geothermal energy :: essays research papers

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY Geothermal energy is one of the oldest sources of energy. It is simply using and reusing (reusable energy) heat from the inside of the earth. Most of the geothermal energy comes from magma, molten or partially molten rock. Which is why most geothermal resources come from regions where there are active volcanoes. Hot springs, geysers, pools of boiling mud, and fumaroles are the most easily exploited sources. The ancient Romans used hot springs to heat baths and homes, and similar uses are still found in Iceland, Turkey, and Japan. The true source of geothermal energy is believed to come from radioactive decay occurring deep within the earth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Electricity is one of the biggest outputs of geothermal energy. It was first recorded to produce electricity in 1904 in Italy. There are now geothermal power plants in operation in New Zealand, Japan, Iceland, the US and elsewhere.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the generation of electricity, hot water, at temperatures ranging from about 700 degrees F, is brought from the underground reservoir to the surface through production wells, and is flashed to steam in special vessels by release of pressure. The steam is separated from the liquid and fed to a turbine engine, which turns a generator. In turn, the generator produces electricity. Spent geothermal fluid is injected back into peripheral parts of the reservoir to help maintain reservoir pressure. If the reservoir is to be used for direct-heat application, the geothermal water is usually fed to a heat exchanger before being injected back into the earth. Heated domestic water from the output side of the heat exchanger is used for home heating, greenhouse heating, vegetable drying and a wide variety of other uses. Hot water and steam exist at many subsurface locations in the western U.S.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These resources can be classified as low temperature (less than 194 degrees F), moderate temperature (194 – 302 degrees F), and also high temperature (greater than 302 degrees F). The uses to which these resources are applied are also influenced by temperature. If the reservoir is to be used for direct-heat application, the geothermal water is usually fed to a heat exchanger before being injected back into the earth. Heated domestic water from the output side of the heat exchanger is used for home heating, greenhouse heating, vegetable drying and a wide variety of other uses. Hot water and steam exist at many subsurface locations in the western U.

Climate Change, Deforestation and the Media Essay

Various factors exist that are causing a negative impact and damaging the natural ecosystem. Various emissions from motor vehicles and different industries and chemical plants, processes like deforestation and various other activities continuously contribute to the deterioration of the well-being and livelihood of individuals and the ecosystem. Various researches conducted worldwide have detected various changes in the terrestrial ecosystems marked with the various activities propagated by the actions of human beings towards the environment (Midori, 2014, p 105). The alterations that exist have been attributed to climate change as opposed to any other types of activities and factors that may have arisen. There are various marked causes and effects of climate change towards the natural terrestrial organisms and all the other substances that consti0tute to the natural ecosystem. For instance, different animal, plant and biomes ranges have undergone shifting. The different timings in which various organisms and plants take to perform various activities such as flowering have been altered (Maxwell, 2013, p 779). The migration of animals has also been shifted since the prediction of the climate which facilitates there movement has significantly been altered. There have been instances in which the scotching sun has led to the development of various wild fires. Moreover, various amphibians, for instance seventy-five different frog species have been driven to extinction because of the climate change. Projections and various statistics have it that the various greenhouse emissions may lead to an overwhelming supply of various poisonous gases into the atmosphere hence altering the natural adaptive mechanisms of various organisms in the ecosystem. If the situation were left unmonitored and uncontrolled, vast areas would turn into ASALS thereby contributing to the alterations of the biochemical cycles that are experienced worldwide (Maxwell, 2011, p 779). Aquatic Ecosystems The aquatic ecosystems form a very functional and important role in the interrelation and existence of the global environment. Apart from playing a key and functional role in the ecological productivity and their contribution towards biodiversity, they