Green technology

Green Technology: Past, Present and Now Sheilamarie Luzader INF103: Computer Literacy Edward Bakker August 5, 2013 What is green technology? â€Å"Green Technology is the development and application of products, equipment and systems used to conserve the natural environment and resources, which minimizes and reduces the negative impact of human activities. † (kettha. gov/. my/en/content/defintion-greentechnology) Green technology is extremely important for the planet and us, as human beings.Green technology has given people the opportunity overcome the reaping of natural resources and to build p the environment that the human race is consistently tearing down and damaging. Everything has a cause and reaction. Because the human race is exhausting the natural resources that the earth is providing, we are becoming reliant on something that is not going to last forever. Green technology gives the opinion to find alternatives that will be more environmentally sound and will improve life itself.Within this paper, I will cover green technologies history, what green technology is doing during the present day and what is to come in green technology and what you can do to make an impact. Many people fail to realize that green technology has been around for a very long time. Although, people in that time did not realize that they were being environmentally friendly. They were simply exploring ways to meet their needs. Many things helped pave the way for Green technology and simply then a better way of doing things and a way to live better from forms of solar power, windmills, to the power of steam, and even electric cars.The power of the sun has been used probably since the beginning of time. In 1839, Alexandre Edmond Becquered discovered a photovoltaic effect which is the process of electricity generated from the unlight. Over a hundred years later another major breakthrough comes from Calvin Fuller, Gerald Pearson and Daryl Chapin discovered the Silicon Solar Cel l, in 1953. After this, around 1956, many things start to change. Solar cells are then being put into everyday objects like toys and radios. To major accomplishments, like the first spacecraft being powered by solar cells.This spacecraft, Soyuz 1, was launched in 7 From then on, solar power took ott in a slow but never ceasing climb. From to 1990, solar began powering railroad crossings to powering houses. Another major ilestone solar energy has passed is a solar car in 1982 created by Hans Tholstrup, the â€Å"Quiet Achiever. † To think that then there were energy sources that one could never run out of. Just like being able to harvest the power of the wind. The first windmill was reportedly in Persia in 7 A. D. They used the windmills to water their crops. This passed on through Asia and spread to Africa and other surrounding areas.The Dutch in the 14th century created the tower windmill with the larger lattice work arms with the stretched canvas across. This is the windmil l that many people picture when they think of a windmill. With this design, they were now able to move larger amounts of water to where they needed water. By the 19th century the windmill count was a s high as 30,000. The windmill craze caught on in America and spread throughout the Great Plains. The peak time for windmills was from about 1880 to 1935. During this time many farmers relied on these windmills to bring the water.Without water, they have no crops and no life essentially. In 1930, the windmill can to a massive roadblock that halted windmills as they knew it back then. The Rural Electrification Administration made it possible to pump 20 to 30 gallons of water with a simple electric pump. This killed the windmill. In the mix of windmills and the Industrial Revolution came steam power. In 1698, Thomas Savery coined the first steam powered pump. This then was improved by combining that with pistons and cylinders by Thomas Newcomen and again by James Watt.Steam power made it possible for factories to be anywhere. Whereas, windmills and water power had forced factories to be by large bodies of water. This sparked the industries to use steam power for everything from textile work to metalworking. James Watt lay claim to the term â€Å"horsepower. † He believed that with these steam engines he could replace how many horses? So from there it became 4 horse power, 5 horsepower and so on. Steam power really laid the ground work for many great inventions to come. The first steam powered locomotive was first put on track in 1804. This was a major step.Goods could now be transported by other means then animals and humans. The United Sates put a steam engine on a ship Just 3 short years later to make a 150 mile Journey. Steam power had been pushing society into a new level of transportation, labor and leisure. This green way of doing things slowly faded away with the coming age of the electric motors and internal combustion engines. Electric otors were als o a green alternative to other engines that were not environmentally friendly. The first electric car is unknown. However, there are many individuals that made a remarkable impression of this fad.In 1828, †¦nyos Jedlik designed and invented an electric powered car. From then Robert Anderson, Professor Stratingh and his assistant Chistopher Becker and Thomas Davenport also invented an electric powered car. William Morrison's design however made electric vehicles more practical with the capability of having a passenger. This pioneered the way for the first commercial taxi fleet in New York City, in 1897. Electric vehicles had many perks. For instance they did not smell bad, have bad vibrations and were not a loud as a gas powered vehicle. They were green and did not even know it.Many people do not even see this history as a green history, because they believe green technology to be a 21st century kind ot technology. Many people these days are blinded by society to see what is rig ht in front of them, green technology and the importance to our world and communities it brings. To move forward in this technologically advanced world, as inhabitants of the Earth we need to look back to these unattended green advances nd learn from them. We have to revert back to technologies like those in order to save our planet and mankind. We need to learn to become eco-friendly to save what little â€Å"eco† we have left.In todays society, there are many green technologies out there from solar