Using the movement of water to create power for machinery and other applications was first discovered thousands of years ago, dating back as far as ancient Greece, and has continued to be a reliable way to produce energy throughout civilization. In ancient Greece, the Greeks created large wheels that churned through the water and powered the rods attached to the machines they used to grind wheat and flour.
By the 1700’s, developing countries around the world were making the most of water power for their energy needs. Various ways of using natural falling water to produce energy were introduced through the years. The most common process uses the water to turn a motor that is connected to a separate generator that then produces energy that can be used for a variety of applications.
A small hydro power system is very beneficial to the environment because it doesn’t contaminate the air or water with pollutants and these operations require very little space. Some small water powered generators can operate on such a small amount of water that they can be placed beside a small stream and there is never a need for a dam or a designated reservoir.
In the past few years, many people have realized how much more friendly these small hydro power systems are to the environment and several countries have set up these systems to provide some or all of their electricity. Small water powered generators can produce electricity without harming the environment and without the expense of natural fuels and dam structures. Commercialized countries, like the United States, as well as remote, populated regions of countries including Nepal, India, Vietnam, Malaysia, Peru, and China, use small hydro power systems for their energy needs.
Water power, or hydro energy, is so appealing because it is a renewable resource that we can not run out of. Producing electricity with water power can be difficult, however. To use water power to generate energy, you must have rapidly flowing water. This type of waterway is not available everywhere and, in most cases, these rivers are only swift in certain seasons.
To replace an environmentally damaging nuclear power plant with a water power plant, it is typically necessary to alter the water to meet the community’s energy needs throughout the entire year. This includes incorporating water gates to keep the water level stable and creating overflow areas to hold unused water for later use. These extra expenses can create some damage to the environment as well. Altering the water flow of a natural body of water can have a significant affect on the water level underground, which can change the animal and plant life in the area.
There are three different types of hydro power systems. Fluid hydro electric units are the most simple to build, but they rely on consistently flowing water to operate. A fluid hydro power system usually doesn’t have any sort of accumulation reservoir and, if it does, the reserve water can be used within a couple hours of operation. This type of generator uses most of the energy produced by the water to generate power immediately, so without a constant flow there is no electricity. Reversible hydro power systems are typically storage plants that pump water rather than a natural flow.
Accumulative hydro power systems are the most widely used type and are more commonly known as hydro electric dams. Hydro electric dams are either near the dam, meaning the actual water powered generator is located right below the dam, or derivational, which means the construction is placed further down and pipes connect the system to the reservoir.
Generating electricity with water power can create a number of obstacles and is not always an easy task. During warmer months, the natural water flow typically decreases so hydro power plants must close their dams and build up their reservoirs. If there are any fluctuations in the water level underground, there could be even more severe problems to overcome. The benefits of using hydro power to generate our electric demands far outweigh the difficulties, however. Water power is not only clean and free of pollutants, it is a renewable natural resource that doesn’t waste other diminishing materials to generate the energy we need.
Global warming is a threat that will affect generations to come. The atmosphere surrounding us that supports life is a God-given gift. It must be protected. We should be leaders in efforts to curb global warming, not resistant followers. Erin Hunt is an avid writer and activist. She discovered that many are still unaware of the dangers of global warming and thus created a website to educate others on how they can play a role in the fight against global warming. Find out more about the cause and effects of global warming and how you can make a difference at http://www.fightagainstglobalwarming.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erin_Hunt
Friday, July 13, 2007
Defining Conservation and Environmentalism
To conserve literally means to use something sparingly. Conservation is the conscience effort to protect something and is most often a plan to prevent the neglect and extinction of a particular natural resource. Conservation has been a growing concern with both political and social groups for more than a century.
When today’s conservation movement first began more than 100 years ago, most groups focused on preserving our valuable natural resources, as well as some delicate natural areas like forests of diminishing tree species. Today, conservation encompasses much more than natural resources. Fisheries, wildlife reserves, and forestry, as well as the conservation of water and soil, are a part of the conservation movement.
Conservation involves the protection of our environmental resources and focuses on keeping our world safe without losing the magnificent variety of animal and plant species we see across the planet. Environmentalism is much the same, but environmentalism places more concentration on the protection and stability of the natural environment. Conserving our natural resources and preventing pollution are both issues of environmentalism. Environmentalism urges us to practice conservation by being responsible and efficient with the resources we use.
Conservationists of long ago, like Henry David Thoreau and John Muir, laid the foundation for modern environmentalism by bringing attention to the value and beauty of nature and influencing us to take on the responsibility of respecting this intricate system. Today’s environmentalism movement combines important aspects of both the conservation movement and the green movement.
A variety of groups, including those of political, scientific, and social natures, work together in the environmentalism movement to protect our natural resources and our environment by altering our own behaviors.
Environmentalists emphasize our responsibility to preserve and maintain a healthy and safe environment, from our own human rights to depleting supplies of natural resources.
There are thousands of environmental and conservational organizations around the world. Some are politically operated, while others are ran privately, and these organizations act at all levels, globally, nationally, and locally.
Environmental agencies do a variety of things, ranging from researching and studying sensitive issues to holding active demonstrations to make others aware of their concerns. These groups also lobby political representatives to make changes to improve the environment, take part in public hearings that relate to their interests, and sometimes even obtain property to set up preserves and reserves to protect the environment.
