Changing the Way America Fuels its Cars Essay Example for Free

Changing the Way America Fuels its Cars Essay When President Bush declared that Americans were addicted to oil, he was right. Americans do not eat, travel or shop without oil. Robert Bryce admits this, but then asks, â€Å"So what? † Almost every other western nation is too, he declares. But Bryce takes the problem too lightly. (Bryce, 2008) There are four answers to Bryce’s question. First, America’s addiction to oil might be contributing to dangerous climate change. According to Romm (2008), it is speeding up global warming. Carbon Dioxide emissions, he says, cause rising temperatures, which may leave the world barren and desolate, wiping out species and drying up human water supplies. America’s oil addiction also threatens its national security. Indeed, according to Stein (2008), if America continues to purchase oil from unfriendly countries, it could fund the development of military technology, thus allowing its enemies to make and buy weapons and training that could later be used against Americans. According to Stein (2008), Relying heavily on foreign oil is also expensive for Americans, who are left paying whatever OPEC thinks they ought to. As gas prices go up, so do the prices of everything else in America – even food. Finally, America’s investment in foreign oil might be immoral, since, according to Romm (2008), most of that oil is purchased from undemocratic countries. These countries engage in many practices which the U. S. does not condone. While the problems caused by America’s oil addiction are clear, finding a solution is difficult. There are several potential substitutes for oil that can be produced domestically. For instance, America has its own oil. Recently, President Bush lifted a ban on off-shore drilling, in order to allow oil companies to obtain oil domestically (Upton, 2008). Another popular alternative is hybridization. Toyota, Honda, Ford, Mercury and Saturn are among the car companies that have already invested in such technology. Using a combination of electricity and gas, the cars produced by these companies can get over thirty miles per gallon. While some oil is still required to fuel these cars, using them reduces the amount of oil consumers will need to buy substantially. Meanwhile, some counties are moving toward fully electric cars, which would eliminate the need for foreign oil completely (Romm, 2008). Another alternative is bio-fuel. Ethanol – fuel made from corn, has been the most commonly used bio-fuel, and can be produced in the Midwest, rather than abroad. Other crops could also be used to produce oil. The Midwest is also a good place to harvest wind energy. Indeed, windmills and turbines can be placed throughout the United States, where they can be used to produce electricity. According to Stein (2008), Wind power has already been used successfully in Europe. It accounts, he says, for a fifth of Denmark’s energy. Meanwhile, many congressmen support the â€Å"coal to liquid† process, through which coal is turned into gasoline and diesel fuel (Roskam, 2008). Another alternative offered by some scholars and officials is increasing the use of nuclear power. While, according to Upton, France produces 80% of its electricity through nuclear power, and even has electricity to export – using American technology, Americans barely use nuclear power at all (Upton, 2008). Many have suggested that, in order for America to break its addiction to oil, the federal government must act, either by offering tax credits to consumers who invest in alternative fuel, or by penalizing gas companies and consumers by increasing gas taxes. Indeed, according to Stein (2008), taxing gas can reduce its popularity. Meanwhile, according to Tucker (2006), state governments have begun to step in themselves, seeing that the federal government is slow to act. These states, says Tucker, have begun to invest in solar, wind, landfill gas, and coal mine methane, biomass, along with hydro and geothermal energy. But which alternatives ought the government –or consumers, for that matter – invest in? Some alternatives are more risky than others, yet some of the alternatives with the greatest perceived risk are the most effective (Tucker, 2006). Representative Boehner recommends off-shore drilling. While he does not believe America has enough oil to fuel cars permanently, he does think such drilling will provide temporary relief to consumers at the gas pump (Boehner, 2008). But what can be done for the long-term? / Roskam advocates the use of coal. After all, he says, â€Å"America is the Saudi Arabia of Coal,† holding perhaps one fifth of the world’s coal supply (Roskam, 2008). According to Roskam, coal is cleaner than it used to be, and can be used to create gasoline and diesel fuel. Coal can also be used to produce electricity (Roskam, 2008). Indeed, Stein submits that the Co2 emissions from coal-powered electricity are much lower than those produced by traditional horsepower (Stein, 2008). According to Romm, creating Hybrid cars is costly, but, he says, if the government aids consumers with tax credits, such cars will become affordable. Furthermore, according to Romm, electric energy is the only alternative fuel source that costs less than gasoline. â€Å"It has a per-mile cost about one fifth that of gasoline, even when made from low-carbon sources,† he says (Romm, 2008, p. 14). He also points to the practicality of a move toward electric energy, stating that Israel and Denmark are already moving toward using fully electric vehicles. Although he does not expect America to jump to fully electric cars so quickly, he says that Americans will make the transition by investing in hybrid cars that can go up to forty miles on just electricity. Because, he says, most Americans only travel thirty miles per-day, the fuel savings would be substantial. â€Å"Cars