How that wedge reduces carbon emissions:
•We have no control over the amount of carbon in the gasoline we buy, but there are other factors we can control. We can reduce the number of miles we decide to drive each year.
•By cutting passenger miles from 10,000 per year to about 5,000.
•By choosing to buy more fuel-efficient vehicles. Doubling the efficiency of all the world’s cars from 30 to 60 miles per gallon, would actually be implemented twice to make the average fuel efficiency 90 miles per gallon. These two wedges could be achieved by improving hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell technology. Also building small 2, 3 or even 4 cylinder cars with not more than 90 horsepower and Diesel engine driven would bring a better gas mileage for cars. How the following populations would put that wedge into effect (if they can)
·Since we are not obligated to drive little and better fuel efficient cars, we all (Manufacturers, Politician etc.) have to make it the most attractive option available. Educate consumers about it and let them know it is better for us and our future. The United States (or someone living in the United States):
·Choosing a car with better gas mileage ·Getting the best fuel economy out of your car ·Using a low carbon fuel such as ethanol or CNG ·Walking, biking, or taking public transportation more often ·Combining trips (if possible) will save time and money,. ·The key to higher fuel efficiency and lower pollution is using better technology and smarter automotive design. The technology exists today to save fuel while enhancing safety, performance, and consumer amenities. By relying on American ingenuity and innovation, we can start building clean vehicles at a price consumers can afford.
An agriculture-based culture:
·Bio-diesel fuel will reduce emissions. Using petroleum-based diesel puts about 2.7 kg of carbon dioxide per liter into the atmosphere, while 100 percent bio-diesel may reduce those emissions by more than 75 percent. Using a blend of 20 percent bio-diesel reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 15 percent.
·Fuel-saving strategies for farm machinery, such as fuel-efficient engines, regular maintenance on machinery and vehicles, optimal tire pressure, and ‘gear up, throttle down’ operations, will result in fewer emissions.
·Reducing idling times will also save fuel and cut emissions. Diesels do not need to be kept running, except in extremely cold temperatures (if not equipped with additional heaters).
·Refer to European models where farming trucks use solar panels on the top of the machinery to cut carbon emissions to virtually zero.
An underdeveloped country:
·Helping under-developed countries to go green is in their best interest. They will inevitably do so eventually, replacing dirty technologies with clean ones. This will cost them much more later and ends up being much less efficient. Having third world countries take the costs up front, with our help, will lead to better long term conditions for them, and for the environment. Such a solution is good for all involved . How can your wedge are put into effect globally:
The technology exists today to boost the fuel efficiency of our new cars and trucks. This is a tremendous opportunity to lower fuel costs, reduce carbon pollution, and cut the western world’s dangerous dependence on oil. World leaders should set standards that cut the world’s oil dependence by at least 50 billion gallons of fuel and at least 535 million metric tons of heat trapping carbon pollution in the year 2030. These standards could be met by:
·Require new light-duty vehicles to meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards of at least 60 miles-per-gallon and global warming pollution standards of no more than 143 grams-per-mile of carbon dioxide-equivalent by model year 2025. The pollution standards should be based on accurate accounting, including the upstream emissions from power plants for plug-in hybrid and electric-drive vehicles.
·Reduce fuel consumption from long-haul trucks pulling standard van trailers, the biggest users of fuel among trucks, by at least 35 percent by model year 2017.
What barriers exist to putting your wedge into effect?
·People in the U.S. need to start thinking more about the environment than their own personal interest. Europe and Japan have put these technologies on the market successfully 30/40 years ago. Leaders need to educate citizen to think more globally, just remember that there is a world outside of the U.S.
•What percentage do you think will realistically be put into affect (100% of the wedge will be completed/ people are able to comply with what is needed to complete the wedge, 50%, less than 25% etc.)
·I realistically believe by the year 2030 we could put 25% of that wedge into affect.•vCompressed natural gas (CNG) is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline (petrol), diesel, or propane/LPG. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill (natural gas is lighter than air, and disperses quickly when released). CNG may also be mixed with biogas, produced from landfills or wastewater, which doesn't increase the concentration of carbon in the atmosphere.
Nr. 10/ Wind electricity
•How that wedge reduces carbon emissions:
•Today, most electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels. Tomorrow, resources may include more renewable energy, especially wind. The use of wind turbines does not generate pollution or radioactive waste like most other forms of electricity generation do. Their construction and installation has less environmental impact as well.
·Using wind to generate electricity reduces CO2 emissions. The MGE wind farm prevents the annual production of 18,880 tons of CO2.
·Trees and plants naturally absorb CO2. It would take a 3,776-acre forest to remove as much CO2 as our wind farm prevents.
