A) Several different ways to produce energy have evolved in the past years; however, there is no specific energy plan that can be sustainable. Each plan has both advantages and disadvantages. In my opinion, the most sustainable plan is to utilize energy captured by wind turbines. These turbines produce no pollutants and are harmless to the environment. Although they have many benefits, like any other energy plan, there are downfalls – wind turbines can be expensive, and may also break during storms.
B) Ways to minimize energy use in homes.
– Walk or ride my bike instead of driving my car.
– Turn off the lights when I'm not using them.
– Take shorter showers.
– Turn down the thermostat.
– Use ceiling fans instead of air conditioning
– Install fluorescent light bulbs.
– Unplug electronic devices when not in use.
– Make sure the windows and doors are completely sealed in order to maintain desired temperature
C) Yes, energy star labels are extremely helpful when looking for products that are energy efficient. The “sliding scale” ranges from least amount of energy used to most amount of energy used. Normally, the products that use a small amount of energy are going to be more expensive; however, they will save you money in the future and are also environmentally friendly because they use limited energy.
D) I feel that the most useful type of energy in Iowa would be wind energy. Our state has many open fields and could easily capture the wind energy. However, it may be difficult for wind turbines to function during the winter months.
E) R value insulation ratings are used to measure insulations ability to resist heat flow. The higher the R value, the more effective it is. House Insulation should be purchased based on its R value, not thickness or weight. Some quick facts about R value are:
• One type of insulation maybe thicker or thinner, but if the R value is the same they should insulate equally.
• R value performance testing is done in a 70 F environment with no air movement. Ironically enough, when you need insulation the most you're generally not in these ideal temperatures or conditions. This can result in the rated house insulation R value being higher than the actual effective R value.
• The average recommended R value of insulating material for basement insulation in North America is R-12.
• The R value in house insulation is substantially lowered when there's any air or water/moisture leaks.
• The standard R value for house insulation varies based on climate and temperature
• 1 inch of insulation is = to 30 inches of concrete.
There are different types of house insulation materials, each having a different R value.
Some of the best insulation materials are:
• House Insulation R value of Blown in Cellulose Insulation is 3.70 per inch
• House Insulation R value of Fiberglass Insulation is 3.14 per inch
• House Insulation R value of Expanded Polystyrene is 4.00 per inch
Protecting your house insulation and keeping your R value high is extremely important. Water is one of the biggest concerns in regards to R value and house insulation. If moisture/water gets into your house insulation, it lowers the R value. The moisture will weigh down the insulation leaving gaps and bare spots.
F) Mining for oil and coal cannot be sustainably; these are both non-renewable resources. The website I have included is about water use and sustainable development in coal mining; the work is a case study from Central Queensland. The case study discusses the five pillars of sustainability.
http://www.csrm.uq.edu.au/docs/MCA_SOTA.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment