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Foundation ALTENER > Alternative Energy > Towards Sustainable Living |
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Towards Sustainable Living
Why is using renewable energy so important?
The world currently relies heavily on coal, oil, and natural gas to satisfy its increasing energy demand. Nevertheless, fossil fuels are non-renewable. That is, they draw on finite resources that will eventually dwindle, becoming too expensive or too environmentally damaging to retrieve. In contrast, the various types of renewable energy resources (such as wind and solar energy) are constantly replenished and will never run out.
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The thing that also speaks strongly in favor of renewable energy is its democratizing potential of equal access to energy and the perspective of becoming energetically independent for individuals, communities and whole countries. Renewable energy resources exist throughout wide geographical areas, in contrast to other energy sources which are concentrated in a limited number of countries. What would be the result of rapid deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency? Just imagine a significant energy security, reduction of our carbon footprint, climate change mitigation and economic benefits as some of the potential improvements.
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Renewable energy has the potential to replace fossil fuels to a big extent, and can be used directly for heating and lighting homes and other buildings, for generating electricity, for hot water heating, solar cooling, and a variety of individual, commercial and industrial uses. Using renewable energies would simply lead us to a lifestyle that attempts to take as little from the earth as is humanly possible. A lifestyle that would provide the best for people and the environment, and would be suitable both now and in the indefinite future.
Living sustainably
Sustainability has become a commonly used term, and hearing it often can make us forget what it actually means. We hear about sustainability in context of environment, society, farming, but also culture and politics. What exactly is sustainability and what does it mean to live sustainably?
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Sustainability can be defined as living a good life within our means, in a way that doesn't prevent future generations from being able to enjoy a similarly pleasant life. Or in other words, thinking about how what we do now, impacts long-term availability of the natural resources that sustain our way of life.
Is such a simple idea really new? It is believed that the idea of sustainable living began long before solar panels, geothermal energy, and renewable energy were even thought of. Before anyone talked about environ-mental issues, farmers began to realize that agricultural crops depleted the soil, unaware that crop rotation was the way to maintain the land. The need for a sustainable development became more apparent as cities began to grow and resources began to diminish. Some people began to develop personal lifestyles that would take into account environmental issues on their own. However, sustainable living means more today than when it was first considered. |
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Back then, it was to improve man's conditions, today it is to maintain man's functional society and protect our environment. Living sustainably today also means thinking about global equity and ensuring that those in other areas of the world are entitled to live a good life. |
How to develop sustainably?
There are three factors that need to be considered in lowering the carbon footprint and approaching sustainable live. The most crucial factors of sustainable development involving energy use are: energy consumption, transportation and diet. If you consider these three things, it is easy to see how reductions in fossil fuels are tied to them. Obviously, transportation depends on fossil fuels more than anything else, but is followed closely by heating, cooling, and electrical uses.
Diet concerns the agricultural products in the grocery stores. Moving food from one location to others costs a great deal in fuel use, why not instead use available food sources in the areas where the consumers themselves live? This significantly reduces the amount of fuel consumed and helps local industry at the same time.
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Developing our society sustainably means a shift to a renewable energy-based economy, where reusing, recycling and developing a more diverse system of transportation slow the use of the diminishing fossil fuels.
Instead of separating into communal or hermit types of existence, we should try to develop a sustainable society and work towards this change together. By realizing that we consume energy both directly and indirectly through consuming goods of which production and transportation is energy demanding, we will increase our environmental awareness. The reduction of our energy consumption is, however, a collective effort of our society, so once you become aware, make sure your neighbors get involved as well. |
What can I do to live sustainably?
While sustainable living in a global scale is an effort of not only individuals, but also the whole society, there are things we can already change in our household to make us live more sustainably. Protection of forests and soil all over the earth seem like a remote venture, therefore try to follow some simple goals which will help you to use natural resources wisely.
There are certain steps and solutions that can help us achieve sustainable living:
- Reduce, recycle and reuse - reduce the energy use, recycle what was once used and reuse what's possible instead of buying new things.
- Minimize our dependence on fossil fuels by reducing energy use in the home and where transportation is concerned.
- Switch to renewable energy sources. Maybe you live in a very sunny or windy area which makes it suitable for installing solar panels or small wind turbines - make use of those limitless resources.
- Be aware of the environmental impact of household products you consume - everything from furniture to cleaning products.
- Buy second hand, borrow and share where possible.
- Think access, rather than ownership.
- Think carefully about food purchases. Buy local and directly from organic farmers where possible, and try reducing your meat consumption.
Let's change some old bad habits, start to use alternative energy and let's move towards sustainability!
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