•Reduced sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions
·SO2 is a byproduct of burning fossil fuels. In the atmosphere it can react with other chemicals to form acidic compounds. It is believed that “acid rain” threatens our lakes and forests by raising the level of acidity. Using wind-generated electricity reduces SO2 emissions. Our wind farm cuts these emissions by 119 tons each year.
• How the following populations would put that wedge into effect (if they can):
Wind power may be used to provide electricity to individual homes or other facilities on a self-reliant basis, with no need for fuel or other materials to be supplied. If a natural disaster severs power lines, residents with windmills will not lose their supply of electricity.
Wind can also generate power for large numbers of people, using larger turbines connected to an electrical grid. This allows individuals to take advantage of some of their benefits without personally owning or maintaining the equipment.
Another one of its advantages is that this type of power generation does not consume any non-renewable resources, like coal, natural gas, or oil. Thus, it won't contribute to their eventual depletion, nor does it promote environmental harm brought about by obtaining these resources.
• An agriculture-based culture: • While many people will benefit indirectly from the clean air and economic growth brought about by wind power development, farmers can benefit directly. Wind power can provide an important economic boost to farmers. Large wind turbines typically use less than half an acre of land, including access roads, so farmers can continue to plant crops and graze livestock right up to the base of the turbines. • How the Wind Can Help Farmers
Farmers and ranchers are in a unique position to benefit from the growth in the wind industry. To tap this market, farmers can lease land to wind developers, use the wind to generate power for their farms, or become wind power producers themselves.
• What barriers exist to putting your wedge into effect?
Low Persistent Noise - There have been a large number of complaints about the persistent level of low level noise from the whirring of the blades of a wind turbine. There have been cases reported about animals on farms getting affected by wind turbine noise.
Loss of Scenery - The sight of giant 200 meters tall towers has drawn objections from neighbors about wind power leading to loss of scenery and beauty. The Cape Wind Energy project off the shore of Massachusetts has been delayed by over 10 years as it has drawn serious objections from the owners of coastal homes about loss in their property values
Land usage - Wind Turbines can sometimes use large amounts of land if not properly planned and built. The construction of roads to access the wind farms etc also takes up some land.
Intermittent Nature - Wind Power is intermittent in nature as it generates energy only when the wind blows. This problem can be solved with energy storage however this leads to additional costs.
• How can your wedge are put into effect globally
The Pros of Wind Energy far outweighs the Cons of Wind Power leading to massive amounts of wind power capacity being installed in almost every part of the world. Wind Power already generates majority of the electricity in countries like Denmark and almost every other European country with proactive renewable energy policies such as Spain, Germany, Austria and Portugal, just to name a few. Wind Power has great potential in USA, China and India which are driving the growth of Wind Power in the world. South America particularly Brazil is also showing strong interests in building up wind farms in the country. The recent increase in the price of oil and the dangers of Nuclear Energy further emphasize the importance of Wind Power Energy.
Nr. 9/ Nuclear Energy
How that wedge reduces carbon emissions:
• By building nuclear reactors, and lots of them we could replace all but a few of the coal burning power plants in INDUSTIRALIZED nations.
How the following populations would put that wedge into effect:
Industrialized nations: • For Free Market nations, Governments would offer subsidies to power companies for new construction of reactors, to encourage them to build. If these companies refuse to do build reactors due to supposed lack of "profit" then threaten them with nationalization of there industries. • For more Command economy nations, Governments would simply order nationalized industries to design and begin construction of new nuclear reactors.
An agriculture-based culture: • Not possible, society must be sufficiently industrialized. Only way would be to sell out to foreign industries to allow them to build there.
How can your wedge are put into effect globally: • With our worlds current fixation on free market economics, it would be near impossible for all of the world to do this. To force a nation completely to a new fuel source would take a government with far more control over the economy than most nations of the world currently have. The only way to put these kinds of changes into effect using free market economics would be to convince businesses that they can make lots of money off of this energy source. But if that were true they would have done it already.
What barriers exist to putting your wedge into effect? • Capitalism, for anything that threatens current energy source dependence threatens businesses profits.
Nr. 12/ Wind Hydrogen:
How that wedge reduces carbon emissions: • By replacing fossil fuels with a hydrogen burning automobile this would cut back on the greatest source of green house gases. • And even better, by producing this new fuel source with wind power it adds no carbon to the mix whatsoever. Quite a win-win
How the following populations would put that wedge into effect:
Industrialized nations: • Once again, • For Free Market nations, Governments would offer subsidies to power companies for new construction of Wind farms and hydrogen plants, to encourage them to build. If these companies refuse to do build wind farms and hydrogen plants due to supposed lack of "profit" then threaten them with nationalization of there industries. • For more Command economy nations, Governments would simply order nationalized industries to begin construction of wind farms and hydrogen plants.