power and other renewable energy sources, hybrids and electric cars, and energy efficient appliances. Solar technology is by far the technology to take society to the next level of green thinking and a better way of life. Solar energy can provide electricity, can heat a house, and it can also save money from both a residential stand point to a ommercial perspective as well. Road signs and lights are also going green and using a solar powered systems to generate the power they nee d. This saves the government money as well.Going green and using renewable sources not only helps your wallet stay full, but it helps the environment as well. By using solar power, greenhouse gases and other air pollutants will decrease which in turn will be greatly beneficial to the environment. Here is a chart that shows the U. S. ‘s energy consumption: As we deplete the natural resources our plant has to offer, mankind needs to find a etter solution to bring down the petroleum, natural gas, and coal consumption to help clean up our environment and improve our quality of life. What humans pull from the ground is not an endless supply.This is a harsh reality that society needs to grasp in order to move forward into an eco-friendly way of life, which will be needed in the coming future. Not only do we need to cut energy consumption in our homes, but in our vehicles as well. Hybrids have come a very long way. They built the automobile industry from the ground up. Starting from steam to electric to gas guzzling SUVs, as a whole we have went forward by going backwards. The early concepts were not to save the environment and reduce pollution, they were simply a form of transportation.Nowadays, people want the fastest, coolest car no matter the price and what the repercussions are for owning a car that is not eco-friendly. Who cares if your car emits gases that are harmful to the environment or to yourself? Who cares if we use up all the oil in the world? My answer: We all should! If we Just take and take and give nothing in return to the Earth, where will we be in 50 years? A small change that can significantly improve our environment is our cars. Hybrids cars still use gasoline but to a much small scale and the back lashes from driving one is significantly better on our environment than a regular gas guzzling car.Many people are making the switch to hybrid cars. Not only are these cars fuel efficient, but can one day lead to a cleaner and brighter future. B elow is a chart of hybrids bought from 1999 to last year 2012. This Chart from http://www. evsroll. com/ Hybrid_Car_Statistics. html really puts in perspective that now over a million hybrid cars have been bought since the slow start up or reintroduction of hybrid cars in 999. Along witn hybrid cars, a new wave ot appliances nave been making their way to the green scene. Energy efficient appliances may not seem like much, but in all actuality they can help a lot.An average house hold can cause Just as much pollution if not more than a gas powered car every year. How you may ask? Because the power plants we use to power our homes burn fossil fuel and the more energy we consume, the more fossil fuel that is burned that goes directly into our environment. When we purchase energy efficient appliances the less energy we use. This in turn causes the power lants to not burn as much fossil fuel right into our environment. These products will also help save money on utility bills as well. By using energy-efficient appliances, households can save up to $400 per year on utility bills. (EarthEasy)† With the advancing green technologies from hybrid cars to energy efficient appliances, there are many more to come in the future. Although one cannot predict the future, we can predict that green living and technologies will be on a slow uphill battle to gain support and usage throughout the world. In a sense, the fate of the world rest on these kinds of technologies, because e need to find a way to live in harmony with nature and not completely suck it dry. The future is soon coming with green technology.As a society, we are Just now getting on to the solar panels and their systems. However, there is a Norwegian company, EnSol AS that has created a solar spray that goes on regular windows on a house. In some sense it is like putting Windex on the windows and not wiping it off. This transparent spray is that convenient that one cannot even tell the spray is there. This te chnology is going to bring solar power to many people because it has become so easy and convenient. I believe that with that there will be more technology that can make green technology easier and more convenient for consumers to use.I also believe that in the coming years the hybrid car market will skyrocket and continue to evolve to create cars that are more eco-friendly. I want to believe as a society we will become more environmentally aware of what is happening and what we can do to stop it. As individuals there are many ways to help by doing little things that we can control. Unplugging your appliances when they are not in use, will bring down energy costs and will eliminate wasted power. By composting your waste, you are giving back to environment and reducing waste because you are recycling for instance to a garden, that will help plants grow.A major component that everyone can do that will reduce plastic waste is to stop buying plastic water bottles and buy a water bottle t hat is reusable. Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs, these light bulbs can cut cost of energy and be a safer and efficient light source. Taking short showers and use cold water when washing your clothes are Just some more simple ways to cut energy costs. To help the environment more walk or ride your bike, instead of driving. Instead of putting pollutants into the air, you can get exercise in and enjoy time outside.Another key component would be to recycle every chance you get. All the little stuff adds up to the bigger picture. Also to recycle electronics the right way. Do not throw them away in the garbage. There is special places you can take your electronics to recycle. And finally, turn off the lights. When you leave a room do not leave the light on, this is Just plan wasteful and throwing money right out the window. Within this paper, I covered green technologies history, what green technology is can do to make an impact. 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