Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Water is much easier to
i nd than uranium, coal, oil,
and natural gas. Water also
creates much safer energy
than the other sources.
Removing coal and uranium
from the ground can hurt
the
environment
. The
power plants fueled by coal
and oil create pollution that
can harm the air or nearby
water. The power plants also
release substances that many
scientists say are causing
global warming
, which
can hurt the planet. In addition, the radiation from uranium
can harm people. Great steps must be taken to make sure that
nuclear power plants are safe. The radioactive waste created by
nuclear plants is also dangerous. So far, no long-term solution
has been found to the problem of how to store radioactive
waste safely.
Water power is not a perfect source of energy. It can be
expensive to build and place turbines that use water power.
In addition, only some areas have the right kinds of rivers
or ocean waves to create hydroelectricity. Scientists are still
working to improve the systems to create power from water,
but they hope that water power will become cheaper and more
common in the years to come. Then people can use less of the
other natural resources that create electricity—resources that
may run out or may harm the planet.
In Their
Own Words
“Throughout our nation,
water is the lifeblood
of our bodies, our
economies, and our
well-being. You see,
we don't just use water
for drinking.”
Stephen L. Johnson, former head
of the Environmental Protection
Agency, 2007
