Discussion Topic: Alternative Energy
The next U.S. president wants to spend 1.5 billion dollars every year for ten years to help develop alternative energies such as wind, solar (energy from the sun) and ethanol (energy from food such as corn or sugar). Some people think this is not realistic. It is too costly and will never provide enough energy for the large economies of today. These people prefer to search for more oil, even if we may harm nature in the process. They also think nuclear energy is more practical. Although nuclear energy is expensive, it can easily provide all the energy we will need in the future.
What do you think? Should we take a chance and try to develop alternative energies, although we may fail in the end? Or should we take the sure choice of pursuing more oil plus nuclear energy? Please write your choice in the comments section and give reasons for your choice. I’m looking forward to a lively discussion!
Nafis Said,
November 24, 2008 @ 7:05 pm
Dear teacher Joe,
I think there is two solutions for this matter. First, the U.S Bring the troops back and support good energy policies.
According to National Priorities Projects which is a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization, United States is spending $97 and $215 billion dollars for military actions in order to take care of oil and natural gas around the world. The money spent for energy is nothing in comparison with the cost of Military Actions. Considering the fact that United States spend 1.5 billion dollars on natural energy like solar and wind for ten years, the total expense become 15 billion dollars in ten years , which is better than 215 billion dollars on Military Operations. So, If U.S do not wasting the time in Iraqi war and bring these kinds of expenses back inside the U.S is better for both Americans and other people around the world.
I also think that if politicians support some technologies like manufacturing Hybrid cars is really ideal. I saw a documentary film on the energy resources in the U.S. The film shows that Goerge Bush did not support Hybrid car manufacturers because of oil companies and they stopped producing this type of cars. Only few people have the car like celebrities and Bush ordered to close the production line.
In my opinion, If politician support benefitial policies and do not waste their time sending troops in other countries, they ,of course, can resolve energy problems. Politicians just think about the power and how they can protect the power. They do not care about Earh or even People.
teacherjoe Said,
November 25, 2008 @ 2:19 pm
Nafis,
I think your brought in a new element to the topic: are governments really willing to make a commitment to alternative energies. I agree with your political point of view. However, that does not answer the original question - are alternatives just a “pipe dream”? In other words, are we being unrealistic about the possibities? If we cannot ever get enough energy from renewable sources, then all the time and money spent on them will be wasted. Maybe the money should be spent on oil exploration and nuclear power plants instead…
Nafis Said,
November 25, 2008 @ 6:48 pm
Dear teacher Joe,
Although spending a lot of money (which is not a lot of money for the US, in my opinion) on implementing solar and wind power, they are better options because they are reliable.
First of all, they are creating more job opportunities for people, specially at this moment the economy is not very good. Nearly 500,000 job opportunities will be created- plus much more other benefits which I do not mention here.
Moreover, solar and wind power are natural so they exist almost always in the nature. In the other hands, They do not disappear after consuming in comparison with oil. It seems that the U.S. spends a lot of money but it has long-term benefits which is priceless.Half a million Californians get currently their electricity from solar heat in melted salt since 1985 successfuly.
The nuclear power plants are also risky based on the researches done by Goergetwon University, Stanford University, UC Berkely. Its cost is more than solar and wind power energy.
As a result, solar and wind power are not unrealistic but they are a certain way to provide efficient energy for people and also clean source for the earth planet.
Chichi Said,
November 30, 2008 @ 9:29 am
Hello Teacher Joe,
I think that research and development of the alternative energies should be advanced to aim at practical use in the future because it is safe for our life and the earth. I don’t think searching more oil is realistic because we will be faced with the same problem we have now in the end. Nuclear energy offers stable and abundant supply of fuel and also a high economy. However, once a serious accident happened, it would give a great damage to surroundings and our life always would be threatened in danger. So I feel fear of relying on it.
Ada Said,
December 5, 2008 @ 2:52 am
Dear professor Joe:
In my opinion,the next U.S. president will be a sagacious,far-sighted man,all of American should be happy to have a president like him,cause he knows how to use the money of tax payer to the siutable situation.We all know that the whole world face the same problem-lack of resources,that means we cannot find energies enough to use for ourselves in the future. So what can we do?Waiting and exhausing energies or finding other energies instead of oil.The answer is spending money and time to find new energies,not only for ourselves,but also for the future human being. Maybe we need to experience a tough process for new energies,but they will be worthy.
Don’t overuse the resources from the earth anymore,don’t hurt the planet anymore,don’t think about horrible nuclear anymore.After all,our planet should be no polution,no war!
Dang Said,
January 4, 2009 @ 8:36 pm
Hello Joe, hello everyone,
I am Dang from Vietnam who has posted one comment on the previous writting over the way to improve the vocabulary. I am very happy to be here again with the new question.
The question is if we should take a chance and try to develop alternative energies or take the sure choice of pursuing more oil and nuclear energy?
In my opinion, we should take a chance to develop alternative energies. You may ask me for my reasons that support my point of view. I have to admit that I don´t know much of the topic because I don´t pay attention to it before this post. So let me write what I think or believe.
As we all know human being has been experiencing numerous searches for “new things” in order to exist during its history. And human being has done a number of seemly unimaginable revolutions, flights into space are a typical example for. As for the energy, as far as I have read, human being has also triggered a lot of revolutions, such as from using wood as main resource of energy to coal, from coal to oil. I don´t believe that human being will stop in the next 20 years when we run out of almost all the oil reserves over the world. We will try to go into many directions in searching process. Why don´t we take a chance, and try to devolop some solar, wind or ethanol energies as alternative resources? Why do we know for sure that we will fail at the end while we have yet to do it seriously?
Not being an expert for this area, I don´t know for sure how we will get there. But I am a strong believer that somehow, someway human being will find out resolutions for problems it faces. All I can do is to support this idea and support those who dare to take a chance.