An agriculture-based culture: • Not possible, society must be sufficiently industrialized. Only way would be to sell out to foreign industries to allow them to build there.
How can your wedge are put into effect globally: • With our worlds current fixation on free market economics, it would be near impossible for all of the world to do this. To force a nation completely to a new fuel source would take a government with far more control over the economy than most nations of the world currently have. The only way to put these kinds of changes into effect using free market economics would be to convince businesses that they can make lots of money off of this energy source. But if that were true they would have done it already.
What barriers exist to putting your wedge into effect? • Same as with Nuclear energy, though even more so with this hydrogen fuel. New energy source threatens profits of current businesses.
Nr. 15/Soil Storage:
• Soil Storage Definition: The process of storing carbon in the soil rather than releasing it into the atmosphere. Through various farming techniques, it is possible to increase the carbon retention of soil:
• Conservation Tillage: Any method of soil cultivation that leaves the previous year's crop residue (such as corn stalks or wheat stubble) on fields before and after planting the next crop. Methods include no-till, strip-till, ridge-till and mulch-till.
• Crop Rotation: The practice of growing a series of dissimilar types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons for various benefits such as to avoid the build up of pathogens and pests that often occurs when one species is continuously cropped. Crop rotation also seeks to balance the fertility demands of various crops to avoid excessive depletion of soil nutrients. A traditional element of crop rotation is the replenishment of nitrogen through the use of green manure in sequence with cereals and other crops. Crop rotation can also improve soil structure and fertility by alternating deep-rooted and shallow-rooted plants
• How it Reduces Carbon Emissions: Soil storage creates a carbon sink, reduces soil erosion, Improves soil and water quality, Conserves water (evaporation) and Conserves Energy. • Improves soil and water quality by adding organic matter as crop residue decomposes; this creates an open soil structure that lets water in more easily, reducing runoff • Conserves water by reducing evaporation at the soil surface • Conserves energy due to fewer tractor trips across the field • Soil storage is a carbon sink, it reduces soil erosion, Improves soil and water quality, Conserves water (evaporation) and Conserves Energy.
• Use in the U.S.: • There is no reason why this cannot be used widely, if not exclusively, across the US, as it will lower costs, improve soil and benefit the environment. • Use in Agriculture-based Areas: • These practices would also be extremely beneficial to any agriculture-based society. • Use in Underdeveloped Areas: • Anywhere that relies on farming would benefit from these practices. • Global Application: • It can be done equally around the world, and it should. • Barriers: • The main obstacle is convincing farmers to change their practices, particularly relating to huge agribusiness which is highly mechanized. • Expectations: • I hope that it is realistic to hope for near 100% compliance with these practices.
Geothermal (in place of Nr. 11):
• Geothermal Energy Definition:
• Geothermal energy is thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. Heat from the earth can be used as an energy source in many ways, from large and complex power stations to small and relatively simple pumping systems. Many regions of the world are already tapping geothermal energy as an affordable and (mostly) sustainable solution to reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and the global warming and public health risks that result from their use.
• How it works: • Holes are drilled deep within the earth, steam rises, steam powers turbine, turbine powers generator which creates electricity.
• Important Distinction: • Geothermal electricity: which relies on the superheated water from deep underground to produce steam and create electricity. • Geothermal home heating and cooling systems.
• How it Reduces Carbon Emissions: • Geothermal reduces carbon emissions by using only renewable energy from heat simmering within the earth's bedrock. The earth's heat is always there waiting to be tapped, unlike wind and solar power, which are intermittent and thus more fickle. And, unlike coal and natural gas, there is no combustion in geothermal energy and it does not emit carbon or other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It is also far more efficient than traditional energy sources due to the fact that it is simply transferring heat, and not creating it. Use in the U.S: • President Obama has cited geothermal power as part of the "clean energy transformation" that a climate bill now before Congress could bring about. The United States has more geothermal capacity than any other country, with more than 3,000 megawatts in eight states. Eighty percent of this capacity is in California, where more than 40 geothermal plants provide nearly 5 percent of the state’s electricity. • In thousands of homes and buildings across the United States, geothermal heat pumps also use the steady temperatures just underground to heat and cool buildings, cleanly and inexpensively. There has been a recent increase in use in particularly the western US.
• Use in Agriculture-based and Underdeveloped Areas: • This is very difficult and not realistic on a large scale at this point.
• Global Application: • There already over 70 countries using geothermal energy and its use is continuing to grow globally, although it cannot be done equally around the world and applies more to developed nations, as they use more energy.
