From Eyesores To Assets

Picture: This picture shows what strip mining really looks like and how it disfigures the environment.

Summary: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are planning to renew the abandoned mines, landfills, and brownfields. For each project, the EPA will give 1 million dollars to each of these sites to protect people's health, the environment, and job creation. At each site, the project leaders will evaluate whether or not they can use wind, solar, biomass, or geothermal energy. These sites are all over the United States and some have been succesful in the past as well. Some of these sites are Superfund sites and are the hardest to renew because they have the most complex, uncontrolled, and hazardous waste. Brownfields are sites that are complicated by the amount of contaminants. This was started in September 2008 by the EPA and NREL and is being furthered.

Opinion: I think that this is a great way to reuse abandoned sites as energy powerplant area. Hopefully this plan will be carried out and not fall through because of funding or other problems. This plan will produce many stimulating oppurtunities as well, such as economy boosting, job creation, and of course, energy production. One aspect that I like about this plan is that are evaluating each of the sites for what specific energy source they sould use. It is troubling to see how these sites were originally formed through the stripmining process or fracking or whatever else companies did to the land.

Questions:

1. What are some contaminants spread to the air or water from mining?

2. What are some of the most environmentally friendly mining or drilling companies?

3. Where are some of these renewing sites?

4. What are your opinions on the way mining or drilling companies affect the land?

Radioactive Leaks

http://www.treehugger.com/energy-disasters/new-leak-radioactive-water-fukushima-nuclear-power-plant.html

Summary

Recently there has been another radioactive leak from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. This plant is located in Japan, and it has been reported that 79 gallons of potentially radioactive water has been leaked into a gutter that leads into the ocean. This harmful water has chemicals in it such as iodine, cesium and strontium. However, nobody can be positive how much strontium has been released with this water. The Fukushima nuclear power plant has been scheduled to be shut down by the end of the year.

Opinion

I think that this is a disgrace, power plants need to take more responsibility to make sure this kind of event does not happen. There should be a lot more regulations and precautions that these plants can take. I understand accidents happen, but if many more of this radioactive water escapes then our water could be in for a lot of damage. Especially after the nearly fatal nuclear power plant meltdown in Japan, you would think that people would take special care to prevent it from happening again.

Questions

1.) When was the nuclear power plant meltdown in Japan?

2.) What are side affects of radioactive leaks?

3.) How many power plants have had radioactive leaks in the past year?

4.) What are some precautions that plants can take in order to prevent leaks?

Human Energy

http://www.treehugger.com/renewable-energy/crematorium-generate-clean-energy.html



This picture show a crematorium in England where they have came up with an unusual way to make energy.


Summery
A crematorium in the U.K. is getting turbines installed to capture the energy from burning dead body's. Of the three burners two will assigned produce electricity, in theory enough energy to power 1500 television,           but the other burner will use its heat to warm the chapel and the office buildings that are connected to the building. The cause of this new idea may be from the U.K. raising its standers in industry  pollution and since burning bodies release mercury many other crematoriums are getting new furnaces this one wanted to be Eco friendly. This is the first crematorium like this but some experts say this one may spark more.


I feel that this is a good idea but it could easily go wrong especially using one of the burners to heat the chapel because I personly wound not want to be warmed by a dead guy. But on the other note its good that when you die your body wont be wasted. And i feel its neat to help the environment even after death.


Questions
1.would using body's for heat smell bad?
2.Are the embalming agents bad for the environment?
3.Do any places in america do this?
4.How much energy does it take to power 1500TVs ?
5. what chemicals do burning bodies produce?