Now more than ever, as the citizens of the world face a changing climate, people are recognizing the toll that over-consumption of energy takes on the Earth. The use of fossil fuels contributes to political unrest and the heating of the Earth’s climate, which will contribute to changes in the way we live our lives.
The development and production of energy using renewable energy (solar, wind, geothermal are the most often cited) can help us to live sustainable lives. It can also help us to lower our energy costs, which is useful in an unstable global economy.
An ecologically sustainable existence means not leaving a “carbon footprint” – keeping our environment in balance and not using more energy than the environment can sustain.
To effectively use both solar and wind power, one needs a set up in which you can harness the heat of the sun or the movement of the wind. The most common ways are using solar panels, which are made up of photovoltaic cells, and windmills, which harness the wind currents to turn the turbine (the blades at the top of a windmill) to generate movement. Both convert these resources into electricity, which can be stored in large batteries (kind of like car batteries) so that you can use that power even when it’s not sunny or windy.
Using the resources that are freely available creates the possibility of living in a completely sustainable manner, so that our manner of living does not cause harm to the Earth, energy costs don’t create a burden on our finances, and we can still live with the comforts that define our modern life. Sustainable living doesn’t have to mean going without heat and electricity – we can still live lives of comfort without damaging the environment.
If everyone used renewable energy, we wouldn’t leave our grandchildren with the burden of our wasteful way of life. As the danger of climate change becomes more of a threat, we can only hope that there will be more of a movement toward sustainability through the use of renewable energy, and that it is more freely available to anyone who wants to live a sustainable life.