play a very important role to the human beings. However, they face direct threats from the activities of human beings either in a direct or indirect manner. Climate change has an impact on the aquatic environment in the sense that an increase in the temperature of water significantly alters the basic ecological process facilitated by the marine life and the aquatic life species geographical distribution. The marine life may show tendencies of migration to various suitable habitants but various human activities may hinder their respective migration (Brulle et al, 2012, p 182). They may be unable to migrate thereby leading to their extinction of the various treasured species. Climate change influences the precipitation patterns. Moreover , the surface run off may have been contaminated by various gases that exist in the atmosphere thereby influencing marine life. Agriculture Agriculture forms a vital component of many economies. Agriculture is a composition of various cash crops, domestic livestock and various aquatic fish species, which are consumed or reared for commercial and consumption purposes. Climatic conditions highly influence the existence of fish and various agricultural produce. The effect of climate change on agriculture can be viewed from various dimensions since various factors exist that favor the process of agriculture while some hinder growth and production (Christensen et al, 2012, p 201). The excess existence of temperature and release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere contribute to increase in productivity and synthesis of various crops. However, for these conditions to have a positive impact on the various crops, various other factors such as the correct soil pH, the availability of water, moisture content of the soil, and other factors must be met. Massive periods of droughts and excess floods are always a challenge to various farmers. Moreover, when the temperature of water that harbors the aquatic life becomes warmer, the fish may migrate or die hence influencing the ecosystem (Corner et al, 2012, p 470). Crops are influenced by warm temperatures. They hasten the growth levels but reduce on the quantity of the yields produced. Moreover, an increase for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere also increases the amount of yield that is expected from a given type of crop. The growth process of crops is hindered by the existence and presence of extreme occurrences of rain and temperatures. The occurrence of drought and foods hinder crop growth since the crops become washed away and wither (Doherty et al, 2011, p 265). Human Health Human beings are affected by the occurrence of various climate change processes. These effects vary from the influence and diverse effects of heat waves, extreme weather events, air quality and occurrences of climate-sensitive diseases. Instances of hydration and the occurrences of heat strokes are prevalent and major causative agents of weather-related ailments and deaths. The impact would be a shift in the population patterns. Weather events, which are extreme, may contribute to various challenges that may be faced by human beings (Dotson et al, 2012, p 69). For instance, there would be a general reduction of water supplies and food in various parts of the country. Various health care services and communication utilities may be interrupted. Storms and various other factors may contribute to the excess concentration of carbon monoxide gas, which is poisonous to the human life. Climate change can therefore be seen to have various diverse effects on the natural ecosystem and if not pr operly controlled can lead to the extinction of various life forms and species. Mitigation of climate change Mitigation of climate change refers to the various actions adopted with the aim of reducing the affect of the natural ecosystem. Framing Issues The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change consists of a numerous enrolment of countries that have united to adopt various measures and practices to curb climate change. The principle aim of UNFCCC is to ensure the stabilization of various concentrations of atmospheric gases as a block of various human related activities that would contribute to the interference of the atmosphere (Fahey et al, 2013, p 134). Some of the main activities involve the control of emission of green house gases into the atmosphere. There was a universal consensus to the fact that the level of green house emissions should be limited to 1.5 to 2.0 degrees and below. Governmental and intergovernmental action Majority of the countries are adopting various policies proposed by various organizations such as the Green Belt Movement to extensively use clean technologies in their daily business operations. The mitigation process is promoted by the action that may be adopted by the various firms. Many countries aim at reducing carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere (Hajer et al, 2012, p 300). The government aim is to ensure reduction and minimization of emissions containing carbon into the atmosphere, the utilization of renewable energy and a boost in the efficiency of energy that is being consumed in the industry. The adverse effects of climate change are always felt greatest in nations, which have a low economic status. There exists the Commitment to Development Index, which analyses the various policies adopted to curb rising instances of emission of gases to the atmosphere. There are various activities that majority of the countries engage in that may be seen to contribute to the emis sion of gases in top the atmosphere. Activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and various emissions always influence the emissions. Therefore, the effective regulation of the particular emissions facilitates control of the climate change. Various strategies have been formulated with the main aim of curbing the spread of the adverse effects of climate change. These strategies include the Kyoto protocol, which remains to be the existent international agreement with the sole purpose of curbing climate change. Non-governmental policies These refer to policies that are aimed at reducing the extents of climate change through the effective funding from private investors and other business entities. They may also take the form of various environmental groups, which are seen to promote personal initiative when it comes to the process of fighting crime (Christensen et al, 2013, p 12). The non-governmental bodies also thrive through the encouragement of various personalities to adopt various effective means of using energy for instance the lowering of cooling usage and house heating, the effective use of renewable energy sources, minimization of exhaust fumes from vehicles through finding of means of transaction and operations that do not involve mobility with a vehicle. Apart from the road transport, various researchers have also expressed concern about the emissions produced by the air travel (Dotson et al, 2012, p 76). Various emissions are produced by the air travel, which may influence the atmospheric balance and the resultant ecosystem. The non-governmental bodies therefore aim at finding methods and means through which the emissions can be minimized to maintain an eco balance to the environment. Implications of climate change for sustainable development in rural areas. Rural areas have been known to hold and be a major backbone when it comes to agricultural production. The main occupation of majority of the people who reside in these regions is farming. Majority of the climate alterations because of climate change are diverse in urban areas, which are populated by industries. Rural areas experience constant and predictable rainfall patterns (Fahey et al, 2013, p 143). However, the effect of climate change resulting from various emissions to the atmosphere can easily alter the weather and climate patterns of a vast area of land. It therefore becomes important to note the fact that the sustainable development of rural areas whose people’s livelihood is dependent on the main economic activity which is agriculture. Rural areas are known to consist of vegetation that regulates the atmospheric gases in the atmosphere. They play an important part in balancing the ecosystem (Takahashi, 2011, p 249). Therefore, the efficient regulation of climate change may result to increase in various product output with a rise in production due to the occurrence of precipitation and adequate rainfall to facilitate growth of crops and the existence of livestock and fisheries. Coverage of Climate Change by the Media The media has played a pivotal and vital role in the influence of international, personal and national actions and efforts to address the issue of climate change. The mass reporting off climate change has been predominant in the United States of America and the United Kingdom. The level and extent of climate change is hugely attributed to the massive reports and collaborations with the Scientific Consensus on Climate Change. The media hit the sky during the early 2007 when featuring the Al Gore documentary and the Fourth Assessment Report on Climate change (Sheppard et al, 2012, p 235). Media reporting was also heightened in the year 2009 when the world held a conference on climate change organized by the United Nations. It was referred to as the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Consequently, another forum was referred to as the Climatic Research Unit email controversy that had been held earlier in November. Besides the USA and the UK, various other countries have shown massive efforts in the reporting of climatic changes and sensitizing the world on better policies to be adopted to minimize the effect and extent of the climate change. Countries such as Australia, Canada, Japan, Sweden, New Zealand and India have shown particular interest in