Apr
16
Blog Post 13
April 16, 2015 | Leave a Comment
There are many issues to take care of, but there is only so much one can do. Environmental issues are far from many people’s minds as they go about their days. Yet we take advantage of the environment and are digging ourselves in a deeper and deeper hole. The transition to renewable energy seems obvious and can actually provide many benefits. Needless to say, the environment will benefit, but economies will also gain quite a bit. Labor demand and future innovation will bring about a growing industry and will spur economic growth.
Kate Sheppard’s article in Mother Jones describes how there are regions of high income mobility areas that fall almost right on top of oil reserves and heavy oil development. Other factors like the public school system and affordability of college were also taken in account, but the author was surprised to see states she normally would not consider, for instance North Dakota and Montana. She even mentions that two thirds of public schools failed to meet the federal standards. So fracking offers a very viable method to increase social mobility in cases where other methods fail to provide that. But of course fracking will eventually come to an end as reserves run dry.
The highest point in fracking development was 2011, and the investments in renewable energy are growing each year. In fact, Tom Randall writes in Bloomberg that “the world is adding more capacity for renewable energy (143 gigawatts) than coal, natural gas, and oil combined (141 gigawatts).” It’s forecasted that power generation capacity additions will continue to grow for renewable energy (with most coming from solar and wind energy) and will decline for fossil fuels. Also, as the price of renewable energy continues to decrease, it’s estimated that solar energy will be the biggest source of energy in 2050. The implementation of this feat will require more employment, so the potential that fracking provides can be met through developing renewable energy.
Mark Perry’s point is also applicable in the context of renewable energy development. Renewable energy can be a source of breakthrough technologies and greater income inequality. We may soon see a few renewable energy giants as we have Chevron and ExxonMobil. But the effects are very beneficial. In the long run, renewable energy will reduce our footprint in global warming and our daily expenses. Many more people will be able to enjoy energy while knowing that they are doing so with the environment in mind and while keeping costs down.
The article on Hurricane Sandy brought up quite an interesting topic. It argued that Sandy intensified a crisis stemming from social and economic inequality. It added that the recovery goal is not only rebuilding for the short term, but also changing for the long term. Matters like inadequate housing, unemployment, and inaccessible services were some of the more apparent problems that were highlighted by Sandy. It’s unbelievable how revealing the low-income residents were damaged prior to and after Sandy. All the while, environmental problems must also be mitigated.
The push towards renewable energy seems like a good start that can address a few of the aforementioned issues and provide a platform for future development. Its implementation is long overdue, but it’s never too late.
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Jia Jun (Jay) Wu
