Mishal Shadid
The earth is in trouble — species are disappearing, rivers and streams are running dry and rain forests are being destroyed.
Clearly something is not working!
Our system of environmental laws and regulations does not actually protect the environment. At the best, all it does is slow the rate of destruction.
We don’t know enough to be able to anticipate what the long-term consequences will be.
Hence, we should start recognizing the rights of ecosystem and make changes from today to make our tomorrow better.
Being a student at Troy University, I would like to share an idea that can be implemented on our campus to make the environment more eco-friendly. In this way, we can be a part of the positive change.
Green Power — it is 100 percent renewable power and highly beneficial for the environment, according to greenpower.gov.au.
According to the website, it is the part of renewable energy sources that help to preserve the environment by dipping the environmental outcome of the energy we use.
Green power is created from wind, eligible biomass, geothermal sources, biogas, solar rays and low-impact small hydroelectric sources.
Cost of this system, the site said, is a little higher than standard electricity because of the completely new arrangement for the network. But as any new technology grows, the demand will also grow, and as a result, the cost will reduce.
Estimated cost of this is approximately 5 to 8 cents per KWh, which is a little higher than current standard electricity rate, if you choose to obtain 100 percent green power.
Every bit counts as an investment for future generations. Even a minor input of 10-25 percent green power will cost as small an amount as 80 cents to $1 a week, equal to the cost of two cups of coffee over a month.
All this investment goes back to the producers and providers of the power, which in turn is used by a renewable energy zone, aiding in construction and improvement of technology.
Initially, one may find the cost high, but in the long run, building a network that is delivered by renewable energy will actually generate savings — both financially and environmentally.
Other measures can be adopted, such as saving electricity and water, planting more trees, creating a recycling program in our daily lifestyle, and keeping our campus and neighborhood free of garbage.
We should work together to bring a positive change to our environment by simply changing our lifestyle.
Just think of the good it would bring to future generations.
“The only way forward, if we are going to improve the quality of the environment, is to get everybody involved,” said Richard Rogers, a British architect.
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