Bio-fuels and Skimming the Problem
Biofuels are a promising solution to the problem of dwindling oil reserves. Biofuels are made from biological waste which can potentially replace crude oil for the production of gasoline or other limited resources for energy production. Biofuels are created by reducing complex biological chains to the simpler ones that make gasoline, and other fuels. This could potentially knock off our dependency on oil, and reduce a ton of societal problems that our dependence on that resource forces. However, we are neglecting the fact that gasolines, or anything that follows a combustion reaction will emit, carbon dioxides into the air. The video never addressed this problem and that worried me, especially considering the effects these gases have had on climate change throughout the years.
Hydrogen Energy
Hydrogen Energy is an option for clean and sustainable energy for cars, homes, and businesses; the one problem is like most things, the price tag. Hydrogen Energy is rooted in the use and the science behind hydrogen fuel cells. Hydrogen fuel cells work by taking in hydrogen gas and propelling it through an anode that has a catalyst that will knock off the electrons from the hydrogen atom making it a hydrogen ion. The free electrons are now forced to move through the route of least resistance, the wire since they are blocked by a membrane separating the anode and a cathode that is selectively permeable to only ions. The electron movement through the wire creates a current and thus provides energy to an outside object. Once the electrons have crossed over they meet again with the hydrogen ions and oxygen coming in from the cathode to form one of the waste products of this energy source water.
This form of energy is indeed an interesting one, in that it creates no harmful waste products and requires little to start, however, the issue of needing an outside source of energy to form pure hydrogen to start and continually make the pure hydrogen poses the biggest problem. An improvement or experiment that I’d like to see tested is creating a system or device that utilizes a clean energy like solar/wind/water to propel the process of electrolysis. Also, on a smaller scale, I know that these hydrogen fuel cell systems usually separate the wastewater and the water used for electrolysis; however, I think it would be interesting to see a closed system that somehow uses some of the energy harnessed by the hydrogen to facilitate electrolysis and create a chain system where the waste water becomes the same fuel source water. This would only require an outside starting energy source to start the cycle and would take away the need for hydrogen fueling stations and capsules.
Oakwood Wastewater Treatment Plant
Before our class discussion on the presence of wastewater treatment plants, I never once gave thought to where exactly the sewage from my home goes once it leaves it, and I was shocked to find just how close it was to spots that I’m entirely familiar with. Oakwood Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant is located right along the coastline of Staten Island facing the Atlantic Ocean, which is a notoriously dirty and unkempt shoreline in terms of both water quality and general pollution on the beach itself. The water has been found to be toxic in various studies done by local scientists, and it is a generally well known fact by local Staten Islanders that the water at Midland Beach is especially foul smelling and disgusting (which is why sensible Staten Island beachgoers go elsewhere for their beach-going needs). Knowing that this plant is right next to the area where most Staten Islanders are going to sunbathe over the summer is incredibly indicative of the reasons as to why that water might be so truly foul to swim in.
Wastewater Treatment and My Role in Water Consumption/Pollution
From a quick search for my closest wastewater treatment plant, I found out that my own personal wastewater most probably is processed at The Owl’s Head Wastewater Treatment Plant. From this search, I’ve learned that the plant has been in operation since 1952 and treats upwards of 120 million gallons of wastewater. Presumably, I am a part of the over 700,000 New Yorkers the plant serves. Interestingly enough, I also found some angry reviews and complaints about the notorious odor the plant plagues throughout the neighborhood, to which there have been efforts to reduce these process odors through operational upgrades and reconstruction.
In regards to my own personal consumption and usage of water, I admittedly take for granted my easy and seemingly unlimited access to water. My showers are long, I leave the sink on when I brush my teeth, and don’t make as great of use of my reusable/refillable water bottles as I could. I definitely contribute to the ongoing plight of water consumption which indirectly contributes to the pollution of our limited sources of water. I know many share this mindset of being just one individual, and that my own personal actions won’t cause much of a difference, but of course that is not the case. I 100% need to be more conscious and wary of my own water consumption and how I contribute to water pollution whether it be through the use of plastics that may end up on the streets and washed away into our waters. One small change is still impactful.
Wastewater Treatment and Me
Using an NYC wastewater pamphlet I discovered that I am one of the 850,000 Queens residents whose sewage gets treated at the Bowery Bay Waste Water Treatment Plant. It’s ability to manage 150 million gallons of wastewater accounts for the entire Northwestern section of Queens, stretching from Long Island City to Forest Hills. I found it interesting that the plant was malodorous enough to cause a 3 million dollar investment that saw Aluminum caps fitted with a carbon filtration system placed on top of sludge tanks to reduce ninety-nine percent of the smell. This kind of investment is characteristic of the Department of Environmental Protection’s larger plans as they’re sitting on 14 billion dollars over the next ten years, which they hope to use to create over 3,000 more construction related jobs. This is a strong point to contrast the popular belief that we have to make sacrifices in our economy to protect the environment.
Using another pamphlet from the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, I found out I use approximately 100 gallons of water a day, 25 more than the average New Yorker. This is in large part due to having a non-water saving shower head at home. As much as I do love high water pressure showers, I should look into changing my shower head to something more eco-friendly. I also assumed that my toilet was not water-saving, considering the almost comically run-down state of my apartment. Other ways I could reduce water consumption is by taking less than 10 minute showers and filling the sink when I wash dishes. To end positively, my constant use of public transportation is great in reducing the stress on water waste treatment plants since it reduces air pollutants that can affect our water. Also, since I’ve yelled at friends for this before, please don’t ever pour cooking oil down a drain, it’s terrible for your pipes and for the wastewater treatment plants.
Here are the pamphlets and one small nyc.gov article:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/wwsystem.pdf
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/environmental_education/activity-water-use-calculation.pdf
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/press_releases/16-008pr.shtml#.W9lm5hNKigQ
Waste Water: The Where and the Why ?
So looking at the map of NYC wastewater treatment plants, I discovered my local wastewater treatment plant on Staten Island is Number 8 in Port Richmond. This plant processes 60 million gallons per day. Upon some internet digging, I learned that it had opened in 1953 and has been processing waste water ever since then, however, not without its faults. It was notorious for some terrible spills including one in 1988 when the wastewater spilled into Kill Van Kull and the NY Harbor. In 2015, this plant had a $30 million dollar upgrade (new boilers and solar panels) to make it both more energy efficient. This also reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, one step closer to the 2050 goal of having a net-zero energy use in the city’s wastewater plants.
Knowing that I thought more about my own water consumption and where I fit into the network of water use in NYC. I thought about how much I use water every day, in the bathroom, kitchen, cooking, etc. I ended up taking two different online calculators to tell me how much my household uses water and had come to the conclusion that my household uses less water (80 per capita gallons of water per day vs the average 207 per capita gallons of water per day) than the average simply due to some everyday practices. For me specifically, my water consumption is pretty low since by nature I take very short and cool showers and limit my everyday water usage. My highest water consumption, aside from bathroom things, is cooking/washing dishes since I cook nearly every day and my plants surprisingly. I’ve always been aware of my water consumption simply because when I go back to the Philippines we have a limited water supply per day and per week. given these situations, I’ve been raised to understand my own personal water consumption on a daily basis.
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