Help save the environment
Since I was not able to join my classmates in the field trip at Jaro Cathedral, I just searched in the internet information about the coal-fired power plant as an alternative source of energy in Panay. Last year, as I pass the streets of Iloilo City I saw signs that read "say no to coal!" and others "say yes to coal". At first I don't care, but today, as our teacher asks us to say something about it, I did a research and found out the components of coal and why others agree and disagree on it. As I dig deeper the contents and the harmful effects of coal, I realize that we don't need it because it can damage our health and our environment.
Coal is a combustible organic rock composed primarily of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Coal is burned to produce energy and is used to manufacture steel. Coal is originally formed from ancient plants that died, decomposed, and were buried under layers of sediment during the Carboniferous Period.
The use of coal as a source for power generation is amplified, as global energy demands continue to increase.
Yes, you can save on energy by using coal as the main source of power compared to the fuel oil, but you will make great sacrifices in the natural environment we live in. The air we breathe will no longer be fresh, it will add to the pollution caused by other sources such as emissions from cars, factories, and the like.
When coal is burnt, they cause carbon dioxide and this is one of the main causes of global warming. And the process of burning the coal releases Sulfur dioxide which causes acid rain. Air pollution occurs when coal is burnt and it causes smog, soot, acid rain, global warming. Ash, sludge, toxic chemicals, and waste heat create more environmental problems. Fly ashes, the waste product of coal combustion, concentrate inorganic non-combustibles such as heavy and trace metals. This increases the potential for localized environmental damage if emissions and fly ash reach the environment in appreciable amounts. Moreover, according to environmental researchers, Carbon dioxide (CO2) from coal-fired power plants is the main driver of climate change, representing a major portion of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, coal accounts for 72% of carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector.
What if, instead of using coal as a main energy source of our environment, we will use solar energy? Nowadays our atmosphere is very hot and sometimes the heat of the sun can burn our skin. Can't we use it as an alternative for our energy source? Moreover, Solar energy is clean, renewable, (unlike gas, oil and coal) and sustainable. It also helps protect our environment. Besides, solar energy is free.
"Quit coal and save Mother Nature."