could pay for themselves in fuel savings,† he says (Roskam, 2008, p. 14). He also nods to Toyota, GM and Volkswagen, who plan to release this sort of hybrid in the next two years. Meanwhile, Representative Upton argues for the use of nuclear power, saying, â€Å"â€Å"Nuclear power is the cleanest, most efficient, and most reliable source of electricity. † (Upton, 2008, p. 1) Not only that, says Upton, but nuclear energy can be recycled. Furthermore, unlike solar and wind power, nuclear energy can be used around-the-clock. France, Upton says, is remarkably energy independent, while Germany, which phased out nuclear power, is completely energy dependent. While the United States is currently independent as far as electricity is concerned, says Upton, we may not be, down the road, if we continue to avoid using nuclear energy. Stein supports Upton’s remarks, saying that NASA scientist Steve Lovelock believes that the only way to escape harmful global warming is to begin using nuclear energy (Stein, 2008). Yet, each alternative has a negative aspect to it as well. According to Romm, America should not engage in off-shore drilling, because it will not meet the needs of the American consumer, nor will it truly reduce energy dependence, because it will leave Americans addicted to oil, which they will obtain from foreign sources, once domestic sources dry up. Drilling in Alaska, says Romm, â€Å"would cut gas prices only 2 cents by 2025. † (Romm, 2008, p. 14) Romm also sees harm in the use of bio-fuels. â€Å"Using crops to make energy is unwise,† (Roskam, 2008, p. 1) he says. It will not, according to Romm, reduce greenhouse gasses substantially Meanwhile, as energy prices go up and the world’s population increases, while at the same time, climate change makes less land usable, people will need to use the land they have for crops and they will need to use the crops they have for food, or they will starve (Roskam, 2008) Stein (2008) also agrees that using food for energy is not a good idea. Furthermore, according to Asrar, Ethanol has a very high production cost (Asrar, 2007). Romm doesn’t think America’s current hybrid efforts go far enough either. Current laws, he says, require only that cars get 35 miles per gallon by 2020. This is less, he points out, than what cars get in either Europe or China. â€Å"We should aim,† he says, â€Å"for all new cars to get more than 100 miles per gallon by 2040. † (Romm, 2008, p. 14) Meanwhile, Upton admits that the current system for disposing of nuclear waste is not adequate. But he says, if the government invests in it, that waste can decrease, from the size of a soda can, per individual, to the size of a half-dollar (Upton, 2008). According to Stein, Greenpeace and the Sierra Club also sees harm in using nuclear energy. They will not even consider using the fuel, because they are afraid that an accident could have catastrophic effects, like those brought about by the accident at Chernobyl (Stein, 2008). Environmentalists also worry about wind power. They are afraid that windmills might cause harm to migratory birds. Although, Stein says, harm to such birds could be avoided by making windmills higher, environmentalists also worry that this makes them an obstruction and that placing such technology around America will disturb animal habitats. They also argue that the amount of land needed to create wind farms will lead to the loss of farmland and recreational space (Stein, 2008). If farmland is lost, Americans could face the same problems they would face if they used bio-fuel. Yet, if land becomes unusable due to global warming, Americans would have plenty of recreational space. According to Roskam (Roskam, 2008), Nancy Pelosi stands in the way of any Coal-to-Liquid programs – not even letting bills providing for investment in such technology come to a vote in the senate. Yet, according to Stein, coal-to-liquid is not an effective alternative, anyway, as it is still polluting and because synthetic fuel cannot compete with the real deal. Yet, using coal to produce electricity is, he says, a good idea (Roskam, 2008)X. While the experts agree that relying on bio-fuel is more harmful than it is helpful and that drilling will not meet the needs of Americans, most of the other options have some merit. Of all the alternatives, nuclear energy is the cleanest. Modern technology has made the use of it very safe. France’s successful use of nuclear energy shows that it can be harnessed and effectively used. Therefore, the government ought to invest more heavily in nuclear power. Meanwhile, because America is so coal-rich, the government ought to invest in finding ways to produce electricity through coal more cleanly. Government incentives for hybrid and electric cars ought to be increased, and the government’s requirements for automakers ought to be made more stringent. Works Cited Asrar, G. R. (2007). Americas Farms: Growing Food, Fiber, Fuel And More. Agricultural Research , 55 (4), 2. Boehner, J. A. (2008, July 15). We Need an `All of the Above Energy Strategy. US Fed News Service, including U. S. State News . Bryce, R. (2008). Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of Energy Independence. New York: Perseus Publishing. Romm, J. (2008). End This Addiction Immediately: Record gasoline prices are affecting every aspect of the U. S. Economy, and the nations burgeoning energy problems have become a frontline issue in the presidential election. U. S. News and World Report , 145 (2), 14. Roskam, P. (2008, July 14). Energy Independence A Question of Will. US Fed News Service, Including U. S. State NEws . Stein, S. (2008). Energy Independence is Not Green. Policy Review (148), 3-18. Tucker, P. (2006). Thinking Globally, Acting Locally on Energy Use. The Futurist , 40 (4), 8-9. Upton, F. (2008). Recycling of Spent Nuclear Fuel Offers Great Promise. US Fed News Service, Including US State News .