• Barriers: • A process called “enhanced geothermal” is controversial because it has been linked to earthquakes. This takes place in areas without large steam reservoirs in which they use a technique of inserting high-pressure water into bedrock which causes new fractures into the rock and absorbs heat. • Some argue that geothermal electricity is not really sustainable and that it will deplete the underground water reservoir, but since this in an energy which is very eco-friendly and is just being developed now, there are many precautions in place for preventing any potential fall-out. It depends on the depletion/restoration rate of the water. There have also been fears about under-ground water depletion.
• Expectations: • It is realistic to expect around 25% to be put into effect.
Nr. 2/ Conservation – Transport:
• How that wedge reduces carbon emissions: Would be achieved if the number of miles traveled by the world’s cars were cut in half. Such a reduction in driving could be achieved if urban planning leads to more use of mass transit and if electronic communication becomes a good substitute for face-to-face meetings. By reducing emissions, energy conservation is an important part of lessening climate change. Energy conservation facilitates the replacement of non-renewable resources with renewable energy. Energy conservation is often the most economical solution to energy shortages, and is a more environmentally benign alternative to increased energy production. * Reducing vehicles use across the globe can cut carbon dioxide emissions by thousands of tonnes. As mention before, efficiency is unquestionably the largest, cheapest, and cleanest wedge among the many we need to rid carbon from our energy economy. * Avoiding unnecessary driving is the most effective way to reduce vehicle emissions; however, traffic trends indicate more vehicles are being driven more frequently due to urban sprawl. • There are three general approaches for reducing greenhouse gases in the transportation sector: • 1) adopting advanced vehicle technologies, 2) switching to low-greenhouse gas fuels, and 3) • Reducing vehicle miles traveled. • How would the following populations put that wedge into effect (if they can): • 1. Carpool or ride-share. Some urban areas allow vehicles with multiple passengers to use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes. • 2. Use public transportation. Check your local public transit information. • 3. If your employer permits, consider telecommuting or staggering your work hours to avoid sitting in traffic and wasting gas during peak rush hours. • 4. Protect your health and your pocketbook by walking – or biking – to your destination whenever possible. * Using an alternative form of transportation or ride sharing does make a difference. • But the real problem is cultural. Americans are married to their automobiles as a means of defining who they are. Possible the only time now when you can really be yourself is when you are alone, in your car, cursing at the world. • Mass Transit Statistics: • 65% of commuters drive alone • 20% take carpools • 5% walk • 3% work at home (but this number is starting to grow considerably) • 7% use mass transit and most of this use is in NYC of Chicago • How can your wedge be put into effect globally: • The United States is currently the largest single consumer of energy. The U.S. Department of Energy categorizes national energy use in four broad sectors: transportation, residential, commercial, and industrial. Energy usage in transportation and residential sectors, about half of U.S. energy consumption, is largely controlled by individual consumers. Commercial and industrial energy expenditures are determined by businesses entities and other facility managers. National energy policy has a significant effect on energy usage across all four sectors, and its strengthening is part of the 2010 Presidential-Congressional legislative debate. One type of Energy Usage that can be used is Solar PV (Photovoltaic) Power.
Nr. 14/Forest Storage:
• How that wedge reduces carbon emissions: Land plants and soils contain large amounts of carbon. Today, there is a net removal of carbon from the atmosphere by these “natural sinks," in spite of deliberate deforestation by people that adds between 1 and 2 billion tons of carbon to the atmosphere. Evidently, the carbon in forests is increasing elsewhere on the planet. Land plant biomass can be increased by both reducing deforestation and planting new forests. Halting global deforestation in 50 years would provide one wedge of emissions savings. To achieve a wedge through forest planting alone, new forests would have to be established over an area the size of the contiguous United States. • How would the following populations put that wedge into effect (if they can): • The United States: • Deforestation by burning, a widespread practice in the world's tropical rain forests, adversely impacts the trace-gas composition of the atmosphere in two different ways. First, the burning of the tropical forests produces large amounts of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and other trace gases that are products when biomass burns. Second, the tropical forest is an important sink, or repository, for carbon dioxide. Atmospheric carbon dioxide is incorporated into the living biomass via the process of photosynthesis, which in turn produces the oxygen we breathe. Simply banning the timber trade or establishing reserves will not be enough to salvage the world's remaining tropical rainforests. In order for the forest to be preserved, the underlying social, economic, and political reasons for deforestation must be recognized and addressed. Once the issues are brought into the light, the decision can be made about what should be done. • How can your wedge be put into effect globally: • If it is decided that rainforests must be saved, then the creation of multi-use reserves that promote sustainable development and education of local people would be a good place to start. Currently about 6 percent of the world's remaining forests are protected, meaning that over 90 percent are still open for the taking. However, even this 6 percent is not safe if the proper steps towards sustainable development are not taken. If possible, reforestation and restoration projects should be encouraged if we hope to come out of this situation without serious, long-term consequences.
