Global Warming Worries Lead to New Alternative Energy Ideas

The fear of global warming has led to some interesting alternative energy ideas for the future that would have less impact on the environment. Constant research takes place daily for sources of energy that utilize our natural resources, have little repercussion on our atmosphere, cost less and are naturally renewable.

There has been much research in the area of solar power, tapping geothermal heat inside the earth, harnessing the power of the tides as an energy sources and wind turbines, but scientists are going further into their imaginations to develop energy from sources never thought of before.

For instance; scientists are studying marine algae in the hopes that they could generate power from the methane given off by rotting algae; the methane could then be harnessed to provide methane for burning to power industrial needs for energy. Corn is being tested as a fuel (ethanol) for cars, as well as home heating sources, and there are many other areas that you may not have thought about.

Early studies are looking at falling rain and how it might be used to generate power (same premise as harnessing wave power). I’m not a scientist, so I can’t even begin to explain how or why this might work.

The idea I like best is powering our own personal IPod, cell phone and home computer by walking power. A leg brace, equipped with an electricity generator, gets the power from your every step. Need it charged quickly? Go for a long run; need a little power to power my laptop to get me through the meeting, go walk an hour!

What is Global Warming?

In the past several years, Global Warming has become one of the biggest debates, with scientists divided on if it exists, what (or who) is causing it, and if there is a solution.

There are contradictory scientific studies and papers on all sides of this issue. Is it a man-made problem, meaning that each and every person’s carbon footprint makes a difference?

Is it a bovine-made problem and every animal that produces bodily waste contributes to an increase in the methane in the atmosphere? Is it a "blip" on the natural climate cycle?

Scientists have been studying whether or not the earth’s atmosphere has been in a warming trend because of gases "stuck" in the atmosphere, which prevents the earth’s heat from dissipating, commonly called the greenhouse effect.

Simply states, the greenhouse effect is the exchange of heat and gases between surface and atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is a natural occurrence; it is what keeps the earth at a habitable temperature, with the perfect amount of oxygen for humans, animals and plants.

Scientists who can agree that global warming is a problem also agree that there is no real solution. The industrial years of pollution, natural volcanic activity and the increased population have all led to the gases in our atmosphere; conservation simply isn’t enough to reverse the damage.

In short, the evidence indicates that the earth is warming up. Is it caused by man’s output of carbon, produced by our need for energy; or by animals output of methane?

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