Maria Theresa :: History

Maria Theresa Birth Date and Birth Place Maria Theresa, the eldest daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI and Elizabeth Brunswick-Wolfenbà ¼ttel, was born in Vienna on May 13, 1717. Early Life When the only son of Charles VI died and left no heir to the throne, Charles furthered the Pragmatic Sanction. The Pragmatic Sanction is a royal act, which allowed a female to inherit the territories of the Habsburg. In 1736 Maria Theresa married Francis Stephen of Lorraine. The marriage of Maria to Francis was one of love, which was very unlike many in that time. The French strongly opposed the marriage of Lorraine lands to the Habsburg lands and demanded that he give up his ancestral rights of Lorraine for the succession of Tuscany. Schooling Maria Theresa did not have much schooling in politics, so when her father died on October 17, 1740, she was ill prepared. She had never had book-learned education and was only taught the proper etiquette and court manners that the ladies of her time learned. Family Maria Theresa and Francis Stephen had sixteen children, only ten of them survived. Maria loved her children very much, even though they were rebellious and often irritated her greatly. After they moved away she still kept in tight correspondence, and gave them wise advise. Her children became famous well-known people such as, the later Emperors Joseph II, Leopold II, and the later queen of France, Marie-Antoinette. Maria’s favorite out of all her many children was Maria Christina, who was the only one allowed to marry for love to Prince Albert of Saxony-Teschen, and was showered with vast gifts of money. Accomplishments Maria Theresa Accomplished many things during her reign, she established a strong army, centralized the administration of the government, and initiated reforms in agriculture and education. She approved drastic changes in universities, such as the introduction of textbooks. She also managed to hook the University of Vienna’s medical school with the public Health service. She tried to improve the lives of the peasants and put an end to the cruelty of the landlords, she tried to abolish serfdom in Bohemia but met opposition from her husband who was getting complaints from the lord-holders. Hardships After Charles VI died, the war he had tried so hard to prevent broke out after Maria inherited the throne. Besides having to deal with the war, Maria found that Charles had left the Habsburg territories in a dire state of disrepair, along with an empty treasury.

Edward Scissorhands gives the idea

People always set a so called standard. We might not notice it but we lived with it. We can not deny the reality that we distinguished or categories everything; right music, beautiful, normal, etc. We set it as a standard or right thing because it is the common thing that we see and everything that does not belong to it said to be abnormal, ugly and the like.Did we ever ask what others say about these standards? Especially those that we think do not belong to us. If it is not the beautiful that we see today is set as â€Å"beautiful† then it will be the other one that we will be referring as beautiful. Well, it is planted already in our hearts. No mater what we do there our heart will still say and stick to what we usually see.Most often when we see people who do not belong to that standard we give them uncommon treatment. Why? It is because we think they are incapable of doing what we commonly did. Well, good for those treated with good but for others they were even denied wi th their rights as a person.Edward Scissorhands gives the idea or states what is happening to our society. When somebody saw him he was brought home but treated as a specials person. Well, he is incapable of doing some things that a what they called â€Å"normal people† do (just like what happened to the waterbed).People treat him with uncommon treatment because of his weaknesses. One example scene that gives an idea of the common reactions of people is that when Edward, even incapable of doing some things, had a hidden strength of ability.If they were not preoccupied with the thing that Edward is incapable they will never be amazed when they knew that Edward has a hidden artistry. They loved him since then. Well, we can not deny that fact that is a nature of man to show kindness to those who show him kindness.One man got envious with Edward. He blackmailed him and charged him with robbery. That plot starts to cause hi to be driven away. Although it was not at that moment but it was the start that some people think him negatively. The people did not examine every detail of the events and concluded directly.When they saw Edward with a blood on his scissorhands they postulated he was attempting to kill. They were preoccupied that because Edward is different from them he will commit a crime or he will do bad thing to them at anytime and by that they did not investigate. They drove away Edward.Edward’s social aspect did not develop fully because unexposed to other people. He grew in an isolated place. He wasn’t exposed because of the fear that the community might not like him and will not accept him. As we can see social integration is needed for human beings to be developed as a person. It’s not only because of that factor but it is because of the fact that every person is unique.No person is the same as the other. Because not all of us have the same weaknesses and strength e need to interact to fill up the voids of some aspects. If Ed ward grew up with the community, he will not be treated as such he will be common to their sight. Every person need also to know what is happening to his society for him to adjust with the community trend.One common reaction for a man who is not oriented with the community is watching himself not to be seen and notice by others as different. In other words he will try to be one of them. This rapid change of environment causes Edward to act abnormally; meaning he act not the same with the community.Even though the film did not verbally mentioned the thoughts of Edward I still see his inner feelings of being not oriented. He is like a sheep being put together with the pigs where he tried to be like pigs. He tried to do what the community is doing.This is unhealthy for human beings; a sudden change of environment. This often caused the person’s being to be crushed. For worse, it will lead only to the destruction of his personality. Because human beings can not adopt easily, ever ything need to be a gradual process. Everybody should help with one another to bridge the gap between them.