Carbon Wedge Project
Wolfgang, Christina, Jessica, and WarrenNr. 1/ Fuel efficiency
How that wedge reduces carbon emissions:•We have no control over the amount of carbon in the gasoline we buy, but there are other factors we can control. We can reduce the number of miles we decide to drive each year.
•By cutting passenger miles from 10,000 per year to about 5,000.
•By choosing to buy more fuel-efficient vehicles. Doubling the efficiency of all the world’s cars from 30 to 60 miles per gallon, would actually be implemented twice to make the average fuel efficiency 90 miles per gallon. These two wedges could be achieved by improving hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell technology. Also building small 2, 3 or even 4 cylinder cars with not more than 90 horsepower and Diesel engine driven would bring a better gas mileage for cars.
How the following populations would put that wedge into effect (if they can)
·Since we are not obligated to drive little and better fuel efficient cars, we all (Manufacturers, Politician etc.) have to make it the most attractive option available. Educate consumers about it and let them know it is better for us and our future.
The United States (or someone living in the United States):
·Choosing a car with better gas mileage ·Getting the best fuel economy out of your car ·Using a low carbon fuel such as ethanol or CNG ·Walking, biking, or taking public transportation more often ·Combining trips (if possible) will save time and money,. ·The key to higher fuel efficiency and lower pollution is using better technology and smarter automotive design. The technology exists today to save fuel while enhancing safety, performance, and consumer amenities. By relying on American ingenuity and innovation, we can start building clean vehicles at a price consumers can afford.
An agriculture-based culture:
·Bio-diesel fuel will reduce emissions. Using petroleum-based diesel puts about 2.7 kg of carbon dioxide per liter into the atmosphere, while 100 percent bio-diesel may reduce those emissions by more than 75 percent. Using a blend of 20 percent bio-diesel reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 15 percent.
·Fuel-saving strategies for farm machinery, such as fuel-efficient engines, regular maintenance on machinery and vehicles, optimal tire pressure, and ‘gear up, throttle down’ operations, will result in fewer emissions.
·Reducing idling times will also save fuel and cut emissions. Diesels do not need to be kept running, except in extremely cold temperatures (if not equipped with additional heaters).
·Refer to European models where farming trucks use solar panels on the top of the machinery to cut carbon emissions to virtually zero.
An underdeveloped country:
·Helping under-developed countries to go green is in their best interest. They will inevitably do so eventually, replacing dirty technologies with clean ones. This will cost them much more later and ends up being much less efficient. Having third world countries take the costs up front, with our help, will lead to better long term conditions for them, and for the environment. Such a solution is good for all involved .
How can your wedge are put into effect globally:
The technology exists today to boost the fuel efficiency of our new cars and trucks. This is a tremendous opportunity to lower fuel costs, reduce carbon pollution, and cut the western world’s dangerous dependence on oil. World leaders should set standards that cut the world’s oil dependence by at least 50 billion gallons of fuel and at least 535 million metric tons of heat trapping carbon pollution in the year 2030. These standards could be met by:
·Require new light-duty vehicles to meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards of at least 60 miles-per-gallon and global warming pollution standards of no more than 143 grams-per-mile of carbon dioxide-equivalent by model year 2025. The pollution standards should be based on accurate accounting, including the upstream emissions from power plants for plug-in hybrid and electric-drive vehicles.
·Reduce fuel consumption from long-haul trucks pulling standard van trailers, the biggest users of fuel among trucks, by at least 35 percent by model year 2017.
What barriers exist to putting your wedge into effect?
·People in the U.S. need to start thinking more about the environment than their own personal interest. Europe and Japan have put these technologies on the market successfully 30/40 years ago. Leaders need to educate citizen to think more globally, just remember that there is a world outside of the U.S.
•What percentage do you think will realistically be put into affect (100% of the wedge will be completed/ people are able to comply with what is needed to complete the wedge, 50%, less than 25% etc.)
·I realistically believe by the year 2030 we could put 25% of that wedge into affect.•vCompressed natural gas (CNG) is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline (petrol), diesel, or propane/LPG. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill (natural gas is lighter than air, and disperses quickly when released). CNG may also be mixed with biogas, produced from landfills or wastewater, which doesn't increase the concentration of carbon in the atmosphere.
Nr. 10/ Wind electricity
•How that wedge reduces carbon emissions:
•Today, most electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels. Tomorrow, resources may include more renewable energy, especially wind. The use of wind turbines does not generate pollution or radioactive waste like most other forms of electricity generation do. Their construction and installation has less environmental impact as well.
·Using wind to generate electricity reduces CO2 emissions. The MGE wind farm prevents the annual production of 18,880 tons of CO2.
