on fossil fuels has the potential to put a halt to our economy .This unhealthy dependency can also cause security threats like terrorism from politically unstable nations. With these disastrous effects of fuel dependency it is clear that something must be done .It is imperative that we decrease our d ependency on fossil fuels, or it is inevitable that our economy will suffer tremendously. The economic threats are not the only factors that warrant for immediate reduction of the fuel usage environmental factors play an overwhelming hazardous proportion. It has been recognized worldwide that the utilization of an enormous amount of fossil fuels has created various adverse effects on the environment. Every day in America we take for granted the fresh drinking water, fresh air to breathe and the beauty of nature. We will lose these natural blessings with the continuing use of fossil fuels. These fuels are having jeopardous effects on our ecosystem. The extraction of these fuels on land degrades the land .It destroys the habitat .The process of drilling, extracting and processing fossil fuels is not entirely efficient and creates waste .This sometimes results in harmful by-products entering the ground. (Rabl and Spadaro).It can make it unsustainable .It destroys the habitat of animals that live on the sites. Land extraction is not worse of two evils. Extraction in marine or wetland environments has had severe impacts (Cleveland, Hall and Kaufmann 357).Oil spilled on water spreads out and is carried out by water currents. This contaminated water can be ingested by animals or worse maybe even humans. It has the propensity to clog appendages, body coverings and membranes of marine animals. Transporting fossil fuels can cause damage as well. Pipelines carrying oil, for example, can rupture and spread pollutants over a large area of land. In areas of chemical spills, vegetation can be killed and unable to be grown for many years. Toxins contaminating the ground may directly affect crops and the habitats of animals (358). Another effect of the fuel usage is air pollution. According to Ayhan Demirbas air pollution can cause health problems and it can also damage the environment and property. One of the main air pollutants that helps exceed the air quality standard or AQS is Carbon monoxide or (CO).Co is produced by the incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels including petrol and diesel which are produced by fossil fuels. Nitrogen oxide or (NOx) can cause smoke and acid rain. Nitrogen oxide can also make children susceptible to respiratory diseases. The acid rain occurs when the sulfur dioxide and nitrogen from the burning fuels combine with water vapor in the atmosphere and fall as rain, snow or fog (Lovins). The acid rain causes extensive damage to water, forests, soil resources, human health and it can also corrode buildings .The international scope of the problem has led to the signing of international agreement s on the limitation of nitrogen dioxide emissions (Kunstler). The burning of coal from human activities have led to increased atmospheric concentrations of a number of greenhouse gases ,including carbon dioxide ,methane, nitrous oxide ,CFC’s ,and ozone in the lower part of the atmosphere( Demirbas ). These gases have opened the door for all kinds of health problems like respiratory diseases, damage to kidneys, cardiovascular and nervous system. â€Å"Most scientists consider it likely that if the atmospheric concentrations of C02 and other so-called greenhouse gases continue to rise, the earth’s climate will become warmer† (Cline) .These gases add to the naturally already occurring atmospheric gases increasing the overall temperature of earth. An increasing temperature on the planet can have disastrous effects in the long term. Widespread changes to earth’s climate would be expected to cause extreme weather and storms, massive ecological changes, and the extinction of many species. Reducing the amount of fossil fuels would considerably reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced, as well as the level of pollutants which causes acid rain. The extensive use of fossil fuels has caused such catastrophic damages to our environment. With all of these overwhelming hazardous effects they create it is imperative that we decrease out dependency on fossil fuels, or it is inevitable that our environment will suffer tremendously. The current dominance of fossil fuels as an energy source reflects their convenience of use and relative ease of production in comparison with other energy sources (Lincoln). No other energy sources, match fuels for power, versatility, transportability or ease of storage. James Howard Kunstler describes our continual use of these fuels best in his book The Long Emergency when he said: Oil is an amazing substance. It stores a tremendous amount of energy per weight and volume .It is easy to transport .It stores easily at regular air temperature in unpressurized metal tanks, and it can sit there indefinitely without degrading †¦. . It is flammable but has proven to be safe to handle with a modest amount of care by people with double digit IQs .It can be refined by straightforward distillation into many grades of fuel. There are many reasons why we continue to use fossil fuel .It is more affordable and cheaper to use, they pack more energy, it is easy to transport, it is easy to use and has many uses and it is readily available. Even with all of these more efficient reasons to use these fuels it is still does not outweigh the harm that they cause to the environment or threats to the economy. The cause a wide range of problems like acid rain, global warming and security threats the list goes on .We must cut down on the tremendous volumes of use. Fossil fuels are natural substances made deep within the Earth from remains of animals and plants over time, heat and pressure turned these decomposing remains into fuels which release energy when burned. These fuels have taken hundreds and millions of years to make this are not a slow process. We are using such a large amount of this energy as if the supply is never ending .One day these supplies are going to be exhausted, and there will be a need for an alternative source if our economy and environment are going to survive. One possible solution to decrease the fossil fuel damage is to look into renewable resource like hydrogen energy is one possible choice. Hydrogen is harvested by a process called electrolysis, which separates the hydrogen atoms and oxygen atoms in water. Hydrogen energy could be an endless resource once a more economical way of producing the hydrogen gas is discovered. When using hydrogen fuel cell energy the only byproduct would be water. Hydrogen clearly provides the potential for huge energy and environmental improvements. Engineer Harry T. Roman states: If fuel cells could be used in our homes with hydrogen, Imagine the possibility of being able to generate both your Electricity and heating needs right in your basement, with Little or no pollution. And are there some bonuses, like no More electric power outages when storms come blowing Through, no fuel delivery interruptions, and no potential terrorist Threats to our utility systems? While other alternative energies provide short-term solutions, only hydrogen presents long-term benefits that will reduce pollution and U.S. dependence on foreign oil. With the possibility of cleaner air, fewer security threats because they would be produced in the U.S. and the supply would be endless and readily available it seems that this could be a potential alternative. It is imperative that we decrease our dependency on fossil fuels, or it is inevitable that our economy and environment will suffer tremendously. The uses of these fuels have caused security threats from dealing with politically unstable nations. It also puts our economy under the control of these foreign nations. If they would chose to increase their prices it could put a halt to our economy and way of life. Large use of these fuels has also had devastating effects on the environment. The burning of these fuels has created acid rain, global warming, contamination of water supplies and various human illnesses. If this new modern lifestyles of technology mobility, and industrial efficiency is to be sustained there will have to be changes in our energy consumption and source. One proposed alternative is hydrogen energy. This energy source is made from a process called electrolysis. It emits virtually no pollution and is renewable so the supply is unlimited. It will be produced locally so the terrorist threats would be diminished.