climate change and this has been made possible through the media coverage that is received (Segerberg et al, 2011, p 201). The media has also been though t to attribute the findings of climate change to the public opinion and politics. Through the reporting, various governments have held numerous sittings with the aim of coming up with climate policies that various industries such as transport and manufacturing industries should adopt with the principle purpose of maintaining the ecosystem. The media has largely contributed towards the sensitization of the public to be able to know what happens when industrial chemicals and toxins are thrust into the sky (Olausson, 2011, p 290). For instance, a survey conducted indicates that when people were asked about the urgency of control of climate change and whether it was a problem or not, the following responses were obtained: It is not a problem 8% It is a future problem 14% It is a present problem 41% It is an immediate problem 36% I do not know 1% Climate change remains to be an eminent threat to the existence of natural and human beings. Campaigns by all media types and other institutions should be encouraged. The governments should come up with stringent climate change policies to curb the spread of acidic rain, drought, floods and any other extreme weather conditions (Dotson et al, 2012, p 80) References Aoyagi, Midori. â€Å"Climate Change Governance and Media: Media Exposure, Public Opinion and â€Å"the Most Important Issues,† By the Japanese Public.† In XVIII ISA World Congress of Sociology (July 13-19, 2014). Isaconf, 2014.Boykoff, Maxwell T. â€Å"Public enemy no. 1? Understanding media representations of outlier views on climate change.† American behavioral scientist 57, no. 6 (2013): 796-817. Boykoff, Maxwell T. Who speaks for the climate?: Making sense of media reporting on climate change. Cambridge University Press, 2011.Brulle, Robert J., Jason Carmichael, and J. Craig Jenkins. â€Å"Shifting public opinion on climate change: an empirical assessment of factors influencing concern over climate change in the US, 2002–2010.† Climatic change 114, no. 2 (2012): 169-188. Christensen, Miyase, Annika E. Nilsson, and Nina Wormbs. â€Å"Globalization, Climate Change and the Media: An Introduction.† Media and the Politics of Arctic Climate Change: When the Ice Breaks (2013): 1. Christensen, Miyase, Annika E. Nilsson, Nina Wormbs, Sverker Sà ¶rlin, Dag Avango, Per Hà ¶gselius, Henry Huntington, and Ralf Dà ¶scher. â€Å"When the Ice Breaks: Globalization, Climate Change and the Media.† (2012). Corner, Adam, Lorraine Whitmarsh, and Dimitrios Xenias. â€Å"Uncertainty, scepticism and attitudes towards climate change: biased assimilation and attitude polarisation.† Climatic change 114, no. 3-4 (2012): 463-478. Doherty, Thomas J., and Susan Clayton. â€Å"The psychological impacts of global climate change.† American Psychologist 66, no. 4 (2011): 265. Dotson, Devin M., Susan K. Jacobson, Lynda Lee Kaid, and J. Stuart Carlton. â€Å"Media coverage of climate change in Chile: A content analysis of conservative and liberal newspapers.† Environmental Communication: A Journal of Nature and Culture 6, no. 1 (2012): 64-81. Fahey, Dan, Paras Patel, John Rawlins, and Meiko Peng. â€Å"Climate Change Podcast Series-The Media and Climate Change.† (2013). Hajer, Maarten, and Bart Strengers. â€Å"Who speaks for the climate: making sense of media reporting on climate change.† Cambridge Review of International Affairs 25, no. 2 (2012): 298-300. Olausson, Ulrika. â€Å"â€Å"We’re the ones to blame†: Citizens’ representations of climate change and the role of the media.† Environmental Communication: A Journal of Nature and Culture 5, no. 3 (2011): 281-299. Segerberg, Alexandra, and W. Lance Bennett. â€Å"Social media and the organization of collective action: Using Twitter to explore the ecologies of two climate change protests.† The Communication Review 14, no. 3 (2011): 197-215. Sheppard, Stephen Richard John. Visualizing climate change: a guide to visual communication of climate change and developing local solutions. Routledge, 2012.Takahashi, Bruno. â€Å"Framing and sources: a study of mass media coverage of climate change in Peru during the V ALCUE.† Public Understanding of Science 20, no. 4 (2011): 543-557. Source document

Essay about A Humorous and Heartfelt Wedding Speech