·Trees and plants naturally absorb CO2. It would take a 3,776-acre forest to remove as much CO2 as our wind farm prevents.
•Reduced sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions
·SO2 is a byproduct of burning fossil fuels. In the atmosphere it can react with other chemicals to form acidic compounds. It is believed that “acid rain” threatens our lakes and forests by raising the level of acidity. Using wind-generated electricity reduces SO2 emissions. Our wind farm cuts these emissions by 119 tons each year.
• How the following populations would put that wedge into effect (if they can):
- Wind power may be used to provide electricity to individual homes or other facilities on a self-reliant basis, with no need for fuel or other materials to be supplied. If a natural disaster severs power lines, residents with windmills will not lose their supply of electricity.
- Wind can also generate power for large numbers of people, using larger turbines connected to an electrical grid. This allows individuals to take advantage of some of their benefits without personally owning or maintaining the equipment.
- Another one of its advantages is that this type of power generation does not consume any non-renewable resources, like coal, natural gas, or oil. Thus, it won't contribute to their eventual depletion, nor does it promote environmental harm brought about by obtaining these resources.
• An agriculture-based culture:• While many people will benefit indirectly from the clean air and economic growth brought about by wind power development, farmers can benefit directly. Wind power can provide an important economic boost to farmers. Large wind turbines typically use less than half an acre of land, including access roads, so farmers can continue to plant crops and graze livestock right up to the base of the turbines.
• How the Wind Can Help Farmers
- Farmers and ranchers are in a unique position to benefit from the growth in the wind industry. To tap this market, farmers can lease land to wind developers, use the wind to generate power for their farms, or become wind power producers themselves.
• What barriers exist to putting your wedge into effect?- Low Persistent Noise - There have been a large number of complaints about the persistent level of low level noise from the whirring of the blades of a wind turbine. There have been cases reported about animals on farms getting affected by wind turbine noise.
- Loss of Scenery - The sight of giant 200 meters tall towers has drawn objections from neighbors about wind power leading to loss of scenery and beauty. The Cape Wind Energy project off the shore of Massachusetts has been delayed by over 10 years as it has drawn serious objections from the owners of coastal homes about loss in their property values
- Land usage - Wind Turbines can sometimes use large amounts of land if not properly planned and built. The construction of roads to access the wind farms etc also takes up some land.
- Intermittent Nature - Wind Power is intermittent in nature as it generates energy only when the wind blows. This problem can be solved with energy storage however this leads to additional costs.
• How can your wedge are put into effect globallyNr. 9/ Nuclear Energy
How that wedge reduces carbon emissions:
• By building nuclear reactors, and lots of them we could replace all but a few of the coal burning power plants in INDUSTIRALIZED nations.
How the following populations would put that wedge into effect:
Industrialized nations:
• For Free Market nations, Governments would offer subsidies to power companies for new construction of reactors, to encourage them to build. If these companies refuse to do build reactors due to supposed lack of "profit" then threaten them with nationalization of there industries.
• For more Command economy nations, Governments would simply order nationalized industries to design and begin construction of new nuclear reactors.
An agriculture-based culture:
• Not possible, society must be sufficiently industrialized. Only way would be to sell out to foreign industries to allow them to build there.
How can your wedge are put into effect globally:
• With our worlds current fixation on free market economics, it would be near impossible for all of the world to do this. To force a nation completely to a new fuel source would take a government with far more control over the economy than most nations of the world currently have. The only way to put these kinds of changes into effect using free market economics would be to convince businesses that they can make lots of money off of this energy source. But if that were true they would have done it already.
What barriers exist to putting your wedge into effect?
• Capitalism, for anything that threatens current energy source dependence threatens businesses profits.
Nr. 12/ Wind Hydrogen:
How that wedge reduces carbon emissions:
• By replacing fossil fuels with a hydrogen burning automobile this would cut back on the greatest source of green house gases.
• And even better, by producing this new fuel source with wind power it adds no carbon to the mix whatsoever. Quite a win-win
How the following populations would put that wedge into effect:
Industrialized nations:
• Once again,
• For Free Market nations, Governments would offer subsidies to power companies for new construction of Wind farms and hydrogen plants, to encourage them to build. If these companies refuse to do build wind farms and hydrogen plants due to supposed lack of "profit" then threaten them with nationalization of there industries.
• For more Command economy nations, Governments would simply order nationalized industries to begin construction of wind farms and hydrogen plants.
An agriculture-based culture:
• Not possible, society must be sufficiently industrialized. Only way would be to sell out to foreign industries to allow them to build there.