Pop Cultural Elements of Military Cadences Essay -- Military Cadences

Pop Cultural Elements of Military Cadences "HUT, TWO, THREE, FOUR...HUT, TWO, THREE, FOUR...† What do a bunch of grunts calling out raunchy marching cadences have to do with pop culture? There’s more to the cadence then just keeping soldiers in step, there is a deep sense of pride, patriotism, unity, motivation, and nostalgia, which can be found within these songs. The Military cadence is used to motivate, inspire, and foster company cohesiveness while keeping soldiers steps in time and hands down the rich oral traditions of the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air force. The cadence is a song sung when marching or running and the songs require a caller, who normally sets the pace and leads the formation. Like robots, the soldiers echoed their leader's sing-song" Jody Call" in beat to their pounding footsteps. The way a unit sounds while running or marching tends to reflect on that unit's morale and leadership. This paper will illustrate the similarities that cadences share with pop culture music through lyrical examples . As you will see, the lyrics of these cadences are expressions of individual feelings, goals, and fears, and are quite similar to the themes of other popular culture musical genres. The theories of subculture, appropriation and improvisation that have been proposed in lecture will be reviewed and illustrated within cadences. The military cadence as a subcultures oral tradition will be examined, through analyzing the theories of popular music which can be applied to the genres’ history, structure, and socio-political influences. History & Earlier Music The cadence in America can be traced as far back as the American Revolution with Yankee Doodle. Historically it finds its roots in ancient armies marching to battles across foreign lands. The most significant song in this genra was created in May, 1944, by Pvt. Willie Duckworth, an African American soldier. This chant that we know today as the "Duckworth Chant" or "Sound Off†, 1-2 sound off 3-4 is the most recognizable to the average person from its usages in movies and P.E. classes. The cadence has historical links to the field holler and work songs. Slaves sang about their oppressive environment while working tirelessly in the cotton fields. Similarly, the majority of cadences are reflective to the environment and training, which soldiers endure. These cadences share the themes of phys... ...re of music has many similarities with pop culture music such as Blues, Rock, and Hip-Hop through its historical influences, content, and tone. Cadences demonstrate social political views, sexist and homophonic slurs, elements of nostalgia, and subculture symbolism. The cultural theories of appropriation and improvising are essential to the creation of the military cadence, making this subculture’s music a dynamic and appreciated genre. What is critical to the livelihood of the cadence and other forms of pop cultural music is that it borrows form something that came before within a specific social and cultural context. The cadence is very unique compared to the popular music heard in class particularly because it is hidden within a subculture. The Military cadence’s place is not on mainstream radio waves or on MTV. The cadence is alive on the training grounds of military instillations and in the hearts and minds of soldiers as they run, march, and become future warr iors, carrying the legacy and oral traditions of the US Military in to the 21st century. All Cadence Examples Courtesy of US ARMY Marching and RUNING CADENCES http://cadence.armystudyguide.com/list/index.html