A Humorous and Heartfelt Wedding Speech Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen - I would like to start by thanking Frank on behalf of the bridesmaids for his kind comments and echo the fact that they look wonderful and performed their role fantastically well, despite the inevitable and healthy rivalry that can sometimes occur. In fact, just before the service I overheard a furious sisterly argument about who was going to be first to dance with the best man. Understandable, I thought - until I got closer and heard them saying, You!, no, you! Ive known Frank for the best part of 20 years now and of course there are plenty of things I could tell you about what we got up to in our younger days. Unfortunately, I did consult my†¦show more content†¦Many a time I arrived home to be told, ‘Oh, you’ve just missed Frank, and he’s eaten your tea.’ However, it is a small price to pay for such a friendship, and being friends with Frank has been a lot of fun. We grew up in the same road and I fondly remember some of our childhood highlights were playing cowboys and Indians. Everybodys porch down the street fulfilled a different function. Mine was the bank and, tellingly, I now work for Lloyds. And yes, thats right - Franks porch was the saloon. Another popular game was ‘Hide and Seek’†¦ although Frank was a little bit tubby in those days so all he could play was ‘Seek’. Frank’s favorite pass time though was reading Mr. Men books. If you know Frank well, you should be able to guess which Mr. Man he now most takes after, and its not Mr. Messy, Mr. Bump or Mr. DirtRingo. For those of you on Lisa’s side, I’ll give you a couple of clues. Think of the Mr. Man who after five pints of Stella can communicate only by winking his right eye, is addicted to playing fruit machines in pubs and likes to have sausages and bacon for his Sunday breakfast. That’s right you’ve guessed it, the Mr. Man Frank most takes after is Mr. Winky Eye Fruit Porker†¦ available in all good bookshops. In all sincerity, Lisa, if Frank is half as good a husband as he has been a best friend to me, then you will have left here with a man that epitomizesShow MoreRelated Humorous Wedding Speech by Brother of Groom Essay798 Words   |  4 PagesHumorous Wedding Speech by Brother of Groom Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the bridesmaids, I must thank Donald for his kind words. I must also thank all of you for coming today - I know how hard it is to get a day release. As Donald’s lighter brother – sorry, I meant little brother, which is simply a reference to the fact that he is older than I am, and nothing else – I would also like to welcome Liz into the family. I think you’ll find the Endeans to be a warm and openRead MoreEssay on Humorous Wedding Speech by Brother of the Groom1010 Words   |  5 PagesHumorous Wedding Speech by Brother of the Groom Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentleman – It’s my job to reply to the toast to the bridesmaids and in doing so, say a couple of nice things about George. You know, tell you about some of his good points. The problem is he doesn’t have any good points. Well, except for being naturally gifted at sports. We do, after all, come from the same gene pull. So, on behalf of the bridesmaid, Claire, I would like to start by thanking George for his kind wordsRead MoreGender Roles and Attitudes toward Love in Shakespeares Hamlet5989 Words   |  24 PagesShakespeare challenges the acknowledged roles of women in instances of courtly love. Instead of this, the audience witness Juliet as a fourteen year old woman taking control of her own future and rejecting her parents’ decisions to experience real heartfelt love. In Elizabethan times ideas and attitudes to love were very different to contemporary views of love. In particular women’s roles differed greatly in that they played passive roles in a relationship and were taught from birth that they wereRead MoreMary and Max9879 Words   |  40 Pagescomplex, confronting and different, but if you want fluff, go watch Shrek. I simply loved it. For those who havent seen it yet - ask yourself when you last heard an audience clap at the end of a movie. For Adam Elliot - start writing your next Oscar speech! 22/04/2009 9:41 PMName: Tony Coote Rating: Comment: Come on guys, have your brains been utterly plastercinized, or are you just being kind to the second film of an Aussie Oscar boy? How can you not see that Mary and Max is a real stinker, overRead MoreThe Five Dysfunctions of a Team a Leadership Fable46009 Words   |  185 Pagesblue-collarish executive. That presented a stark contrast to the DecisionTech executives and middle managers, most of whom had little experience working outside of the Valley. Some of them even liked to brag that they hadn’t worn a suit—outside of a wedding— since graduating from college. It was no surprise that after ï ¬ rst reading her resumà ©, board members questioned the Chairman’s sanity when he suggested they hire Kathryn. But he eventually wore them down. For one, the board believed their ChairmanRead More_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words   |  1422 Pages(millions of dollars) Film Spider-Man Star Wars: Episode II Austin Powers in Goldmember Signs Men in Black II Scooby-Doo Lilo Stitch Minority Report Mr. Deeds XXX The Sum of All Fears The Bourne Identity Road to Perdition My Big Fat Greek Wedding Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Insomnia Stuart Little 2 Unfaithful 403.7 300.1 203.5 195.1 189.7 151.6 141.8 130.1 124.0 123.9 118.5 118.1 99.1 82.3 73.2 69.1 68.8 67.0