How can your wedge are put into effect globally:
• With our worlds current fixation on free market economics, it would be near impossible for all of the world to do this. To force a nation completely to a new fuel source would take a government with far more control over the economy than most nations of the world currently have. The only way to put these kinds of changes into effect using free market economics would be to convince businesses that they can make lots of money off of this energy source. But if that were true they would have done it already.
What barriers exist to putting your wedge into effect?
• Same as with Nuclear energy, though even more so with this hydrogen fuel. New energy source threatens profits of current businesses.
Nr. 15/ Soil Storage:
• Soil Storage Definition: The process of storing carbon in the soil rather than releasing it into the atmosphere. Through various farming techniques, it is possible to increase the carbon retention of soil:• Conservation Tillage: Any method of soil cultivation that leaves the previous year's crop residue (such as corn stalks or wheat stubble) on fields before and after planting the next crop. Methods include no-till, strip-till, ridge-till and mulch-till.
• Crop Rotation: The practice of growing a series of dissimilar types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons for various benefits such as to avoid the build up of pathogens and pests that often occurs when one species is continuously cropped. Crop rotation also seeks to balance the fertility demands of various crops to avoid excessive depletion of soil nutrients. A traditional element of crop rotation is the replenishment of nitrogen through the use of green manure in sequence with cereals and other crops. Crop rotation can also improve soil structure and fertility by alternating deep-rooted and shallow-rooted plants
• How it Reduces Carbon Emissions: Soil storage creates a carbon sink, reduces soil erosion, Improves soil and water quality, Conserves water (evaporation) and Conserves Energy.
• Improves soil and water quality by adding organic matter as crop residue decomposes; this creates an open soil structure that lets water in more easily, reducing runoff
• Conserves water by reducing evaporation at the soil surface
• Conserves energy due to fewer tractor trips across the field
• Soil storage is a carbon sink, it reduces soil erosion, Improves soil and water quality, Conserves water (evaporation) and Conserves Energy.
• Use in the U.S.:
• There is no reason why this cannot be used widely, if not exclusively, across the US, as it will lower costs, improve soil and benefit the environment.
• Use in Agriculture-based Areas:
• These practices would also be extremely beneficial to any agriculture-based society.
• Use in Underdeveloped Areas:
• Anywhere that relies on farming would benefit from these practices.
• Global Application:
• It can be done equally around the world, and it should.
• Barriers:
• The main obstacle is convincing farmers to change their practices, particularly relating to huge agribusiness which is highly mechanized.
• Expectations:
• I hope that it is realistic to hope for near 100% compliance with these practices.
Geothermal (in place of Nr. 11):
• Geothermal Energy Definition:
• Geothermal energy is thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. Heat from the earth can be used as an energy source in many ways, from large and complex power stations to small and relatively simple pumping systems. Many regions of the world are already tapping geothermal energy as an affordable and (mostly) sustainable solution to reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and the global warming and public health risks that result from their use.• How it works:
• Holes are drilled deep within the earth, steam rises, steam powers turbine, turbine powers generator which creates electricity.
• Important Distinction:
• Geothermal electricity: which relies on the superheated water from deep underground to produce steam and create electricity.
• Geothermal home heating and cooling systems.
• How it Reduces Carbon Emissions:
• Geothermal reduces carbon emissions by using only renewable energy from heat simmering within the earth's bedrock. The earth's heat is always there waiting to be tapped, unlike wind and solar power, which are intermittent and thus more fickle. And, unlike coal and natural gas, there is no combustion in geothermal energy and it does not emit carbon or other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It is also far more efficient than traditional energy sources due to the fact that it is simply transferring heat, and not creating it.
Use in the U.S:
• President Obama has cited geothermal power as part of the "clean energy transformation" that a climate bill now before Congress could bring about. The United States has more geothermal capacity than any other country, with more than 3,000 megawatts in eight states. Eighty percent of this capacity is in California, where more than 40 geothermal plants provide nearly 5 percent of the state’s electricity.
• In thousands of homes and buildings across the United States, geothermal heat pumps also use the steady temperatures just underground to heat and cool buildings, cleanly and inexpensively. There has been a recent increase in use in particularly the western US.
• Use in Agriculture-based and Underdeveloped Areas:
• This is very difficult and not realistic on a large scale at this point.
• Global Application:
• There already over 70 countries using geothermal energy and its use is continuing to grow globally, although it cannot be done equally around the world and applies more to developed nations, as they use more energy.
http://www.nationmaster.com/red/pie/ene_geo_pow_use-energy-geothermal-power-use
• Barriers:
• A process called “enhanced geothermal” is controversial because it has been linked to earthquakes. This takes place in areas without large steam reservoirs in which they use a technique of inserting high-pressure water into bedrock which causes new fractures into the rock and absorbs heat.