Islam/Christianity Views of Trade and Merchants Essay

Christianity and Islam both comprise very detailed and comprehensive outlooks relating to merchants and trade. In order for a religion to thrive, its views must sustain the growth of its cohorts’ economy. Therefore, the perception of trade and the numerous benefits obtained from it should at least be endured, if not encouraged. For the duration of the later half of this millennia, Islam and Christianity both had acknowledged trade as a essential means for survival. Islam’s’ perspectives of trade have changed slightly since its beginning. The three documents 2, 5 and 7 each share many common similarities. Each encouraged trade, but only when it is reasonable and moral. Islam instructs that the earnest merchant will be recognized among the martyrs upon his demise. However, in contrast, the corrupt merchant shall be chastised in the end (Doc 2). Ibn Khaldun recognized in the midst of the 14th century the essential need for merchants to preserve a stable economic system (Doc 5). This specific viewpoint acknowledges that of the Quran almost identically. The Islamic toleration of trade was undoubtedly restricted though. As late as the 17th century Islamic courts ruled that merchants should preserve customary practices/traditions and not give in to fresh more lucrative procedures (Doc 7). Islam is an extremely strict religion, but yet it still values the need for a successful economy. While trade was cautiously watched it has always been allowed to provide room for the expansion of Islam. Christianity however, experienced no radical transformations in its understandings on the subject, the policies were undoubtedly if not definitely lessened if not entirely stretched. As Christianity was at its very origin, during the time of 75 CE, the improbability of obeying Christianity as well as being a profitable merchant were highlighted in the Bible. It first becomes apparent through the bible’s text, when the bible reads: â€Å"though the rich man has no place in God’s kingdom.† As Christianity began to progress however, through it have been knowledge and exploration or simply greed, area for the merchant was made in the human insight of God’s plan. As Reginald, the monk of Durham illustrates, the rich man while once a  true Christian will have no more earthly desire for his once sought-after riches. His only desire will be to let go of earthly possessions and begin to seek God (Doc 3). The logic behind the bible’s preachings on trade provides an explanation to the direct sternness of the Christian Holy Book. This therefore lays the foundation for later intellectuals to entangle even more economic open-mindedness within the Christian teachings. By the late 1200s however, an almost Islamic outlook of trade was inherited by the Christians. In 1273, Thomas Aquinas highlights that all trade should be performed in a fair and just manner (doc 4). All throughout Christianity’s expansion, the world experienced many reformations and adaptations. Its outlook of trade wavered considerably from its founding to current day. Without this reformation however, Christianity would in all probability not be as broadly spread as it is today. Christianity and Islam today both share very comparable views/outlooks on trade. While Islam may have developed an effective policy from its early beginnings, Christianity arrived much later after countless years of adaptation and reformation. These guidelines/policies are just one out of the numerous contributing issues that made each of these two well-admired religions the most triumphant the world has ever seen.

Technology and its Negative Effect on Society Essay

Mom turns on the television and sets the table, dad comes home from work, checks his personal digital assistant for an email he’s been waiting on, while his daughter sits at the table finishing up a â€Å"thumb lashing† on her cell phone that she is giving to her â€Å"BFF† because she just failed her history test. This scenario has become the norm in homes across America today. It’s the digital age, technology is booming at such a rapid pace we cannot even wear out our devices before the newer up-to-date models arrive. Technology has negative effects on society, because it is causing our critical thinking and social interaction skills to decline, it is disrupting the American family unit, and it has caused us to become a distracted society that is†¦show more content†¦Add to this study a statistic from the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics â€Å"75% of teenagers now own cell phones, 25% use them for social media, 54% use th em for texting, and 24% of them use them for instant messaging† (Gwenn Schurgin OKeeffe). We have an entire generation that is developing socially and emotionally while â€Å"plugged-in†. This negative effect is not only caused by just internet use and cell phones, our old friend the television is causing us harm as well. With the invent of newer ways to deliver television shows, the ability to better record television shows, and watch â€Å"on demand† shows it shouldn’t be shocking to know that according to Neilson Ratings the average American household watches â€Å"5 hours and 11 minutes of television a day† (Who Watches What (and How Much)? U.S. TV Trends by Ethnicity). Psychologists have proven that too much television has been shown to â€Å"hamper development of the pre-frontal cortex -- the area of the brain responsible for planning, organizing and sequencing behavior for self-control, moral judgment and attention† (Abell) there shoul d be no doubt that this fact and the fact that nearly â€Å"1 in 10 children in America have beenShow MoreRelatedThe Negative Effects Of Technology On Society1201 Words   |  5 PagesIn recent discussions of technology in general, a controversial issue whether the social media provide a net good for the society, has raised wide concern. 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