Env week 2-1

Chapter 15 non-renewable energy
Oil peak (Hubbert's Peak)
Coal (USA: ~300yrs)
Natural Gas (~125 yrs)
Strategic Wars

Environmental Impact
*Greenhouse gas emissions
*Water pollution
*Air Pollution (SO_2, NO_2)
*Habitat Depletion/Degradation

Trade-Offs Conventional Oil, Advantages and Disadvantages

Natural Gas: Mixture of Gases, More than half is CH_4
More plentiful than oil,
Has a high net energy yield and fairly low cost and
has the lowest environmental impact of all fossil fuels

Coal
Very plentiful (u.s. has 25%)
high net energy yield
low cost

-High (capital) costs
-Low net energy yield
-Long-lived radioactive wastes
-Vulnerable to sabatoge, safety concerns
-Require Large ammounts of water
Why nuclear become popular again?

Air Pollution
Natural, stationary, mobile sources of pollution