Some well known environmental organizations include the National Wildlife Federation, Friends of the Earth, and the Environmental Defense Fund, specializing in environmental lawsuits. The World Wide Fund for Nature, the Wilderness Society, and the Natural Resources Defense Council are a few more.
Environmental policy can be formed on a political, public level or it can be determined by the private sector. The public sector of environmental policy typically refers to the laws and programs currently supported by the government to regulate issues of environmental concern. Private environmental policy often goes beyond that in place by the public sector to include other rules and regulations, usually self-imposed or put in place by an individual rights group, to protect the environment.
A sometimes controversial conservation practice known as off-site conservation, or ex-situ conservation, is often argued by environmentalists because it uses laboratory procedures rather than natural techniques. This type of conservation is only used when deemed absolutely necessary because it is not only expensive, it can be harmful to the subject it is intended to help. Ex-situ conservation is an attempt to preserve a species of plant or animal on the verge of extinction through human intervention. A portion of the endangered species population is removed from its natural environment and isolating it in a simulated environment in hopes of prolonging and replenishing the species. This method of conservation seldom deters a species from becoming extinct, however.
Environmentalists and conservationists alike have a dire responsibility to protect the delicate environment of our world. From conserving water to recycling our garbage, individuals everywhere are a part of the environmental movement.
Global warming is a threat that will affect generations to come. The atmosphere surrounding us that supports life is a God-given gift. It must be protected. We should be leaders in efforts to curb global warming, not resistant followers. Erin Hunt is an avid writer and activist. She discovered that many are still unaware of the dangers of global warming and thus created a website to educate others on how they can play a role in the fight against global warming. Find out more about the effects and cause of global warming and how you can make a difference at http://www.fightagainstglobalwarming.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erin_Hunt
When today’s conservation movement first began more than 100 years ago, most groups focused on preserving our valuable natural resources, as well as some delicate natural areas like forests of diminishing tree species. Today, conservation encompasses much more than natural resources. Fisheries, wildlife reserves, and forestry, as well as the conservation of water and soil, are a part of the conservation movement.
Conservation involves the protection of our environmental resources and focuses on keeping our world safe without losing the magnificent variety of animal and plant species we see across the planet. Environmentalism is much the same, but environmentalism places more concentration on the protection and stability of the natural environment. Conserving our natural resources and preventing pollution are both issues of environmentalism. Environmentalism urges us to practice conservation by being responsible and efficient with the resources we use.
Conservationists of long ago, like Henry David Thoreau and John Muir, laid the foundation for modern environmentalism by bringing attention to the value and beauty of nature and influencing us to take on the responsibility of respecting this intricate system. Today’s environmentalism movement combines important aspects of both the conservation movement and the green movement.
A variety of groups, including those of political, scientific, and social natures, work together in the environmentalism movement to protect our natural resources and our environment by altering our own behaviors.
Environmentalists emphasize our responsibility to preserve and maintain a healthy and safe environment, from our own human rights to depleting supplies of natural resources.
There are thousands of environmental and conservational organizations around the world. Some are politically operated, while others are ran privately, and these organizations act at all levels, globally, nationally, and locally.
Environmental agencies do a variety of things, ranging from researching and studying sensitive issues to holding active demonstrations to make others aware of their concerns. These groups also lobby political representatives to make changes to improve the environment, take part in public hearings that relate to their interests, and sometimes even obtain property to set up preserves and reserves to protect the environment.
Some well known environmental organizations include the National Wildlife Federation, Friends of the Earth, and the Environmental Defense Fund, specializing in environmental lawsuits. The World Wide Fund for Nature, the Wilderness Society, and the Natural Resources Defense Council are a few more.
Environmental policy can be formed on a political, public level or it can be determined by the private sector. The public sector of environmental policy typically refers to the laws and programs currently supported by the government to regulate issues of environmental concern. Private environmental policy often goes beyond that in place by the public sector to include other rules and regulations, usually self-imposed or put in place by an individual rights group, to protect the environment.
A sometimes controversial conservation practice known as off-site conservation, or ex-situ conservation, is often argued by environmentalists because it uses laboratory procedures rather than natural techniques. This type of conservation is only used when deemed absolutely necessary because it is not only expensive, it can be harmful to the subject it is intended to help. Ex-situ conservation is an attempt to preserve a species of plant or animal on the verge of extinction through human intervention. A portion of the endangered species population is removed from its natural environment and isolating it in a simulated environment in hopes of prolonging and replenishing the species. This method of conservation seldom deters a species from becoming extinct, however.
Environmentalists and conservationists alike have a dire responsibility to protect the delicate environment of our world. From conserving water to recycling our garbage, individuals everywhere are a part of the environmental movement.
Global warming is a threat that will affect generations to come. The atmosphere surrounding us that supports life is a God-given gift. It must be protected. We should be leaders in efforts to curb global warming, not resistant followers. Erin Hunt is an avid writer and activist. She discovered that many are still unaware of the dangers of global warming and thus created a website to educate others on how they can play a role in the fight against global warming. Find out more about the effects and cause of global warming and how you can make a difference at http://www.fightagainstglobalwarming.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erin_Hunt
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