Oil spills have proven deadly for marine mammals like sea otters.
Real solutions to the climate and energy crisis
Let us no longer stand by and do nothing about global warming. Objectively viewed, it is insane for the US, Canadian and BC governments to actively pursue accelerated exploitation of new fossil fuels sources rather than quell the climate change crisis by actively encouraging renewable alternatives like European countries are doing. Here are a few sustainable energy sources that are economically viable with today's technologies.
Conservation and Energy Efficiency
The easiest, most cost effective and most under-rated part of the solution to ending the escalating use of climate-changing fossil fuel energy is increased energy conservation and efficiency. British Columbians, whose cost of energy is one of the lowest in the world, casually accept needless energy waste. About 20 percent of CO, emissions come from home energy use and 25 percent from cars--good places to look for energy savings. There is so much potential here that it is like finding a whole new energy source. Investing in energy conservation, including converting to more energy efficient household appliances and retrofitting houses with better insulation and thermal windows, will generate four times as many jobs per kilowatt saved as per kilowatt produced by traditional sources. Hybrid electric cars are about twice as fuel efficient as today's cars. If governments offered tax incentives and funds for energy conservation initiatives rather than the development of new fossil fuel sources they would save money, CO2, emissions would be reduced and more jobs would be created.
Tidal Energy
The world's oceans store and release an enormous amount of sunlight and gravitational energy. An easily tapped source is the energy-rich tidal water flows along BC's coast. Through stationary turbine stations, this energy can easily be captured and put to use. An innovative Canadian company called "Blue Energy" has plans for a 500kW demonstration project off the coast, which would use turbines to convert the flow of ocean currents' energy to emission-free electricity. All they need is the $30 to $50 million investment and government and BC Hydro encouragement and support. Developing this power source will make BC the leader in this new technology and would create many new jobs while providing sustainable cost-effecient energy.
Wind Energy - the most developed renewable
Electricity generating wind turbine "farm".
For over 2000 years, humans have used windmills to capture the energy of the wind to do work. In the last decade, the costs of wind generated electricity have decreased, making it competitive with fossil fuel-based energy production. In countries like Germany and Denmark, wind-power generation has already significantly replaced traditional hydrocarbon energy, and has employed thousands of people in the process. BC has very windy areas. "Off the shelf' wind turbines that are proven cost-effective exist to harness it. Let's exploit wind energy rather than offshore oil and gas reserves that are risky and contribute to climate change.
Fuel Cells
Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that directly convert hydrogen, or hydrogen-rich fuels, into electricity without the heat of combustion. If hydrogen is used, the only waste product is water. BC's Ballard Industries is a leader in this revolutionary techonology. Fuel cells can provide electricity in many different applications, from electric vehicles to large, grid-connected household power plants. Coupled with rooftop photovoltaic cells they will be a big part of the solution to curbing greenhouse gas generation.
Electricity being generated by rooftop solar voltaic panels.
Solar Energy
The sun is an extremely powerful energy source. On average it's like having a 240 watt light bulb constantly shining above every square meter of the Earth's surface. It's non-polluting and, for all practicalities, inexhaustible. The challenge is to capture and channel this energy! With only one hour's worth of the total solar energy that reaches Earth, all human energy demands could be met for a whole year. With today's technology, even in cold climates like Canada, solar radiation can economically be converted into usable thermal energy (heat) or into photovoltaic energy (electricty). In Germany there are now almost 3 million cubic metres of thermal solar panels, supplying much of the domestic heating requirements for over a million households. Canada lags far behind. With a little government encouragement, solar voltaic cells could roof every house, ending the need to develop new fossil fuel sources here.
