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| | |  | By Kim and Gloria "Jack" Mejia
Grade 11
Media Academy
Oakland, CA | Is wind power the most effective source for renewable energy?
- Posted September 2, 2010
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| I think that the most effective source of renewable energy is wind power. Wind power currently exists and it has proved to be effective. The US is the main producer of wind turbines. Right now we’re installing a lot of turbines all over the countries—big corporations like Pacific Gas and Electric Company are investing money towards this technology. Wind power is beneficial to all who use it—not only is this kind of energy cheaper for the consumer, but it’s also free of any hazardous by-products that contribute to global warming. It uses a natural resource we already have (the wind) and takes advantage of it, without needing to build factories or create toxic chemicals. It doesn’t need to dump waste into the waterways and kill wildlife. We need to stop global warming—it’s destroying our oceans, disrupting food cycles and making natural disasters occur more frequently. We should put our faith in a dependable source that has validated its effectiveness.
- Gloria "Jack" Mejia-Cuellar, Grade 11, Media Academy, Oakland, CA
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| Solar power is the best type of renewable energy source. Yes, wind power is renewable and accessible, but is it enough? Does the entire world have strong wind to make the turbines spin and create enough to power homes and buildings? The answer is simple—no, it doesn’t. Wind power is an excellent idea, but only for low-scale projects, in places like Chicago, the “windy city”. Wind power would not bring those positive results all over the world. Wind isn’t always around, like at the time of summer, but that doesn’t mean people don’t need electricity during the season. Wind turbines also cause visual and auditory pollution—they are simply too noisy and disrupt the environment. They in all are ugly—large towering, thundering machines in your backyard and for many, their state’s rolling hills. Solar power, on the other hand, is a silent technology that can work on the roof of a house. These solar panels are thin—they don’t block nature’s striking views or disturb neighbors. Solar power is an inexpensive technology that doesn’t require assembling large infrastructure or caring after it continually. Like wind power, solar power is renewable and currently in frequent use around the world. It is a better solution than wind power and more reliable.
- Kim Mejia-Cuellar, Grade 11, Media Academy, Oakland, CA
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| Solar power is much more limited than wind power. Wind is everywhere—maybe in some places with not as much frequency, but it still exists worldwide. Unlike solar power, wind turbines can be placed in different locations, like mountains and farms, where they can get maximum exposure to wind. You can’t exactly change the location of the sun and put it in say, Alaska, to let them have solar power. If wind turbines are disruptive for some communities, we can build stations offshore—they can be in the ocean, not disrupting scenic views yet helping the environment at the same time. Having wind power at home will also make us less dependent on foreign countries for oil and other resources that are bad for the environment. If we get just 20% of all the energy used in America to come from wind power, it would be like planting over a hundred million acres of trees or taking over seventy million cars off the road, permanently. If we limit our consumption of other energy sources that contribute to greenhouse gases, we can reverse the effects of global warming.
- Gloria "Jack" Mejia-Cuellar, Grade 11, Media Academy, Oakland, CA
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| Wind power’s problems still persist. It is much more expensive than solar power and can’t be placed in every house like solar power. It’s a nearly invisible renewable energy in terms of where to put the equipment. Wind turbines are obtrusive and will cause strong public opposition against renewable energy if they are the ‘next step’ in energy in America. They also take up too much space. Wind turbines can harm wildlife, like birds that accidentally run into them and provide more obstacles for aircraft looking for emergency landings. Wind turbines can skew the Doppler weather radar, providing inaccurate weather patterns and irritating the population. Solar energy is dependable and doesn’t cause pollution. Solar power also helps America become self-reliant on their energy. The sun gives us an unlimited supply of energy—why not use it?
- Kim Mejia-Cuellar, Grade 11, Media Academy, Oakland, CA
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