• Some argue that geothermal electricity is not really sustainable and that it will deplete the underground water reservoir, but since this in an energy which is very eco-friendly and is just being developed now, there are many precautions in place for preventing any potential fall-out. It depends on the depletion/restoration rate of the water. There have also been fears about under-ground water depletion.
• Expectations:
• It is realistic to expect around 25% to be put into effect.
Nr. 2/ Conservation – Transport:
• How that wedge reduces carbon emissions:Would be achieved if the number of miles traveled by the world’s cars were cut in half. Such a reduction in driving could be achieved if urban planning leads to more use of mass transit and if electronic communication becomes a good substitute for face-to-face meetings. By reducing emissions, energy conservation is an important part of lessening climate change. Energy conservation facilitates the replacement of non-renewable resources with renewable energy. Energy conservation is often the most economical solution to energy shortages, and is a more environmentally benign alternative to increased energy production.
* Reducing vehicles use across the globe can cut carbon dioxide emissions by thousands of tonnes. As mention before, efficiency is unquestionably the largest, cheapest, and cleanest wedge among the many we need to rid carbon from our energy economy.
* Avoiding unnecessary driving is the most effective way to reduce vehicle emissions; however, traffic trends indicate more vehicles are being driven more frequently due to urban sprawl.
• There are three general approaches for reducing greenhouse gases in the transportation sector:
• 1) adopting advanced vehicle technologies, 2) switching to low-greenhouse gas fuels, and 3)
• Reducing vehicle miles traveled.
• How would the following populations put that wedge into effect (if they can):
• 1. Carpool or ride-share. Some urban areas allow vehicles with multiple passengers to use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.
• 2. Use public transportation. Check your local public transit information.
• 3. If your employer permits, consider telecommuting or staggering your work hours to avoid sitting in traffic and wasting gas during peak rush hours.
• 4. Protect your health and your pocketbook by walking – or biking – to your destination whenever possible.
* Using an alternative form of transportation or ride sharing does make a difference.
• But the real problem is cultural. Americans are married to their automobiles as a means of defining who they are. Possible the only time now when you can really be yourself is when you are alone, in your car, cursing at the world.
• Mass Transit Statistics:
• 65% of commuters drive alone
• 20% take carpools
• 5% walk
• 3% work at home (but this number is starting to grow considerably)
• 7% use mass transit and most of this use is in NYC of Chicago
• How can your wedge be put into effect globally:
• The United States is currently the largest single consumer of energy. The U.S. Department of Energy categorizes national energy use in four broad sectors: transportation, residential, commercial, and industrial. Energy usage in transportation and residential sectors, about half of U.S. energy consumption, is largely controlled by individual consumers. Commercial and industrial energy expenditures are determined by businesses entities and other facility managers. National energy policy has a significant effect on energy usage across all four sectors, and its strengthening is part of the 2010 Presidential-Congressional legislative debate. One type of Energy Usage that can be used is Solar PV (Photovoltaic) Power.
Nr. 14/Forest Storage:
• How that wedge reduces carbon emissions:
Land plants and soils contain large amounts of carbon. Today, there is a net removal of carbon from the atmosphere by these “natural sinks," in spite of deliberate deforestation by people that adds between 1 and 2 billion tons of carbon to the atmosphere. Evidently, the carbon in forests is increasing elsewhere on the planet. Land plant biomass can be increased by both reducing deforestation and planting new forests. Halting global deforestation in 50 years would provide one wedge of emissions savings. To achieve a wedge through forest planting alone, new forests would have to be established over an area the size of the contiguous United States.
• How would the following populations put that wedge into effect (if they can):
• The United States:
• Deforestation by burning, a widespread practice in the world's tropical rain forests, adversely impacts the trace-gas composition of the atmosphere in two different ways. First, the burning of the tropical forests produces large amounts of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and other trace gases that are products when biomass burns. Second, the tropical forest is an important sink, or repository, for carbon dioxide. Atmospheric carbon dioxide is incorporated into the living biomass via the process of photosynthesis, which in turn produces the oxygen we breathe. Simply banning the timber trade or establishing reserves will not be enough to salvage the world's remaining tropical rainforests. In order for the forest to be preserved, the underlying social, economic, and political reasons for deforestation must be recognized and addressed. Once the issues are brought into the light, the decision can be made about what should be done.
• How can your wedge be put into effect globally:
• If it is decided that rainforests must be saved, then the creation of multi-use reserves that promote sustainable development and education of local people would be a good place to start. Currently about 6 percent of the world's remaining forests are protected, meaning that over 90 percent are still open for the taking. However, even this 6 percent is not safe if the proper steps towards sustainable development are not taken. If possible, reforestation and restoration projects should be encouraged if we hope to come out of this situation without serious, long-term consequences.