Little Skate Characteristics and Information

The little skate (Leucoraja erinacea) is also known as the summer skate, little common skate, common skate, hedgehog skate, and tobacco box skate. They are classified as elasmobranchs, which means they are related to sharks and rays. Little skates are an Atlantic Ocean species that that live on the ocean bottom. In some areas, they are harvested and used as bait for other fisheries.   Description Like winter skates, little skates have a rounded snout and pectoral wings. They can grow to a length of about 21 inches and a weight of about 2 pounds. The dorsal side of a little skate may be dark brown, gray or light and dark brown in color. They may have dark spots on their dorsal surface. The ventral surface (underside) is lighter in coloration and may be white or light gray. Little skates have thorny spines which vary in size and location depending on age and sex. This species can be confused with the winter skate, which has a similar coloration and also lives in the North Atlantic Ocean.   Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataSubphylum: VertebrataSuperclass: GnathostomataSuperclass: PiscesClass: ElasmobranchiiSubclass: NeoselachiiInfraclass: BatoideaOrder: RajiformesFamily: RajidaeGenus:  LeucorajaSpecies:  erinacea Habitat and Distribution Little skates are found in the North Atlantic Ocean from southeastern Newfoundland, Canada to North Carolina, U.S.   These are a bottom-dwelling species that prefer shallow waters but may be found in water depths up to about 300 feet. They frequent sandy or gravel-covered bottoms. Feeding The little skate has a varied diet that includes crustaceans, amphipods, polychaetes, mollusks, and fish. Unlike the similar-looking winter skate, which seems to be more active during the night, little skates are more active during the day.   Reproduction Little skates reproduce sexually, with internal fertilization. One obvious difference between male and female skates is that males have  claspers  (near their pelvic fins, that lie on each side of the tail) that are used to transfer sperm to fertilize the females eggs. The eggs are laid in a capsule commonly called mermaids purse. These capsules, which are about 2 inches long, have tendrils on each corner so that they can anchor to seaweed. The female produces 10 to 35 eggs per year. Within the capsule, the young are nourished by egg yolk. The gestation period is several months, after which the young skates hatch. They are 3 to 4 inches long when they are born and look like miniature adults.   Conservation and Human Uses Little skates are listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. They may be captured for food and the wings sold as imitation scallops or for use as other dishes. More often, they are harvested to be used as bait for lobster and eel traps. According to NOAA, that harvest occurs in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland. References and Further Information: Bailly, N. 2014. Leucoraja erinacea (Mitchill, 1825). In: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. (2014) FishBase. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species.Kittle, K. Little Skate. Florida Museum of Natural History. Accessed February 28, 2015.NOAA Fisheries: Greater Atlantic Region. What Were Doing to Learn More About Skates. Accessed February 28, 2015.Sulak, K.J., MacWhirter, P.D., Luke, K.E., Norem, A.D., Miller, J.M., Cooper, J.A., and L.E. Harris. Identification Guide to Skates (Family Rajidae) of the Canadian Atlantic and Adjacent Regions. Accessed February 28, 2015.Sulikowski, J., Kulka, D.W. Gedamke, T. 2009. Leucoraja erinacea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. Downloaded on 28 February 2015.