Key Definitions
Before we begin the analysis of the “why” behind global warming, the impact already felt and how people must react, let me share some fundamental climate related definitions, as well as a few truthful Earth science facts that no one should dispute. And please keep in mind, we have everything going for us to ensure that one day our environment will be close to a perfect match to what older generations enjoyed.
Clean Energy, or renewable energy - reliable, safe, proven, sustainable sources of power collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished by sunlight, wind, water movement, steam and chemical reactions.
Climate Change - prolonged natural shifts in air temperatures and weather patterns that came very slowly beginning thousands of million of years ago, followed by impromptu human causes for the last 170 years. Really? Yes, just 170 years.
Fossil Fuels - natural energy sources formed approximately 300 million years ago from the remains of living organisms including all types of vegetation, as well as animals such as dinosaurs, aka dirty energy.
Global Warming - the lengthy heating penalty of Earth’s surface which will require us decades to halt, then reverse. The result of climate change.
Greenhouse Gases - particles in Earth’s atmosphere produced by fossil fuels that trap heat, causing our global home to warm up. The name is derived from the glass walls of a structure built for plants during cold seasons. The walls are exposed to sunlight which makes the interior much warmer than the exterior since much of the inside temperature can’t escape. This gas is a good thing because without it, our planet will freeze up. Yet, with too much, a permanent heat dome forms overhead. The ideal mix is what existed prior to 1860. In terms of carbon neutrality, our mission is to return to that necessary carbon mix.
There are eight forms of renewable energy under constant evaluation and development:
Solar - the sun’s light and heat is captured using a wide range of technologies to generate electricity. Unlike all other energy sources, it will never run out and it is available worldwide. It is weather dependent and becoming less and less expensive to acquire and store. There is a small amount of greenhouse gas involved.
Wind - the popular use of wind turbines to create electricity. Concerns center around times when the wind doesn’t blow, the threat to wildlife, a constant low level noise and limited locations.
Hydropower - the use of water motion to produce electricity. Yet, it must have water and most worldwide locations have been taken. Think Lake Powell and Lake Mead in the western USA.
Geothermal - energy produced from heat from within Earth’s core by pushing hot water from reservoirs of volcanoes and geysers towards the surface which turns into steam that reaches a turbine, thus creating electricity. Only available in very select places.
Fusion energy - in the very early stages of development. It is considered feasible for fusion to exist at a safe, commercial scale and as a carbon-free net energy source. Once perfected, it will provide electricity that runs all day and night unaffected by wind and weather.
The remaining clean energy alternatives are actually not-so-clean power sources:
Hydrogen - occurs when electrolysis splits water to produce hydrogen and oxygen. It is either a polluter since it does use methane to create fuel; or a “green” hydrogen that uses clean energy to split hydrogen off water. Unfortunately, the latter is only about 1% of present hydrogen production.
Biofuels - derived from the part of the crops, trees and animals we don’t eat. Corn stalks for making ethanol is an example. Cow and pig manure for biogas and wood pellets are examples. However, the worldwide 2 billion cows burping methane is an example of a toxic outcome.
Then there are geoengineering technologies. Sometimes referred to as climate engineering, there are scientists that believe we have the ability to manipulate the environment to deter the impact of climate change. One approach is the removal of carbon dioxide and the other is solar engineering, both of which are terribly expensive and in the early phase of discussion or perfecting. Since I have already commented on atmospherics CO2 capture, allow me to define solar engineering.
This type of technology either increases the quantity of sunlight being reflected back into space, or allows more heat to escape the atmosphere. Other examples of geoengineering include injecting sulfur into the atmosphere. whitening marine clouds, and sending millions of tiny mirrors into space. Except for carbon capture, the rest of these theories are in more of a debate and research stage as ecological concerns become front and center.Next, you’ll see a few more key definitions for your memory bank.