Being located at the center of the Earth where the Sun shines directly above provides a natural advantage for countries like Canada and Japan who draw much of their energy from solar radiation. However, these benefits come with a price: the elements that are essential for life are abundant in the solar radiation and can be harmful if they are not handled properly. In this blog post, we will explore the local environment of solar energy in more detail and how to properly handle it.
The Strongest Element In The Solar Radiation
The most obvious and arguably the most important element in the solar radiation is that it is made of energy. The Sun is the source of all life on Earth and the fact that it provides us with energy is directly attributable to the fact that it is a natural resource. The chemical elements necessary for the synthesis of organic compounds are abundant in the Sun’s rays and they are vital for the survival of all life. If the Sun is taken away, then not only will humans perish but so will all the plants and other life on Earth. For this reason alone, it is paramount that we try our best to properly handle and preserve the environment of the Sun.
The Great Divide
While Canada and Japan bask in the glory of being the northern and southern hemispheres’ most solar-energy-dependent countries, there is another large group of Asian countries that are also heavily dependent on solar radiation for their energy needs. This group consists of China, India, and South Korea and, altogether, they account for more than half the world’s population. The reason for this is that the elements that form solar energy are quite rare on the Earth’s surface and are mostly found in the form of minerals deep inside the planet. Even then, not all of these elements are readily available as they need to be excavated which, in turn, leads to more pollution.
The Water Cycle
A large amount of the Earth’s surface is covered in water and it plays an important role in maintaining life. The water cycle can be broken down into four steps: precipitation, collection, transport, and storage. Precipitation is the process whereby water droplets form around atmospheric particles (usually suspended in the air) and it occurs whenever it is warm enough for the particles to aggregate together. This process is commonly referred to as rain or snow and, generally, it is a very quick and effective way of removing water from the air. During collection, we are taking advantage of the fact that water is drawn to the ground and can be easily extracted. Transport refers to moving water from one location to another and, finally, storage is where the water is either retained for later use or dispersed to allow for the survival of all life. As we already mentioned, not all of the water is useful for us and plants in general are quite happy to have most of it removed. For this reason, the water cycle is actually a double-edged sword: while it provides us with essential water, it also removes the elements that we need for life. It would, therefore, be a smart move to try and minimize our harm from the water cycle and do our best to preserve as much of it as possible.
The Impact Of Mining
Mining is the process of extracting minerals from the Earth’s crust and it is a very efficient way of obtaining the elements necessary for our daily lives. The problem is that while mining is great at providing us with the resources we need, it has a tremendous impact on the environment. This is mostly because the minerals that are extracted are not always easy to get rid of (especially not in large quantities) and they often cause harm when they are dumped or left over. For example, if we consider gold as a precious metal, then the impact of mining it can be easily estimated. A single ounce of gold can be used to pay for hundreds of thousands of pounds of food and other goods. If we assume that each calorie is equal to 4.184 joules and it takes, on average, 15 kilowatt hours to generate one kilowatt, then we can say that 1 ounce of gold is equal to 16.184 kWh of electricity. This, in turn, is equal to the electricity used by 16,184 households for a whole day. In other words, if all the mining that took place every day for a year was done with one ounce of gold, then it would amount to the electricity used by 16,184 households for one day. The damage done to the environment would be quite substantial, especially since this amount of electricity is not always easy to come by especially in countries that suffer from power outages and blackouts. Improving energy efficiency and moving toward renewable sources would be an excellent way to minimize the damage done by mining.
Protecting The Environment
Being located at the center of the Earth provides us with a unique vantage point from which to observe the planet and its many inhabitants. From this location, it is easy to see that all life is interconnected and interdependent upon one another. This is especially important when we consider that we are destroying the planet that we live on. We are taking advantage of the fact that the Sun provides us with energy and we are using it in an unsustainable manner. The elements that we are removing from the Earth’s crust are the very same ones that sustain life and it is, therefore, our responsibility to look after and protect the environment of the Sun.
Reducing The Amount Of Harm
There are many ways in which we can reduce the amount of harm done to the environment by the solar radiation. Firstly, if we consider oil as a polluter, then we should take measures to prevent it from being pumped into the environment in the first place. Secondly, we should look into the possibility of generating our own electricity using green sources such as solar radiation rather than relying on oil-generated power stations. Thirdly, we should try our best to recycle as much as possible so that no elements are disposed of in an unrecoverable manner. Fourthly, we should educate ourselves on how to properly dispose of waste and not contaminate drinking water sources. Fifthly, we should favor smaller charities that try their best to reduce their ecological footprint while still providing important services to those in need.
The Final Takeaway
The above mentioned information should put everything into proper perspective. While Canada and Japan bask in the glory of being the northern and southern hemispheres’ most solar-energy-dependent countries, there is another large group of Asian countries that are also heavily dependent on solar radiation for their energy needs. This group consists of China, India, and South Korea and, altogether, they account for more than half the world’s population. The reason for this is that the elements that form solar energy are quite rare on the Earth’s surface and are mostly found deep within the planet. Even then, not all of these elements are readily available as they need to be excavated which, in turn, leads to more pollution.
Being located at the center of the Earth provides us with a unique vantage point from which to observe the planet and its many inhabitants. From this location, it is easy to see that all life is interconnected and interdependent upon one another. This is especially important when we consider that we are destroying the planet that we live on. We are taking advantage of the fact that the Sun provides us with energy and we are using it in an unsustainable manner. The elements that we are removing from the Earth’s crust are the very same ones that sustain life and it is, therefore, our responsibility to look after and protect the environment of the Sun.